Embarassing fun with locks!

[motorwurzel]

My S3 is nearly back on the road, and like a complete prat I have gone and lost the keys. Keys been fine when car was in bits. Now car is back together, no keys. I've done some daft things in mytime but I reckon this is the daftest!

I got a key cut to the code given in the documentation for the car (TX and a four digit number) by keysinthepost.com but the replacement key didn't fit. I guess sometime in the car's past the lockset must have been changed?

AFAIK The steering column and ignition lock/barrel (?) is from a Sierra. And the door handles/ locks shared with a Mk1 Capri.

Has anyone on here ever had to change the locks on an S?

I know that a key could be cut by a key company with a lock barrel, but will one from a door do, or does it have to be the ignition as I read somewhere this has the most tumblers?

Alternatively I could replace the locks. I've seen locksets from Ford cars of the period on sale on ebay but not sure which would actually fit. A Sierra key from that period would have been a round key like more modern Fords, wouldn't it, but mine are/were flat keys?

If anyone has had a similar problem before I'd be interested to hear how you got around it! (Search house from top to bottom again, yep.... I'm doing that)

[v8s4me]

Start a thorough search for something entirely different. They'll probably turn up then.

[Scoobimax]

Kids? Toy box? Buried treasure?

[motorwurzel]

Ho Ho...I know someone who dropped her mobile phone inside a cake tin once which stopped it picking up a signal so when she rang it it didnt answer! Alas no keys in the kids treasure box or in any cake tins... running out of places to look

I'm wondering if anyone has changed the steering column on an S? I saw a sierra lockset on ebay and the ignition lock assembly in the photo seemed to be still attached to the (upper) part of the column? I wonder if its difficult to get off or held on with shear bolts or something? mmm......

[DelboyH]

motorwurzel said:

I'm wondering if anyone has changed the steering column on an S? I saw a sierra lockset on ebay and the ignition lock assembly in the photo seemed to be still attached to the (upper) part of the column? I wonder if its difficult to get off or held on with shear bolts or something? mmm......

I've not had to change the column on my S3, but a few years ago I built a kit car that used a Sierra column. The lock itself is fitted into an ally casting which fits round the column and is retained by 2 shear bolts. If you remove the 2 part cowl that covers the top of the column you should be able to see what I'm talking about.

ETA; It seems that on later columns the ally piece that holds the lock is not removable from the column, although its possible to remove the barrel itself by depressing a spring clip. PM me and I'll send you a scan of the relevant page in the Haynes Manual.

Edited by DelboyH on Tuesday 19th March 11:42

[glenrobbo]

I had a spare key cut which will only work if I insert it, then pull it out a fraction before turning it. Kinda get a "feel" for it.
Have you tried that?
Before you start drilling out shear bolts, have you checked underneath/ behind/ beside the seats, around the engine bay, inside your toolbox(es), all pockets of any clothes/ overalls you may have worn?
Are there any other keys on the keyring that are used elsewhere the household? ie garden shed?

They will turn up, hope it's before you change all the locks.

Good luck.

[TimJM]

Have you tried asking local S owners to see if their keys work. You will be surprised how similar they are and you may be able to get one in far enough for position 1 so you can just slide the barrel out and replace for £10 or so.

[S2Mike]

Just had a brainwave. Some old Ford locks have the key number stamped on the face of the barrel, where the key goes in, something like YK576 or similar, if you are the lucky sort of person you can take this number to a ford dealer or possibly Timpsons ( other keycutters are available) and get a new key cut?
Actually not just Ford but many had this info stamped on them before security became an issue.!

Edited by S2Mike on Tuesday 19th March 16:26

[Scoobimax]

S2Mike said:

Some old Ford locks have the key number stamped on the face of the barrel, where the key goes in, something like YK576 or similar

I wonder how many of us will check this fact?

although some of us had 2 spares cut as soon as we bought the car

[motorwurzel]

I think Glenrobbo is right, they will turn up but only when I have changed the door locks, steering column and the immobiliser!

Ill have a look for any codes on the door lock mechanism as S2mike suggests. Unfortunately the car is about 150 miles distant at the exes (which adds to my key loosing stress levels I suspect.......) That an discovering a small leak in the 5/8 hydraulic hose after i had put some petrol in the tank which I then had to take out. (I have now replaced the hose with a shiny new length).

As a matter of interest Do other S owners have round Ford style keys of the period or flat keys like mine?

[glenrobbo]

Flat symmetrical double sided Ford keys of the period. ( 1987 S1 )
The originals are actually embossed with the Ford logo in the black plastic handle bit. Kudos you see. Never fails to impress.

[Scoobimax]

glenrobbo said:

Flat symmetrical double sided Ford keys of the period. ( 1987 S1 )
The originals are actually embossed with the Ford logo in the black plastic handle bit.

+1 (1991 S3)