The key blade fits into the metal hinge and is held in with a pin. It looks like your hinge part broke. You can get replacement (new after market or used OEM) FOB's on ebay. The reason the car won't stay running without the FOB body being close to the ignition is because the Immobilizer chip is in the FOB body. The key cut satisfies the mechanical locking action of the ignition cylinder and the chip satisfies the electrical security action of the Immobilizer system. What I would try to do is get something low cost on ebay and scavenge the hinge part out of it to fix your OEM FOB. Do some searches for how to take the FOB apart.

 

yeah thats a good idea, as long as I don't have to pay a few hundred bucks to get a new key cut.

I'm probably about 2 months away from trading it in, and I just have to keep it going a little bit longer before I get something else.

( though in the last month i've had to replace the t-stat and its housing, get new front tires, and replace a blown tie rod )

 

yeah thats a good idea, as long as I don't have to pay a few hundred bucks to get a new key cut.

I bought some new key fobs on ebay dirt cheap and had new keys cut at my local Ace Hardware. I think they charged me $20 apiece to cut the blanks.

 

You see the black circular piece? It looks like you need to find a new pin to hold the key in place in the rotating part of the fob (this is the pin Steve talks about.) For some reason, the metal one worked its way out on mine, so I used a tablet pen tip replacement (of all things) in place of the metal one. Works like a charm. As long as your rotating part isn't busted somehow.

JB weld is a tad extreme, and I'm not sure how you managed that. Did you just put it on the end of the key and insert it?

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well, the first time i dropped my keys and the key holder swivel thing broke, and I found the part that broke off and sandwiched it back together and used JB weld to glue it back in, but sometime yesterday the outer part broke back off and I can't seem to find it.

and from googling around, I found a new swivel and pin for $20 and it looks like I can just pop my key apart and replace the swivel and slide the key in and use the pin to hold it in. I'll order one and hopefully it will be in soon.

 

 

Is that an immobilizer I or II Vicegrips? :icon_eek:

I wouldn't want to get pulled over with that sticking out of the ignition. You know they'd assume the worst. :hmmm:

 

That reminds me of a high school buddy who always started his Cadillac hearse by hotwiring it, so that he wouldn't have to carry car keys when he went surfing. One time he got stopped by the cops for expired registration tags -- he didn't have his driver's license with him, and they got a bit suspicious when they saw the aligator clip leads hanging down behind the dash. Fortunately, he was able to convince them to follow him home to produce documentation.

 

I found a place online that has the switch blade flipper part, a new pin, and a new logo sticker for the fob for $20. All you have to do is replace the flipper, slide the key in, and put the pin in to hold it. Should be an easy fix.

And so in my drink holder I have a pair of pliers so I can turn the car off...

my poor car. I really want to hit 400k in it, but I think I may get rid of it before then ( currently at 377k )

 

I just hit 305,000 miles. With a. 1.8t just replaced the turbo from the original I plan on keeping car for lot longer

Go to diyautokey.com they have replacement parts and key fobs for cheap