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Re: Snapped Ignition Key Posted by Larry West [Email] (#1140) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Larry West) on Fri, 26 Nov 2010 06:15:27 In Reply to: Re: Snapped Ignition Key, tspoto [Profile/Gallery] , Thu, 25 Nov 2010 23:29:51 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
If you're snapping them regularly, then I'd recommend a more liquid lubricant.
Keys snap for a few reasons:
1) sticky/gritty lock cylinder. With the key, the cylinder should turn fairly easily until the start position. Best solution is to flush it out with a spray-type liquid lubricant (the graphite won't help remove anything that's accumulated in there...). Common enemies of lock cylinders are sugary drinks...
2) Brass blanks. As mentioned, the stock Saab blanks are steel. The wide head gives the driver a lot of leverage to use, and the brass ones don't handle that as well.
3) the actual cut of the key. There are a couple hundred 99/900 key cuts, and some of them are stronger than others. My Mom & Sister both bought 1990 900s, and the dealer noted that my Sister would have to be very careful, as her key was very thin up near where it came out of the lock cylinder. Sure enough, after I bought the car from her, some bozo valet snapped it off. But Mom's has practically no cuts at all, and is the full blank width at the point it needs it.
Of course, #2 or #3, coupled with #1 is a recipe for snapping keys.
Dealers used to have a machine that cut the steel keys. It is very different from the hardware store variety, It doesn't grind the key, but it kind of chops the notches in the blank. I watched my dealer do it a few times.
You might want to take the console cover off (pretty easy on a 99), and stuff a rag or something under the shifter near the ignition lock. Then spray something like WD-40 or Triflow into the key slot, and don't be bashful about it. If it's really bad, I'd even recommend removing the cylinder from the shifter & soaking it out of the car to flush anything out of it.
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