1990 key won't turn - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

CleoK · 02-02-2007, 09:55 AM

I recently bought a dandy 1990 Camry FWD but am having a serious and frustration problem.. Once I push down the "lock" button and take the key out... when i reinsert the key and try to turn it, it often won't turn. I can move the steering wheel back and forth and sometimes that will let the key turn.. sometimes not for some time.

Last weekend after over an hour of trying a guy tried and jerked the stearing wheel really hard to the left.. and it worked. Not long after the same thing happened and a friend tried and was able to turn it without any steering wheel abuse or wiggeling.

The only odd thing I've noticed is that i can turn the key just a wee bit.. which seems to often unlock the steering wheel.. but does not allow me to turn the key further. I can relock the steering wheel by turning the key back counter clockwise.. but still not able to turn it clockwise enough to start the car.

Any suggestions.. PLEASE? I have blisters on my finger and thumb!

Kep · 02-02-2007, 10:46 AM

It may be that the key that you have is worn. If you are real lucky the former owner(s) passed down an original unused key that they kept. Try all the keys that you got with the car and if one works get a locksmith to duplicate it and save the old key. Other than that you may be able to get a key made by a local Toyota dealer if they can pull up your car's VIN records. Call them first with you VIN and ask. Also ask what documentation you will need to bring with you.

That would be the easy solution. There is also a steering wheel lock mechanism that may be failing. I am unfamiliar with how it works. I expect that it could be disabled if you want or repaired. Some one else may have a better suggestion on that.

Kep

CleoK · 02-02-2007, 10:55 AM

Kep thank You.. I'll look into to both ideas.. the keys do look quite warn .. but I have the key number which was scribed on one of them.. I'll see if I can't order a new key

If that doesn't work.. I'd be fine with disabling the locking feature if that can be done.

This has been beyond frustrating.

***HomeGrown*** · 02-02-2007, 10:57 AM

+1 on the steering wheel lock mechanism failing, that seems to make the most sense. When I got my car, the ignition key was badly worn. Fortunately there was a key number written in the owner's manual, so the Toyota dealer was able to cut me a key from that number. If you have an owner's manual, check it to see if you have a number. My old worn key gave me similar trouble, but not to that extent. Even my new key sometimes doesn't turn properly.

Pretty strange that a car with only 42k miles would have such a badly worn key. They must have taken 42,000 one-mile trips with it.

CleoK · 02-02-2007, 11:13 AM

>>+1 on the steering wheel lock mechanism failing<<

That's what I'm thinking but I'm poor as poor can be and think I'll try the cheapest thing first.. new keys.

Can the steering wheel lock mechanism be disabled or does it have to be fixed/replaced?

Is there a certain way I can hold my mouth or something to make the key turn?

I'm getting desperate.. and it's awful to whine and whine about a problem then have a friend step in and with the greatest of ease, be able to turn the key

although the guy last weekend it did by jerking the steering wheel hard back and forth.

Is it diagnostic.. that often i can turn the key just a wee bit clockwise and the steering wheel is unlocked.. and can't be relocked unless I turn the key back.. BUT I still can't turn the key the rest of the way forward.. ???

nogard · 02-02-2007, 11:18 AM

Like it was said, go to the Toyota Dealer with your VIN and they can cut you a brand new key, not a copy. If you copy what you have you will end up with a newer version of the same worn out key. Then once you have that new dealer made key you can go to the hardware store and make some good copies. I have noticed that the dealer keys costs more, but it is make of better stronger material. This is the one I use on a daily basis.

I have and '88 camry and the key was kind of the same way. It also only worked in the drivers door and I would have to pull up on the key as I turned it. Once I had the new key cut all the locks worked like new. I couldn't believe the difference!

CleoK · 02-02-2007, 11:27 AM

heh, that's what i meant when i said "copy".. I'm assuming this is a master key since it opens the doors, trunk and starts the car. I have absolutely no problem with doors and trunk.. just starting the car :-( i have both the vin number of the car handy and the key code.

Oddly enough the owners manual warns that this will happen, at least to some extent, and suggests moving the wheel back and forth while gently turning the key, which does sometimes work.

Frankly, I'd just as soon also get the steering wheel lock mechanism disabled as well as the new key.. if it is fairly easy and cheap to get done.

nogard · 02-02-2007, 11:33 AM

I wouldn't disable the steering lock. Have you ever seen how one works? They are very simple, I doubt that is the problem. I would say it is your worn key, and then maybe a worn lock cylinder.

By the way I just remembered that I couldn't use my VIN at the dealer for my '88, since it was to old. I had to take the passenger side door panel off the use a mirror and flashlight to read the four digit code on the lock cylinder. Pretty easy to do, and they cut it no problem.

The steering wheel my have to be turned while turning the key. If you park and have the wheel turned and it wants to spring back, but you remove the key first. Then it puts pressure on the steering lock. So you simple have to turn the wheel the opposite way to relieve the pressure. This happens to all cars.

CleoK · 02-02-2007, 11:51 AM

no, I have no idea how the steering lock mechanism works..

What mine is doing is.. I push the button down and then can take the key out

Most of the time when I can't get the key to turn clockwise enough to start the car.. I can get it to turn clockwise enough to apparently release the steering wheel lock.. then I can turn the steering wheel as much as my muscles will let me, as long as they key stays in that partially turned position. IF I turn it back counter clockwise.. and turn the wheel, it finds the "locked" position and will stay there with very little "play" available unless i can turn the key that little bit again..

hope I'm painting that picture right, because it feels like it may help diagnose the problem.

I live out in the boonies so getting the closest dealership is a bit of a problem.. not unsurmountalbe.. but still. I'm almost tempted to squirt oil or something in there.

As an aside.. I hope having the key code will make it so I can avoid any door panel removals.. what is easy for some, like you.. well you know :S It's insane that they make it that hard to do.

I did find a site online .. they ask for a faxed copy of insurance or car title which then has to be verified, they said, by law by a dealer in my state before they will make a key, which makes me think when i go to get a key made I better take that info with me.

Mike Gerber · 02-02-2007, 01:10 PM

"I did find a site online .. they ask for a faxed copy of insurance or car title which then has to be verified, they said, by law by a dealer in my state before they will make a key, which makes me think when i go to get a key made I better take that info with me."

I was going to suggest this. In my area the local dealer wants to see proof of ownership along with your driver's license before making a key.

My newphew had a similiar problem on an 87 Camry. He bought it used and only received a couple of worn aftermarket keys. The dealer made him a couple of new keys from the key code and it solved the problem. Actually he didn't have the key code and I didn't want to take the door apart to get it for him. The parts guy I knew at the local dealer looked carefully at the cuts in his old key; wrote down some numbers on a sheet of paper and then cut a new key from the numbers he wrote down. Worked like a charm. I was really impressed. I guess that's what some people can do after doing these things for so long. I would definitely try the new key first.

Mike

CleoK · 02-02-2007, 01:30 PM

Hi thanks Mike.. from what everyone is saying, that seems the way to go.. and I may try that online site.. just heard back from the closest Toyota dealership and they will charge $25 for keys.. which seems awful steep... and they don't get very high reviews from others on repair..

From the dealership:

"We should probably try cutting you a couple of new keys first. That would run approximately $25.00. The other possibility that you might be looking at is a new ignition lock cylinder. If it needs replaced, the cost would be approximately $250.00. We should probably get your car in, take a look at it, so that we can diagnose the problem and tell you exactly what it needs. If you would like to schedule it, just let us know. Thank you for your inquiry."

ptsmith · 02-02-2007, 02:50 PM

my key gets stuck very rarely, but i think it only happens when the wheel is in a certain position. not a big deal, hasn't happened but a couple times since i bought the car.

timebuilder · 02-02-2007, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CleoK

I recently bought a dandy 1990 Camry FWD but am having a serious and frustration problem.. Once I push down the "lock" button and take the key out... when i reinsert the key and try to turn it, it often won't turn. I can move the steering wheel back and forth and sometimes that will let the key turn.. sometimes not for some time.

Last weekend after over an hour of trying a guy tried and jerked the stearing wheel really hard to the left.. and it worked. Not long after the same thing happened and a friend tried and was able to turn it without any steering wheel abuse or wiggeling.

The only odd thing I've noticed is that i can turn the key just a wee bit.. which seems to often unlock the steering wheel.. but does not allow me to turn the key further. I can relock the steering wheel by turning the key back counter clockwise.. but still not able to turn it clockwise enough to start the car.

Any suggestions.. PLEASE? I have blisters on my finger and thumb!

Have a new key "cut from code."

CleoK · 02-02-2007, 08:25 PM

ptsmith.. if it were happening to me as has to you, rarely... then it wouldn't be a big deal, honestly. This is happening most of the time. Last Sunday I spent over 1 hour trying to turn the key. So it's way past being something that happens now and then.

Lately, I've made *sure* that the wheels are pointing dead ahead and I'm not on an incline, so that's not the cause. It was even suggested that I don't touch the steering wheel after I pull the key out.... that didn't help either.

I have the code, the vin number, the paperwork and am going in to get a key made by the dealer next week with fingers all kinds of crossed. If that doesn't work I guess I'll need to have the ignition lock cylinder and the steering wheel lock mechanism checked.

Just kinda hoping there was some trick I missed or some easy to try suggestions.

timebuilder · 02-03-2007, 06:58 AM

Most good locksmiths in my area can cut car keys from code. I got my last set of keys from a locksmith.