i have a 94 explorer and i recently have the keys lost t i (no thanks to my 4year old) anyways anyone out there know what route i should take to get the explorer rollin on the road again. we are moving in a month so i need to somewhat get it out of the garage ( was stored there til well really this month i was going to plate it etc.. winter vehicle). should i change the ignition? if so how is the easiest way to do it? lock smith it or try and order a key from ford? thanks for the advice everyone. problem 2 is when i get the key over coming the alarm system. i dont know if it is stock or not. anyways thanks everyone.
joe

 

[sm=welcomesign.gif]You should call a locksmith.To change the lock cylinder is a pain even for a mechanic.

 

I'm a master locksmith and have been in the business for almost 30 years now. Trying to get a key from Ford is probably not going to work. Manufacturers usually keep key codes in their systems for approx. 6 years. A dealer will most likely just replace all locks on the vehicle at a substantial cost. One of the major problems with the later model fords is that they use 10 cuts on the key, but no one lock has all of the tumblers in it. The procedure for making a key like this is to first cut a key for one of the door locks (this will give you 6 of the 10 cuts needed). Afterwards a locksmith will then use what is known as a progression chart, which gives the locksmith a list of the possible remaining cuts in a key for it also to work in the ignition. This can be a somewhat time consuming procedure and may entail numerous keys being cut and tried before one is made to work. I no longer do automotive locksmithing due to the cost of the additional equipment needed to work on newer cars with the electronic security features, but when I still did this type of work the cost would average between $150 and $250 (as opposed to several hundred for the dealer to replace the locks). As for just replacing the ignition, on the Ford, the ignition needs to be turned to the "On" position in order to depress the retaining pin to remove the ignition. This means that the ignition either needs to be picked or drilled out to be able to remove it without doing possible damage to the steering column. Your best bet is to contact your local locksmith and ask for which would be the cheaper alternative. The main difference is if you have the ignition removed and replaced, you will still not have keys for the doors. Good luck.

 

Locksmith is a good deal than to hire a mechanic.