Last night I took my XJS out for a drive. When I got to my destination I locked the car on the drivers side with the key because I had left the remote at home. When I attempted to use the key to unlock the car it would not work. It would turn but would not unlock the doors. The key would open the boot. Which was fortunate since my cell phone and AAA card were in the boot. Can anyone tell me why this key is doing this?

Thank you
Brenda Soussan

Submitted by stevejag@sbcgl… on Sun, 08/26/2012 - 19:48

Andy, you are right on the mark in that a worn Tibbe key is notorious for failing to unlock a door. However, I'm going to side with George on this one, only because she so readily opened the locked boot with that key. If the key was seriously worn, I would have expected a little push-back getting the boot unlocked as well.

It is true that ANY Tibbe key will lock any Tibbe lock. But everything has to be in pretty good order to unlock the thing.

Rose Bronze..........I love that color, too. I have a friend that has one that color. Every time I have it in the shop, I spend all day answering the question, "Oooooo, who's car is that and what color is it??" That car gets comments everywhere it goes.

Cheers,

Submitted by asimko@netsolnj.com on Sun, 08/26/2012 - 18:57

true, george, but i am told the same thing happens if the key wears down, if the angle of one of the cuts becomes uneven as it wears, etc. mind you all my info comes from my locksmith.....

and i agree, that is a great color

Submitted by SE98-32482CJ on Sun, 08/26/2012 - 18:53

Andy new or old does not matter--I had not heard of that issue but even so she did not say anything about a ew key. If she has one that is worth looking into, if not I stick with the broken linkage part--seen plenty of them.

Submitted by asimko@netsolnj.com on Sun, 08/26/2012 - 15:05

George, i know i am the new guy on the forum, but i think it is a tibbe lock problem. as my locksmith tells me, any tibbe key can lock any tibbe lock. so, a poorly cut tibbe key (which i got with my 1995 xjs) will lock, but not alway unlock the mechanism

my locksmith was able to touch up one of the cuts on the only original key i got, so it works almost correctly now. he then cut me 2 other keys that work flawlessly.

the dealer, or a qualified locksmith can look up the cut codes from a vin # and produce a new, perfectly functional key.

now to be fair, the broken linkage would act just about the same way, as a badly cut or worn key, so time will tell who is right.

a key cut by a locksmith should be around $35, from the dealer, closer to $70

Submitted by SE98-32482CJ on Sun, 08/26/2012 - 13:32

Brenda you have a mechanical break in the lock between the key portion and the lock!. If it will lock and unlock with the remote it is the link. The rods are held in by plastic bushings (BD44650) which I think you will find has broken.