Answers to your car questions
QUESTION
The ignition cylinder on my 2007 Van is worn to the point that the key will come out of the cylinder when the ignition cylinder is in the on position. I have asked the dealer about getting another key made but they tell me that I should buy another ignition cylinder with key because a new key will not work any better than the old key and a new key might not work the cylinder at all. I do not want to spend over two hundred dollars when a new key might work but I also do not want to buy a new programmable key, get it programmed and then find out
that it does not work properly. Any ideas would be appreciated.
– Doris from Kitchener
ANSWER
Usually when the ignition cylinder key is worn to the point that it can be removed from the ignition cylinder, it means that the internal workings of the cylinder are most likely also worn out and only the
replacing of the cylinder or the rebuilding of the ignition cylinder will fix the problem. Here is what you can try before you spend the money on a new PK3 key. Have the dealer or any locksmith, that can access the
key code from the serial number, cut you a service key for about ten dollars and see if that key operates the ignition cylinder. If it does operate the cylinder properly then you can have the new Pass key cut to operate the ignition cylinder. If the service key does not operate the cylinder properly then you might have to go to the expense of either rebuilding your existing ignition
cylinder or replacing it with a new or used one.
QUESTION
I purchased a 2009 Buick about four weeks ago and the power seat worked fine until my grandson started playing with the power seat when I was out of the car for about ten seconds. The seat is now back as far as it can go and has stopped working. No one else drives my car and the seat stays in one position all the time. I spoke to my mechanic about the seat and he told me that I would need to replace the seat motor. I do not want to spend that kind of money on something that I will never use so I asked him to adjust the seat to where I would be comfortable. he told me that was not possible because the seat motor is not working. I called the dealer and they also told me that I would need to replace the motor and the seat cannot move without the seat motor working. While at the pub the other night, I heard people talking about your column and they suggested that I write to you for advice. Is there any way that I can move the seat forward without having to replace the expensive seat motor?
- Robert from Hamilton
ANSWER
You have a couple of options to get the seat to where you want it. One is that you can purchase a used seat motor, which will be less expensive than a new seat motor and the other option is to partially remove the seat and then adjust the seat manually to where you want it.
READER’S DILEMMA
Do you remember a while back, when my boyfriend wrote to you about a Mercedes radio that he could not get the code for and you cautioned him about the fact that the radio might have been stolen? When my boyfriendwent back to the person from whom he purchased the radio, he told him that he purchased it from someone else which is not what he originally told him. I have done some digging and now found out from other friends that the radio was stolen and the person from whom he purchased the radio, is now terrified about the backlash from the person that he purchased it from, if my boyfriend takes this any further. Do you have any idea as to handle this sticky situation?
– No Name
ANSWER
I cannot legally or otherwise advise your boyfriend on what to do. Do not however, go accusing anyone unless you know all the facts to be true and hearing different stories from other people may not be the correct facts at all. Your third party information may or may not be correct but if I were in that situation, this is what I would do: I would return the radio to the person from whom I purchased it, get my money back and then move on. Also be aware that if the radio is in fact a stolen radio and your boyfriend gets stopped with it in his possession, he will have some explaining it to do.