I managed to get the key end of my car key slammed in my front door the other day (it was hanging off my house key set). it is now bent, not cracked. the electronic end still opens the doors and boot - but i was wondering would you risk straightening it up so it would go in the ignition again or paying for a whole new one - its for a 2013 Toyota Aurion. i dont want to end up with it snapping off in the ignition.
tamarillo,
Aug 18, 10:14pm
I'd be too scared to try and would take it to a locksmith.
pattym1,
Aug 18, 10:30pm
yeah i am probably going to get a new one from the Toyota dealer - I just know they are about a million dollars. LOL
saxman99,
Aug 18, 11:50pm
I'd have a crack at straightening it and then seeing if it looked OK after. Warm it up with a pencil torch and squeeze it in a vice.
kazbanz,
Aug 19, 12:04am
Just don't--take it to a locksmith. It might be recovereable.
reb53,
Aug 19, 1:35am
You'd need to heat it so much that the fob would be melting. Besides, keys are usually a hard phosphor bronze which is a metal that doesn't respond well to this treatment, probably break. As above, see the locksmith.
sr2,
Aug 19, 1:41am
What he said.
woody1946,
Aug 19, 3:05pm
If its already bent without breaking--how come it would break if you straightened it again ? Its not a carrot, and in my experience most metals will bend twice without breaking
kazbanz,
Aug 19, 3:21pm
Most metals aren't under a constant twisting pressure every single time they are used. At the moment OP can drive their car and the key might be able to be uised.far better to organise a solution now than later with a key stuck in the ignition
sr2,
Aug 19, 4:25pm
Or even worse, half a key stuck in the ignition!
gmphil,
Aug 19, 8:01pm
take key from the plastic fob if possible ? place the key in a vice in the middle so three points touching slightly warm the key and wind the vise in slowly bit at a time . unless cut by code will have to be straighten to cut then get new blank cut save for spare
pattym1,
Aug 19, 9:27pm
wow. thanks for the link. i had no idea. and for that price. hmm.
pattym1,
Aug 19, 9:30pm
thanks for all the ideas guys. i might just shell out for the blank in the link above and take it to a locksmith. i have a spare. just dont like only having one usable igntion key. and note to self. dont leave expensive car key hanging in the house door again. lesson learned.
cjdnzl,
Aug 21, 8:15pm
Insurance?
lookoutas,
Aug 22, 1:45am
If you wanta get it as hot as possible without melting plastic - dunk the shaft in boiling water for as long as necessary, then straighten it.
cjdnzl,
Aug 22, 10:12pm
Boiling water is nowhere near hot enough to bend metal.
lookoutas,
Aug 22, 11:20pm
It's got nothing to do with getting it hot enough. It's all about getting the molecules as hot as practically possible, so they get less pissed-off about being bent back. Have straightened many die-cast parts in this manner, since Adam taught me how to do it. Didn't really consider it was my place to tell him he didn't know shit from clay, when that was how he was taught by someone with even more experience.
kazbanz,
Aug 22, 11:29pm
To be honeat patym-Id go so far as to say NEVER have your car key hanging on a bunch of other keys.Long term it will cause issues with the ignition barrell
petermcg,
Sep 10, 6:03am
Its Kreskin, he bends spoons as well.
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