Advice ... Key snapped in boot lock !

RayCon

So as per the title ... my only key snapped in the boot lock today so I'm snookered.

Has this happened to anyone before ? What am I looking at - a new ignition switch / barrel with new keys ? Any idea of cost of replacement (parts & labour) ?

At this stage it might be cheaper just to scrap the car .. it's 01 Honda Accord , NCT is up in Jan. It's done 156K miles ...

I'm not going to spend hundreds getting the ignition problem sorted , and then whatever else will be needed for the NCT , when it's a 14yr old car and I could be looking at a bangernomics replacement.

Any idea what the scrap value would be (at least it would be something towards a replacement car)

Anybody experience a similar situation ?

Atlantic Dawn

If it was me I would call a Honda main dealer and see if they can get you another key, they will likely want to view the logbook and ID to verify you are the owner, they should be able to order you a new key using the chassis number. A new key might cost €150-€200 as it will be coded for the immobilizer, could be looking at 5-10 days for it to be ready. Problem with this solution is you will need to then tackle getting the old key out of the boot lock but this might not be that hard to do yourself.

Another option is to get a locksmith out, not sure how difficult it would be for them to make a new key having no previous one to compare too, perhaps there's a code on the remaining part of the key they can obtain it from. Locksmith with callout charge may be as expensive or more than getting the new key from main dealer.

Scrap value with no working key to start/open it is likely to be around €250-€300.

RayCon

Thanks for the reply .. I've emailed a few scrap yards to see what price they'll offer me for it.

Economically I have to decide if it makes sense to spend €300 getting the key problem sorted or save that €300 and add it towards whatever I get from the scrap yard and put it towards something in the Bangernomics range.

Some nice Saab 93's / Volvo S40 in the €2000 Bangernomics range lately.

JohnBoy26

Why don't you get a new uncoded key cut and tape the remainder of the old key on to it so as the ignition will pick up the code. It's got me out of bother in the past.

RandomUsername

Remove the bootlid lock and bring it to a locksmith they'll remove the broken key and cut a new key to suit the cylinder glue the 'brain' of the old key onto the new one. I did this before and it cost me 50e all in including a second key without imobiliser.

RayCon

JohnBoy26 & RandomUsername .. thanks for the replies. Im not sure what you mean ... I'm clueless when it come to this ...

If I remove the bootlock , take it to a locksmith and he manages to get the broken bit of the key out - even with the 2 halves of the key - how will he cut a new one from 2 pieces ... and would a replacement key not have to be coded to the car ?

RandomUsername

RayCon wrote: »

JohnBoy26 & RandomUsername .. thanks for the replies. Im not sure what you mean ... I'm clueless when it come to this ...

If I remove the bootlock , take it to a locksmith and he manages to get the broken bit of the key out - even with the 2 halves of the key - how will he cut a new one from 2 pieces ... and would a replacement key not have to be coded to the car ?

He can cut a new key to suit the lock using only the lock cylinder (from the bootlock). the part that would need 'coding' is the rubber section of the key, you can glue that onto your new key then you won't need to get anything coded. Coded is the wrong word for hondas system but that doesn't matter for the purposes of explaining

JohnBoy26

With old honda keys it would be extremely difficult to split them as they really are a sealed unit.

If you don't want to spend a lot of money on it, My advice as above would be to get a key cut in a locksmith (matching your car) and to tape the top half of your old key to the top half of the new key, that way your car will still see the coded part of your old key and disable the imobiliser while the new key can be used to turn the ignition.

An uncoded key from a locksmith should be cheap.

RayCon

Ah ... OK .. I think I've got you ... the black plastic body of the key (circled below) needs to be attached to the new key .. either by splitting it open and gluing it around the top of the key , or by sellotaping it onto the new key

RandomUsername

RayCon wrote:

Ah ... OK .. I think I've got you ... the black plastic body of the key (circled below) needs to be attached to the new key .. either by splitting it open and gluing it around the top of the key  , or by sellotaping it onto the new key 

as john boy said they're hard split and the immobiliser chip are easily damaged
I would glue it to the new key with the 2 holes side by side so a keyring can go through both holes so if the glue ever fails you won't lose the key or immobiliser

RayCon

RandomUsername wrote: »

as john boy said they're hard split and the immobiliser chip are easily damaged
I would glue it to the new key with the 2 holes side by side so a keyring can go through both holes so if the glue ever fails you won't lose the key or immobiliser

Excellent .. thanks for your help. Sounds like a plan*






* adds super glue and tie wraps to his shopping list

RandomUsername

No problem, let us know how it works out

dr.fuzzenstein

Would an 01 Honda even have a chip?

JohnBoy26

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Would an 01 Honda even have a chip?

Yes a European accord would.

RayCon

Just a quick update. The Service Dept in Clonskeagh Honda were very helpful in emailing the key number I needed once I provided a PDF scan of my log book and drivers license. I took the key number (and my half a key) to a local locksmith , but he couldn't find any reference to it on his system ... he put me in touch with Auto Locksmith's in Mulhuddart. So I rang them, told them the story , gave them the key number and again .. no joy - couldn't reference to it in his system either. Only solution was to remove the boot lock and bring it over to him so he could remove the broken key and take it from there. So that's what I did ...

Next morning , got a call .. all sorted ... new key cut , chip successfully removed from the old one (honestly don't know how he managed that !) and put into the casing of the new one ... looks and works perfectly. €40 all in.

... and he cut me a spare.

Totally recommend the lads in Auto Locksmiths in Mulhuddart, particularly Graham ... top man.

RandomUsername

Good result ! I'm glad it worked out for you