Saturn Keys


  #1  
Old 10-18-18, 06:36 AM
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Saturn Keys

Just bought a 2001 Saturn at an auction, only 66k miles. I go to our hardware store to have a couple keys made and when I say Saturn he tells me it'll work in the doors but might not in the ignition, still want one?

Well, they do work in the doors and 50/50 in the ignition. When I ask him why he shrugs and says they want you to have them made at a dealer?

Any ideas why this is? I'm thinking of running one over a wire brush on my bench grinder and smooth it out?? Doesn't make sense to me.

Thanks
 
  #2  
Old 10-18-18, 06:52 AM
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There a chip in the key, no chip, no start.
I had one made at my local hardware store that has the machine that programs the keys.
There not cheap to buy, I think mine was about $40.00.
The dealer wanted $75.00.
 
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Old 10-18-18, 07:16 AM
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No chip in these, sometimes it turns and sometimes not. Hardware was $3, dealer a few towns over is $9. I just don't understand why it only works half the time.
 
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Old 10-18-18, 08:01 AM
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Does the factory key that came with it work fine? Or is it all the keys that have a problem?
 
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Old 10-18-18, 09:16 AM
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Original key works just fine, the new ones are iffy just as the hardware guy said they would be. Only thing I can think of is the Saturn locks are very touchy and just the slightest burr or whatever on the key and it won't work all the time.

Seeing he said it would happen it must have happened with other Saturn keys so it isn't my car, just a manufacturing thing?
 
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Old 10-18-18, 09:24 AM
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For $9 I'd get the right key from the dealer the next time I was out that way. Life's too short to hassle [with a key that doesn't always work] over a few bucks. At least it isn't one of those $100 dealer keys!
 
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Old 10-18-18, 09:51 AM
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Absolutely, but it is out of my hands now. I bought this and told my son he could have it if he paid half... it's on the way to Plymouth, WI as we speak.

I explained about the keys and he said they have two dealers down there to get proper keys. Now that I think about it when he gets the new keys I'll tell him to throw the others away, I can just see his goofy wife trying them and ruin the ignition. $$$$$

Yeah, spent $90 for my Buick key so $9 sounds good.
 
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Old 10-18-18, 10:26 AM
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We had to get our Saturn keys at the dealer. And now that Saturn is no more... GM dealership.
 
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Old 10-18-18, 02:34 PM
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This may have more to do with wear and tear in the lock mechanism than it being a Saturn. I've had similar issues with older cars and newly-cut keys.
 
  #10  
Old 10-21-18, 06:15 AM
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I recently bought a 1999 Honda Accord. Knowing the key has a chip, I had the hardware store make a copy just to unlock the doors. They made 3, none would turn in the driver's or passenger door. Original key is fine. Went to the Honda dealership, a key with the programmed chip was made based on the VIN which works fine.

A chip key at the hardware store would have been about $80 - it was only about $37 at the dealership.
 
 

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