Ford Ignition Cylinder Solution

As a locksmith technician with many years of experience in the field there were many times I ran into common issues with certain vehicle makes and models. The issues will mostly be related to the ignition system of the vehicle. Whether if its the switch, cylinder, key, or all 3, I found that there is a solution around for most issues. However, many times, these types of issues can throw the beginner locksmith technician off track chasing solutions that not only will add the cost to the service, but also most likely wont solve anything.

One time I remember getting a call from a customer who had some issues with getting the key to work the ignition switch of his 98 Ford F-150. According to him he recently had a hard time removing and inserting the key to the ignition switch. Back then, I did not have much experience working with vehicles' ignition switches, but for me it didn't seem such a big deal, I figured that the cylinder probably just needed cleaning inside it.

The first thing I did once I got to the customer's location was grabbing a bottle of WD-40 and a key blank to assist me with the cleaning process of the cylinder. After I finished the cleaning process, I noticed that there was no improvement in the function of the key with the ignition cylinders. Before making other conclusions, I decided to call a Spokane locksmith co-worker of mine to see if he had any insights regarding the issue at hand.

According to my co-worker, this type of issue was very common with Ford 10 cut ignitions. Apparently the ears on the switch tend to become loose from constant force being applied using the key when operating the ignition. He mentioned that there was no official fix for this type of problem, so the plug would need to be replaced with a new unit which meant I had to go to the dealer and see if they had one in stock. Unfortunately they didn't have the part I needed in stock and since the customer could not wait few days for the part to arrive, I went with an aftermarket cylinder plug which tuned out to be more rigid and according to the customer the issue did not came back.  

Ford Probe Key Origination

Originating a key for a vehicle is a fairly simple task most of the time for the experienced locksmith technician. With so many year, make and model vehicles in the market from different manufactures it is hard at times to keep track of all the different ways that are available for a professional locksmith to make a key. Most of the times, the door lock or ignition cylinder would need to be removed in order to retrieve a unique code that will allow the technician to originate the key. However, sometimes things will not go as smooth and an nontraditional solution would be required.

A while back I got a call from a customer who lost the keys to his 94 Ford Probe. I rarely got to service these types of models, but I knew that it would be the same key for the door lock and the ignition which meant I would need to remove either or in order to get the stamped code to make the new key. Thinking I had the solution figured out, I decided to accept the job, took the customer's information and was heading on my way.

When I got to the customer's home (where the car was parked), I reviewed my options again in order to originate a key for the customer. Normally, removing the ignition cylinder in order to get the stamped code would be much preferred. However, in that particular situation where the original key was not available, it meant that the ignition cylinder would need to be picked and I knew it may take a while since its a 10 cut ignition. I decided to go with my other option which was removing the door lock.

As I began removing the studs that hold the door panel, I noticed couple of them were giving me a hard time and didn't want to come out. Failure to remove those studs meant I would not be able to remove the door panel and access the door lock to get the code, but after about 10 minutes of trying, I finally gave up and started looking for another solution. The only option I could think of at that point was drilling the ignition and put another one, but before doing that, I figured I should make a call for a fellow Spokane locksmith technician of mine for an advice.

After getting him on the phone, he mentioned something that I didn't know. Apparently, if I rolled down  the door window of the vehicle all the way down, I would have a clear look at the door lock and the stamped code should be visible as well. After finishing the conversation, I started rolling the driver's side window down and I was able to see the cylinder, but it seem a little dirty, so I couldn't get a clear view of the code. I had to take a small piece of rag and use a long bar I had to get to the cylinder and wipe the dirt off with the rag and the code was visible enough for me to originate a new working key for the customer.

Truck Lid Lockout Tip

I got a call the other day from a customer complaining he lost the key to the lid on the back of his 2000 Ford F-150 truck. Normally the way I would approach these types of jobs is by picking the lock which shouldn't take very long and I could be on my way in a matter of minutes. However, for some reason, I did not have much luck dealing with the lid on that truck. When I got to the job site and started working on the lock with my picking tool, it did not work as well as I thought. I called one of my fellow locksmith technicians and he advised me to look into the safety latch pull and so I did.

Looking a little closer, I noticed the safety latch that was located to the left of the lock cylinder. It seem to be held by a Velcro piece,but was still accessible if approached in an angle. I took a Slim Jim and cut small slot at the end of it using a dremel tool I had. Then I used couple of plastic pieces to protect the paint while I'm sliding the Slim Jim through them into the lid. Once I got about 6 inches with the Slim Jim inside the lid, I was able to catch the release lever and I pulled in order to open the lid. Although I was able to open it, the open springs seem to be very tight, so I had to use some force when I pulled on it.

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