Hey guys I just recently got all the keys to my 89..I had been living with
just the valae key. Funny thing is that none of the keys I have open the doors or the trunk????they are all shaped different and start the car. Anyone
ever see this before?? 3 keys none open doors or trunk but all start the car...

 

sounds like your ignition key or the door locks were all re-keyed..

I've also seen them where they will only open one door and not start the car.. or only work when one side is facing up.. it's due to small differences in the keys when they were cut and they just don't work in certain locks.

you may try taking the car to a good locksmith and see if they can help you out by making a good key, or figuring out if the locks have been replaced.

 

Original owner says they are the correct keys and locks have never been tampered with....I will check key orientation but odds are out of 3 keys i would have hit one correct...

 

yeah, I agree with you... most likely the keys are just extremely worn and no longer working properly. If they all look different, then most likely the original is long gone. it will have a black plastic coating on the head of it and have Nissan stamped in it.

 

I recently had a key wear out on me. Luckily I had a spare that was in brand new condition, so I made a copy. The copy worked great ($1.50 at walmart). Check your keys to see if the peaks are all rounded over, the keys may be bad and not the locks. When I got my max, the keys came with a code tag from nissan, probably so that a key can be reordered. Ask your previous owner is he has the metal tag.

 

1. Did the valet key open the doors? It should have opened the doors but not the trunk.
2. Do you have access the to key code so real new keys can be made that are not cpoies of old keys?
3. Spray a little shot of Remington gun oil with teflon in the locks.
4. Compare the valet key with the other 3. They should be fairly close.

 

I'm probably wrong, but it sounds like they're all valet keys (but that does not explain why all 3 have different shapes). All I know is that my valet key does not open the trunk or the glove...but it will open the door and start the ignition. (Which is all a valet key should be able to do, that way valet staff can't go snooping in your stuff!)
Either they're all valet or they're probably worn out. I still have and use the original key that came with my 91 but sometimes I have trouble with both unlocking the door and sometimes even turning the ignition (because its so old and is beginning to wear) Best of luck in fixing your issue!

P.S. I had copies made of my original (worn) key, done at Walmart for a lil over a $1.00 and they work GREAT!

 

Euro model was sold with three keys: Two fitting all, third for (trusted hehe) servicemen who thus could not access the trunk and its skeletons during so called maintenece...

Oh I love that overflowing trust for nissan service. Starts from designers...

oops. now i am negative. i'll eat mi words in shame.

Maxima is HOT!

 

I have three keys (one vallet, and two originals), and they all start the engine, but only one original can open the door locks, and you'd have to wiggle the key in the lock cylinder to get it to unlock.

Apparently, due to the GXE's entry system, we almost never used the lock cylinders for the door or the trunk. After 12 years, the ignition cylinder and the keys wore out at the same rate, so the worn keys still work in the worn ignition cylinders but the keys no longer work on the door lock or the trunk lock cylinder.

I'd suggest going to dealer to get a key made from the VIN of your car. And then make copies of that key...

 

Pyro I think u are correct!!..Previous owner said he never used the keys but the touch pad entry instead...let me clear somethin up..when I say they all have different shape I am talking about the part which you hold on to the key with..also these are original Nissan keys with black plastic grips..they have same # stamped on each key. If I give Nissan the key # and the Vin # can they get me a new key? thanks for all you post's guys..

 

if the # is digits long and starts with an X (five characters total) then you have the key code to get your key cut by a locksmith or the dealer

 

Who needs locks? PHHHHFTTT

 

all of my 3 original keys open all the doors and start the car but none of them open the trunk..

 

but does it work in the glovebox?

 

Numbers on the keys have 4 digits no letters..2 of them open the glove box
and start the car, 1 just starts the car, none open doors or trunk...if keys are worn down but the locks are not then why does the glove box still open????its almost like the locks in the doors and trunk have been disabled some how?? these keys do not look that worn down...I am stumped..I guess I will take one of the keys that open glove box and starts the car and get a new one made and try that...

 

sounds to me like the locks are just seased, spray WD40 in them with the red tube, thats what I did to the trunk of my 93 SE when it quit opening, worked right away too

 

just have a locksmith cut off the code on the key.
the glovebox is not as sensitive to key variances as other locks are.
the 2 keys that open the glove box are normal keys the other one is probably valet.

I had a key cut by code for my car, works everywhere but the trunk.