[plano-doug]

I lost my extra key to my 2009 chevy impala. I purchased a blank on ebay and had it cut. The key will unlock the door but will not switch on the ignition. It will go into the switch but will not turn.

To be clear, you still have one key which works? From which the new copy was made?

Doug

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[plano-doug]

Yes I used a working key that came with the car.

I would get a new key cut. I'm thinking you got a bad cut when the last key was made. The door locks use fewer of the teeth on the key, so that's why the key works in the door, but won't turn the ignition. The bad tooth isn't being tested by the door lock.

As for there being a chip in the key, I can't say. But it should turn the ignition cylinder. If the car is expecting a chip and you don't have it, the key should still turn, I think, but the motor won't crank.

I know on the gen7's, there was no chip in the key. But I'm not sure about your gen8.

Doug

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[plano-doug]

Greetings, I'm new here. I don't want to hijack the thread, but I have a copied key that will work in the ignition, but not the door lock. This was copied from a key that works in both. Suggestions?

Oh, Mine's a 2011 LT

Try turning the key over and see if that helps. You probably have one tooth cut a tad off that's causing the problem.

Both the ignition cylinder and the door lock only use one side of the key, so it may work in one orientation and not the other, in both the door and the ignition.

The two locks do not necessarily use the same teeth, either. So the bad tooth may only be affecting one lock and not the other, altho I would expect the ignition to fail before the door lock since the ignition uses more of the teeth than the door lock does.

Also, since it gets used more, the ignition may be more worn than the door lock and hence more tolerant of a bad tooth. My 1997 F150 ignition cylinder is so worn, I can just about start it with a screw driver

If none of this helps, try getting another key cut from the original good key, if you still have it.


HTH.

Doug

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[plano-doug]

Greetings, I'm new here. I don't want to hijack the thread, but I have a copied key that will work in the ignition, but not the door lock. This was copied from a key that works in both. Suggestions?

Oh, Mine's a 2011 LT

One other thought on this, my old brain just remembered, on my 2007, I too have dealt with a key that was difficult in the door but worked fine in the ignition. I blamed the door lock, not the key. In this case, I couldn't even get the key into the hole.

So, I shot some graphite into the lock, and then kept working the key in and out, and finally got it in all the way.

In your case, you might try putting some graphite into the lock, slide the key in an out a few times to help distribute the graphite, then try rotating it left and right, maybe wiggling it some as you go. Also, repeat this with the key flipped over 180°.

In my case, I attributed the lock problem to disuse, due to the fact that the fob does 99.999% of the unlocking. Yours may be the same case.

HTH.

Doug

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