Metal body master key shell

[PabloCruise]

Just as a reminder.......

There is a cheap way to solve this unless you are just hell-bent on doing things the hard way:


What have you done to your 100 Series this week?


My local ACE Hardware store had no issue with cutting my new keys to match the old ones, and I was out the door with TWO brand-new keys for $14....

1 Banana Job.... or less.


FYI / YMMV / BTDT / ETC.


-G

My local Ace had no such luck w/ laser cut LX keys...

 

[GregLCA]

My local Ace had no such luck w/ laser cut LX keys...

Bummer. Thought I had completed my good deed for the day.

-G

 

[suprarx7nut]

Just as a reminder.......

There is a cheap way to solve this unless you are just hell-bent on doing things the hard way:


What have you done to your 100 Series this week?


My local ACE Hardware store had no issue with cutting my new keys to match the old ones, and I was out the door with TWO brand-new keys for $14....

1 Banana Job.... or less.


FYI / YMMV / BTDT / ETC.


-G

While this is probably the cheapest way to fix the issue, it's only temporary. Those key shells will crack again. I bought one, had to sand/file it to fit to fob in, worked fine for a few weeks. Then I noticed cracks starting and within 6 months it was barely usable. How many years/miles do you have on your replacement(s)?

I bought a second shell from a different vendor. Initial fitment was better, but it literally cracked on the first use. It was a small crack, maybe 0.040" in length on a corner where the metal key goes into the shell. It was usable, but I knew its time was limited. Within another 6 months or so that shell was also cracked just like the others. I then just used the back up key with no remote until I made a key fob holder on my own.

You can continue the cycle of ebay shells for a while, sure, and you can prolong their life by carefully cranking every time, but with my wife and others borrowing the car and me putting 15k per year on it I was lucky to get 6 months out of a shell.

 

[GregLCA]

While this is probably the cheapest way to fix the issue, it's only temporary. Those key shells will crack again. I bought one, had to sand/file it to fit to fob in, worked fine for a few weeks. Then I noticed cracks starting and within 6 months it was barely usable. How many years/miles do you have on your replacement(s)?

I posted that on Feb 18, 2015....

So basically it's at 15 months already.

I only ever use 1 key for my vehicle, so all of the "wear and tear" is on a single key... No signs of cracking, and they are working great.


CAVEAT EMPTOR: I occasionally run into the problem where the ignition tumbler seems to get frozen in the park position. This is usually a result of parking with the wheels cranked so that there's a bit of preload on the steering column lock. Usually all it takes is a gentle pull on the steering wheel to release that pressure and the key turns normally. Other times when the key just seems like it doesn't want to turn (due to the wear of a 15-year old ignition tumbler) I don't FORCE it... no amount of He-Man twisting is going to make the ignition turn.

My original Toyota keys lasted more than 10 years, but eventually BOTH of them cracked. I was just happy to resolve an annoying pet-peeve of mine for less than $20.


-G

 

[HFDPNL]

CAVEAT EMPTOR: I occasionally run into the problem where the ignition tumbler seems to get frozen in the park position. This is usually a result of parking with the wheels cranked so that there's a bit of preload on the steering column lock. Usually all it takes is a gentle pull on the steering wheel to release that pressure and the key turns normally. Other times when the key just seems like it doesn't want to turn (due to the wear of a 15-year old ignition tumbler) I don't FORCE it... no amount of He-Man twisting is going to make the ignition turn.-G

Even with the Eternity key I'm careful,....I'm more concerned with snapping the ignition linkage, which seems to be a common failure....I've even warned my wife to be gentle with the ignition.