Van Dwelling Tips: What to Do When Your Key Won't Work

Second hand vehicles, they all come with their quirks. Maybe the remote for the rear DVD is missing, or possibly the automatic radio antenna no longer lowers when you shut the key off. These are the types of issues that just come with the territory when you buy a vehicle that hasn't seen the inside of a show room for a couple years.

These convenience problems are usually left as is being many second owners won't even notice their purchase is anything short of like new in both operation and amenities.

On the other had if like myself you have just purchased a commercial fleet van, certain wear items may pop up that the dealer missed when they reconditioned the vehicle before putting it on the sales lot.

Within a day or so it became clear that there was an issue with the ignition switch on my 2005 Chevy Express Van with 118,000 miles on the odometer. About 50% of the time it took a fair amount of giggling or holding the key just so to get the key to turn. Once the tumblers of the lock where finally in alignment the switch turned effortlessly.

When it comes to ignition switch problems you have two possible issues. The Lock Set is what your key goes into. It by itself is not the ignition switch. The ignition switch is behind the Lock Set and is activated when the key allows the lock to turn.

Trouble shooting the two is fairly easy. If the key will turn but there is binding, or if you have weird electrical problems your looking at the actual ignition switch as the source of the problem. If on the other hand the key just won't release the switch allowing it to turn your problem is in the Lock Set, or tumbler.

In my case the two keys that came with the van had very apparent heavy wear to the teeth. Turning the key upside down meant holding the key in the opposite way to find just the right spot for it to release the tumbler. The same issue was experienced on one of the door locks verifying the problem was more then likely the key.

I took the better working of the two keys to the local hardware store and had a duplicate made hoping the crisp edges of a new key would rectify the problem. It was a couple dollars wasted as what you get when you duplicate a bad key is a shiny new but equally as inoperative copy.

I saw pictures of dollars in triple digit quantities evaporating before my eyes as I envisioned replacing the lockset for the ignition on my immobile van. I didn't care that the ignition would be keyed different then the doors, as long as I could get it working reliably I'd be happy. A quick trip to the dealership was all it took to put my worries to rest.

Turns out if you can prove you are the legal owner of said vehicle and have photo I.D. to verify you have the right to have keys to said vehicle you can easily have a factory new key made with no more information then the V.I.N. number off the dashboard.

In a matter of a few minutes they looked up the corresponding key code, entered a blank into their key machine and I was promptly presented with a factory fresh key to match my Van. It worked flawlessly. The $10 may have been a bit higher then usual for a key, but to cure my ignition issue for such a small amount made it all worth while.

I immediately went next door to the hardware store and had two more copies made at $1.50 a piece. There should be no further problems getting my van started now.

Many Van Dwellers buy well used vehicles making this a common problem that your likely to experience at some point. File this away in the back of your memory and maybe you'll be able to save a few bucks if you ever find you can't get your key to work on your van.