Locked out of my glovebox

[sblake01]

Oh yeah...that was the topic. The lock worked for me when I had the car but I didn't use it often. I probably only locked the glovebox 4 or 5 times in the 12 years I had the car. I sold it to it's previous owner in May 09 so it might not have been locked for at least 4 or 5 years.

[MotoManMike]

Just build a faster engine and if you see the blue and red.... just let her eat baaahahahahahaha. Anyhow Lee I hope you get it figured out. You still want to try to get together this weekend? If so I'll take a look at it and see if I can't get it open without anything other than the key. I worked at Ace for about 8 years and keyed a load of locks while I was there so i'm pretty good with tumblers. I put new carbs on my newest Z tonight and its running great so i don't have any reservations about driving it very far now since its running as it should. Hit me up tonight or tomorrow sometime.

Edited March 9, 2012 by MotoManMike

[sblake01]

Wait a minute....Mike, aren't you in Maryland? Isn't the OP in Los Angeles?

[MotoManMike]

Yes i appears so. When I looked at this last night, it appeared that my friend on here had posted it because the profile picture was his no doubt. I've had this happen a few times on other sites but never on here, very strange. I'm not riding out there thats for sure. I thought they were all the same key too. They should be able to wiggle the key enough to get it to come open, its not a very precise lock by any means on these things. I wondered why my buddy didn't acknowledge my joke about the glove box when I talked to him last night, must have just thought it was the voices in my head.:paranoid:

Edited March 9, 2012 by MotoManMike

[72 OJ]

yep......I acknowledge it this day,,,,last night I was in the arms of Morfea the queen of sleep/relax mode.

[sblake01]

I thought they were all the same key too.

I know this this car uses the same key. Or at least is did during the 12 years I owned it. I bought the car in 1997 from the original owner. I sold it in 2009 and the OP (knarfrabot) bought it from him (small world!). Either the lock went bad somehow or the owner in between did something to it but it worked when I last tried it. Edited March 9, 2012 by sblake01

[Xenn]

The glove box lock is actually a really simple one to pick, 4 standard pin, doable with a paperclip in like 5 min sort of lock, if you know how, just DONT spray wd40 in it, use lock lubricant (carbon dust, you can get it at fredmeyer). Try the key again first, if it works on your doors, ignition, hatch, it should work on your glove box too, for me it was my zx that had separate keys for doors and ignition. If that doesn't work try and remove the door, pull it straight down to avoid getting it caught on the lock. If that doesn't work call a locksmith. With a car as old as yours, buying a new glove box door will cost more than a locksmith, especially if you go to them.

[knarfrabot]

Unfortunately, it seems as though the key is just so worn down it can't push all the pins or something. I removed the 4 screws that keep the door hinge on, but I can't get at it that way either. I'll just take it to a locksmith and have him open it. I appreciate everyone's input on this, you guys and gals are an invaluable wealth of information :classic:

[Unkle]

Have the locksmith set the lock to match your key.

My very small 2 cents .

[Captain Obvious]

Bummer. Well it was worth a shot. I've not tried opening the glove box by removing those 4 screws, but it really wouldn't be that secure of a compartment if it were that easy, right? Anyway, don't force anything, and I agree with Unkle... It's time for a locksmith.

Something to think about though as you are talking with the locksmith... I suspect the real problem is more complicated than you've described. I've taken apart all of the locks on my Z and I've found the glove box lock to be the least used and best condition lock on the entire car. I bet that yours is the same.

So what does that mean?

That means that if you're having problems with the glove box, I bet the problem isn't with the glove box at all, but with the key and other locks on the car. Your previous owner has vouched that it used the same key when he owned the car, so maybe the owner between the two of you had the ignition lock re-keyed or replaced. Or, maybe they are still the same key, but the key and ignition lock are both so badly worn that they work together, but the worn key won't work in the unworn glove box lock.

Bottom line, is I suggest you talk it over with the locksmith and explain the situation to him and see what he suggests. The real solution might be to replace the ignition cylinder using the original tumbler sequence and have a new key cut to work with the original code. Then that new key should open the glove box just fine. Does that make sense?

[72 OJ]

I just replaced my keys with new blanks found on Ebay , made cuts from the older keys by an established locksmith and wow what a breeze to open the doors, hatch and glove box ,plus the ignition now has no play:cool:

Edited March 14, 2012 by 72 OJ

[mjr45]

I have 3 different keys for my Z, 1 for the ignition, 1 for doors and 1 for the hatch, the PO replaced the ignition (new key) and I had to replace the hatch lock (new key) a locksmith said he couldn't key them all to one key, and my ignition key comes out in position!