Xantia key problem

[1900sr]

I've had a spare key cut for my 96 Xantia VSX (after being told by a couple of places it was main dealer only). The problem is that the key won't operate the doors, but will operate the ignition. I've been back to the locksmith's and they've reworked the key with no success, and finally cut a new one which was the same. The only thing I can see is that the original key goes into the lock most of the way and meets resistance. It won't operate the lock at this point, but a further push makes it go in a couple of mm more and then it will work. The new key doesn't seem to want to go in that last little bit.

Has anyone else come across this, and did you manage to get round it? I've got a spare remote plip that I've programmed to the car, so it's not the end of the world (until the battery goes flat that is!)

[CitroJim]

When you say the key does not operate the locks, do you mean it just makes the lock barrel spin but not operate the lock?

If so, this is my experience that the key needs to go in all the way before it will work properly. Just hold the key out a fraction and the barrel just spins.

I wonder if it would be worth filing a bit off the shoulders of the new key to enable it to go in just little more deeply.

[1900sr]

Yes, the replacement key just makes the barrell spin. It definately isn't going in as far as the original key, but I can't see what's different to stop it.

[Ross_K]

I'm curious about these cruciform Citroen keys too.

I've been struggling to find a key cutting place who'll actually make a copy.

Most places here don't want to touch them. I wonder if its due to people complaining that they just spin in the barrel as above?

The one place I did find locally wanted €45 to make a copy, but I'd hate to fork out that much money to find it didn't work on the doors.

Anybody know off the top of their head what kind of money a stealer would charge for a plain duplicate key without a plip?

[1900sr]

I was quoted about £30 for a replacement key piece to go in a plip, assuming I knew the key number. If I didn't know the number they would kindly charge me another £15 to get the key number.

The keys have to be cut in two planes which is why a lot of places won't do them. I went to a proper locksmiths rather than a key cutting place/cobbler, and he says they haven't had any problems before. In fact he's completely mystified as to why mine doesn't work. He did offer to refund me on the key, but as it works the ignition and I have a spare plip I decided to keep it.

Timpsons were willing to cut one for £9.50, but something about the guy in there put me off. I paid about the same from the locksmith's, but he did me a discount as he's a friend of my boss.

[Mandrake]

My honest opinion after going down this road many times is don't bother to get a copy made of Xantia keys - 9 times out of 10 you'll end up with keys that don't work properly, for a few reasons:

1) The original that you're copying will be worn and you will be copying the wear.

2) The tip on the end of the key is critical to the functioning of the slide mechanism inside the barrel and if it's even half a mm out in length it wont work reliably. Even if they do a perfect copy of the part of the key where the tumblers rest (the cutouts on the sides) if the blank has the wrong length/shape tip it will NOT work reliably - typically if the tip is too short the barrel will "spin".

3) Most lock smiths simply don't have either the equipment or the skill to cut two axis keys like this correctly - so you will end up with a key that will open the doors but not the ignition or vica versa. Don't quote me on this but I believe one edge (the wide one) operates the tumblers in door locks, while the other axis operates the tumblers in the ignition lock, which is why you can end up with a key that will open one and not the other.

We've had a number of keys cut for 3 different cars and NONE of them has been satisfactory, for example two of them will open the doors, (sometimes) but not the ignition lock, and this was after they tried a second and third time to get it right.

With worn locks you have even less chance of them working properly, as the wear in the locks and wear of the key accumulate.

On one car it recently reached the point where neither of the door locks would open with either the original key or it's copies, so we ordered two new lock barrels and a new spare key for it from Citroen.

I was quite surprised to discover that the NEW key would open both of the OLD lock barrels perfectly (as well as the new lock barrels) and that the OLD key would open the NEW lock barrels but not the old ones, so obviously the wear of both the lock and key adds together.

Do yourself a big favour and just stump up to get a key from Citroen - with the VIN number they will cut one to order and the price is actually very reasonable, here in New Zealand it actually worked out cheaper (although slower) to get an original Citroen key than to buy a blank and get someone to cut it. (And unsuccessfully at that)

The advantage of Citroen doing it is that they're cutting it to original spec dimensions rather than cutting a copy of a worn key...

Regards,
Simon

[jgra1]

thanks Simon, good info..

John

[petercook44]

I recently had spare cut at local locksmiths.First attempt refused to open car,second attemp worked perfectly on doors and ignition.Turns out had done slightly deeper cut on 1 part of key.Depth that key goes into lock is crucial a few mm makes all difference.Cost of key £8.99