shazaam

I lost the only key I had.

the locks had been previously rekeyed. I pulled the locks from the doors as well as the trunk and they are missing tabs for the lock smith to completely remake another key. The key he did make me fits all the locks now, but not the ignition cylinder.

I've already pulled apart the dash, and I've isolated the cylinder. But now I can't figure out what bolts I need to remove in order to pull it out.

Here is a pic of the lock cylinder


here is a pic of the lock cylnder connecting to the steering column. The steering column is on the left side of the pic. The bottom of the pic is the back of the lock cylnder.



here is a close up of the bar (at the tip of the arrows) that connects to the steering column. Steering column on the left, and lock cylnder on the right.




So how do I remove the cylinder? Is there any other precautions I should take?

thanks

shazaam

update: I triedd to remove the two round flat headed screw looking things. But I ended up drilling them out. It's the one in the center of tthe pic:



the cylinder didn"t budge, it's connected to the steering column inside somewhere.

bamachem

what about that phillips screw on the back of the cylinder? can't you just take that black cap off and pull the cylinder out thru the back w/o removing the complete housing?

surf4runner

"the cylinder didn"t budge, it's connected to the steering column inside somewhere."

thats how the column keeps the steering locked. on my p/u the old lock had to be drilled out by the locksmith (unsucessful theft )
there is a little pin to push to remove the cylinder but w/o the key your SOL

shazaam

from what I understand, the key needs to be in the ACC position, which then unlocks a pin. You then push the pin in and pull the key toward you, and the cylinder is released.


So even if I come through the back, I still would need the pin to be unlocked.


I'm so fubared. :pat:

NorCalVP

What about drilling the small pin on the bottom that holds the Cyl in place? Usually once you have the key into the ACC position the pin goes inside the Cyl and the whole thing slides out. Just drill out that small pin, you'd have to get a new Cyl for it though...

shazaam

one step ahead of you .. I jsut got off the phone with a used parts guy in NY. He's going to send me a new lock cyl .. he said basically to drill out the old lock .. but not to damage the case housing its inside. drilling the pin would work .. but since I'm replacing the lock cylinder anyway, I don't want to risk damaging the metal casing.

thanks for the suggestion though.

this has truly been an experience.

off I go to drill another hole

NorCalVP

let us know how your drilling goes!!

shazaam

ok well I jsut got done drilling out the ignition cylinder.

This is what is left of it:



This is a close up of the opening if the cylinder. I used a combo of screw driver/hammer, dremel, and drill bit set.



This is the metal casing still intact:



This is a fun little tid bit I learned. On the back of the casing is this little grey switch pictured below. Using a screw driver, you could start the car just by turning the switch. I didn't try it since all of the plugs under my dash are unplugged, and I didn't want to create a new problem for myself. But I'm pretty sure it'll work.




This is what my work space looks like. This is a process I wouldn't wish on anyone. So please learn from my experience and have a spare key made.





Dude is sending me a new key cylinder in the morning. Which I'll just have rekeyed to fit the key that I had made for all the other locks. Hopefully, this will put an end to this little fiasco.

NorCalVP

Fixed it for you...

bamachem

NO KIDDING. You'd think he would learn from this!

at least you got it out and you can replace the cylinder. good luck w/ the rest of it and have about 5 SPARE KEYS made and put them in the HOUSE.

FilthyRich

note to self:

go to stealer and get another key made....

4x4Lamm

Whats up with people loosing keys? Spares are like 99 cents at Lowes.

I have 1 on my key chain, 1 in my wallet and 2 in other places.


Lamm

shazaam

take a lexus key to lowes and ask them to cut it for you for 99 cents, and see what they say?

At the dealer its $120, online if I send them the key, they can cut me another one for about $50. Which I will do once this isall resolved. With my luck the key will get lost in the mail, and then I'll be SOL again.

FilthyRich

I can also get the keys cut locally for less then the stealer.
Let me know if you need anything.

Get two keys

4x4Lamm

$120!!! Ouch. Does that come with lube?

Is it because of a chip or a remote built into the key, or is it because its a Lexus and they can?

Lamm

shazaam

no this key has no chip and no built in remote .. just a regular old key. But the difference betwen this key and the toyota ones .. is that this one is cut with a laser. It can't be cut by a regular key cutting machine.

Eric, I'll hit you up once I'm ready

4x4Lamm

I see,

Somone with a website, laser cutting maching and some propritary software could make a killing on car keys. Good luck with everything, looks like annoying work.

Lamm

surf4runner

mine was damaged from an idiot of a theif.

my mess looked just like that, if not worse

admiral

Wow, I had to do the same thing except my key broke in the ignition switch. I was out of town and i wasn't going to leave my truck there. So I popped the electric switch from the back and started the truck that part was easy, the hard part was breaking the lock to unlock the stearing wheel.Using a screwdriver and a hammer. Boy that was fun.