.... at Gillman Subaru North Houston. I lost my Subaru key. I called my local dealer. I'm supposed to get a call back tomorrow to see if they can do it. VIN "too short," etc., etc. the usual. Can anyone here make a key from the VIN?

Very likely...

 

Your vin # will not bring up a key code for the dealer to cut on...

 

you're looking at popping out your lock cylinder...

and taking it to a locksmith who can then cut a key for you.

 

feel free to pm me your vin (i work for subaru)

 

but i can nearly betcha that it's not going to work

 

Jamie

If the VIN does work, im gonna start looking in the windshield of all the Subarus i see Then im gonna get keys cut for em.

 

-Brian

 

p.s.

only joking, thats probably why they hide the code on the lock assembly.

actually, that's why dealers ask to see your proof of ownership before they cut your key! I worked for Heinzt Rent a Car in the 80s, and we were able to cut keys for any car on the lot with a key code book. pretty cool.

 

If the VIN does work, im gonna start looking in the windshield of all the Subarus i see Then im gonna get keys cut for em.

 

-Brian

 

p.s.

only joking, thats probably why they hide the code on the lock assembly.

your best bet is to pop the ignition switch out and bring it to a locksmith. i did this with my 360 and had 2 keys made for $20, its hard to believe it is cost effective for the locksmiths to do it that cheap.

Jamie's right, those pre-Federal VINs usually don't show up in a dealer's key code system. Older vehicles (pre early-Eighties) had shorter VINs, not the Federally-mandated 17-digit ones we're used to these days. Much less information is encoded in these older VINs. You'll probably have to pop a lock out, as mentioned above, and take it to a locksmith.

AND ... dealerships CAN get a key code from your vin...

 

on the newer models

 

which is why my vin # in my windshield has tape over it :-p

 

 

dealers SHOULD require id and proof before cutting a key

but.. yeah. we know how that goes.

 

Jamie

I know a local locksmith who was able to cut my Yugo key on the spot without vin or any other information, just cut and try, cut and try. She was in and had the car started in less than 5 minutes. She's awesome. Her dad was a locksmith in Lebanon. Like father like daugher?

your best bet is to pop the ignition switch out and bring it to a locksmith. i did this with my 360 and had 2 keys made for $20, its hard to believe it is cost effective for the locksmiths to do it that cheap.

 

Well this is a special case...as you probably know, there are only 4 key combinations and I believe Ed has all four. You could've dropped him a line and he'd have sent you copies (of all of them) at his cost.

 

dealers SHOULD require id and proof before cutting a key

but.. yeah. we know how that goes

 

But you're willing to do it for someone in Texas that you've never met? Sorry...had to do it. No one has ever asked me for ID for an older Soob either (I was asked for a driver's license but not proof of ownership when I lost my Forester keys).

 

AND ... dealerships CAN get a key code from your vin...

 

on the newer models

 

Back to 1987.5 as of this writing, I think they're purging one m/y from the computer a year though. Better hurry... (they were able to replicate my '87.5 XT Turbo key last month but not an '86 3-door key.)

Well this is a special case...as you probably know, there are only 4 key combinations and I believe Ed has all four. You could've dropped him a line and he'd have sent you copies (of all of them) at his cost.

 

Waaaay back when, my Brat key could start my boyfriend's Nissan 4x4 pickup, but not visa versa... his key didn't work on the Brat.

 

At present, they use Nissan blanks when they cut keys for me.

Andrew as always, mister know-it-all:lol: j/k

 

but seriously, my friend had keys made for his 82 corolla the exact same way, at the same place for 20 bucks.

But you're willing to do it for someone in Texas that you've never met? Sorry...had to do it. No one has ever asked me for ID for an older Soob either (I was asked for a driver's license but not proof of ownership when I lost my Forester keys).

 

i would never do that.

nor did i state that i would

 

i offered to verify whether or not the vin will provide a key cutting code

 

i did not offer up the code

nor did i offer up a key

 

i would never sell cut keys, cylinders, ignitions etc via the internet

 

thank you very much :-\

 

 

 

Jamie Thomas

email: Jamie at chaplins.com

http://www.subarugenuineparts.com

***************************

http://www.subiegal.com

Right. Especially to a total stranger like me. I'm supposed to call 1-800-SUBARU today (that doesn't even come up to seven numbers!!!), per suggestion of my local dealership, "to see what they can do." Whatever. I'll give them a call though.

 

i would never do that.

nor did i state that i would

 

i offered to verify whether or not the vin will provide a key cutting code

 

i did not offer up the code

nor did i offer up a key

 

i would never sell cut keys, cylinders, ignitions etc via the internet

 

thank you very much :-\

 

 

 

Jamie Thomas

email: Jamie at chaplins.com

www.subarugenuineparts.com

***************************

www.subiegal.com

This sucks. According to my Subaru parts counter guy, his sources say the key blank and the ignition cylinder lock are obsolete. Now I'm stumped. I can't believe I lost that darn key.

hmmmm...

i just bought my outback and only got one key, called one of the subaru parts places listed online....gave them my vin and got two extra keys at less than $2 each....

think i'll cover my vin with tape too.

My ignition is very hard to turn sometimes. On occasion, the key must be jostled just right to get it to turn. Once the car starts, the key comes right out, with the car running. Is this something that a locksmith can rebuild for me? I would hate to get a new JY ignition, because then I would have to change my door locks too. I'm not really interested in a new one, as I'm sure its $$$. Ideas?

i just bought my outback and only got one key, called one of the subaru parts places listed online....gave them my vin and got two extra keys at less than $2 each....

 

...sigh...

 

I swear to god, people don't even read. As both Jamie and I said above: Pre-Federal VINs are pretty much useless to your local parts department, especially for cutting keys. An Outback, by definition, would have a Federal VIN, since it's from the nineties. A car from the era of the Gen-1s would have a pre-Federal VIN, thus, of little use.

 

1. Remove lock cylinder from vehicle.

2. Take lock cylinder to locksmith.

3. Have locksmith make a key to fit lock cylinder.

4. Pay locksmith.

5. Reinstall lock cylinder.

6. Test key.

7. Make a number of copies of said key.

 

Easy .

Or,

 

1. call locksmith

2. she comes to you

3. makes key and starts car in 5 minutes

 

EASIER (a lot more money, a lot less time)

 

I was reading my repair manual. I can't tell if my gen 1 wagon has the shear off bolts. Or if I have to remove the steering wheel, disconnect and remove the steering shaft. If so, the removal seems really really complicated. I'll have to look at it in the morning.

 

...sigh...

 

I swear to god, people don't even read. As both Jamie and I said above: Pre-Federal VINs are pretty much useless to your local parts department, especially for cutting keys. An Outback, by definition, would have a Federal VIN, since it's from the nineties. A car from the era of the Gen-1s would have a pre-Federal VIN, thus, of little use.

 

1. Remove lock cylinder from vehicle.

2. Take lock cylinder to locksmith.

3. Have locksmith make a key to fit lock cylinder.

4. Pay locksmith.

5. Reinstall lock cylinder.

6. Test key.

7. Make a number of copies of said key.

 

Easy .

If the hatch lock on a Gen-1 is anything like on an EA82, it's super-easy to remove. There's just a clip holding it in place - probably... 1 minute to remove it? Might be easier than messing around with the ignition.

AND ... dealerships CAN get a key code from your vin...

 

on the newer models

 

which is why my vin # in my windshield has tape over it :-p

 

 

dealers SHOULD require id and proof before cutting a key

but.. yeah. we know how that goes.

 

Jamie

 

Unless the selling dealer neglected to input your data into the computer. I checked for mine and the dealer back east didn't put that info in the 'puter.

If the key works for the hatch lock, will it necessarily work for the ignition? Dumb question, but sometimes a key will work on a door lock but not on the ignition....

 

If the hatch lock on a Gen-1 is anything like on an EA82, it's super-easy to remove. There's just a clip holding it in place - probably... 1 minute to remove it? Might be easier than messing around with the ignition.

This is why the first thing I did when I got the '78 was have a couple of spare keys made

 

Make sure you have a couple extras everybody if you don't already...

If your door key also started the car, the locksmith should be able to duplicate that. It might take a couple tries for an older lock, but it should work.

When I needed a key for the XT it was enough to take the door lock in and he cut a key from that. Worked perfect.

Might be different on the older cars though.

the passenger side door lock should have the key code on it...had a similar problem with the other half's car a while back. pulled the passenger door lock and took it to a locksmith, had new keys cut in no time.

 

if you pull a door/hatch lock from your car, any good locksmith should be able to cut you a key

 

owning several Subaru's with "replacement" keys for pretty much all of them I have noticed that some say Nissan, some say Datsun, and the set we had cut for the other half's car - they say Briggs & Stratton!!!!