Rainlord
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- June 16, 2017
- Messages
- 178
- Reaction score
- 101
- City, State
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- Explorer 2012 XLT
I recently bought a used Ford Explorer 2012 XLT (in Europe) - with key starter, and when the dealer handed it to me I realized it has the very old style key that doesn't fold, and constantly pokes you in your pocket. It was also really beat up. As I have no easy access to a Ford dealer over here that can deal with Explorers (as it's nearly a US/Canada-only sold car) I figured I'd throw some money on trying to do "new keys" myself. The goal was to have a flip-style key and something that looked like most new cars. I'll describe the quite easy process here in case someone is in the same boat and has thought about it.
For starters, here's the old key:
I ordered 2 blank keys on Ebay, http://www.ebay.ca/itm/131883176041 - I opted for this one as it was nicer than most and the title said Ford Explorer, so I figured it was compatible on some level.
I was worried that they had changed the key frequency when the car came over to Europe but it turned out that was not the case.
Once I had the keys, the next step was to get them engraved. I stopped by a local locksmith store (that's usually where people go for keys over here) and the very rude lady said she would do no such thing as copying a car key, and to go to the dealer. I didn't give up though and went over to a Mr Minit and introduced my key as "old car, can't get new keys as it's a US car". He just shrugged like he didn't care. But he said the expanded key was too big for his machine.
Should your key guy also not have a big copy machine, What you have to do is to take the new key apart, which is very easy. Just tug on the plastic back of the key, and it should pop off without too much effort.
Inside you will see a small screw holding the blank key in place (top left in picture). Unscrew it and keep some pressure on the plastic part until the screw is out. Then slowly let your pressure up, a spring will push out. Ensure it doesn't fly away. Also take out the little metal insert and put all of those things aside. Take only the blank key to your key copy person.
The Mr Minit guy said it fit now, but looked closely at the Ebay key and said it was slightly different, that the groove was a little different and the thickness didn't seem quite the same. I figured worst case I'd lose $20 so I asked him to go for it anyway. 5 min later I had two engraved keys. I tested them in the car and the door opened, but the car said the alarm would go off if I didn't insert a real (programmed) key, so I did. But the key worked to unlock the door (but you can't start your car with it).
I can't say if it works for newer models than 2012, should they be more picky with exact key thickness etc, but it probably will, I doubt they changed that part much before they introduced button start.
To put the key together again, put the little metal insert back in (it has 3 spokes, they can only go in 1 way) and put the spring on the plastic pin. The side of the spring that has a little part sticking out should go up into the plastic bit we unscrewed. Take unscrewed plastic part and place it on the spring. Now rotate the plastic cover counter clockwise while ensuring the spring doesn't fly away or let go. Rotate it 2 full loops, then push down and screw the screw back in. Doing this "loads the spring" which means your key will actually flip out when you push the button. If it doesn't, you loaded the spring in the wrong direction, just release the spring and go the other way.
Then it came to actually programming them so that the buttons work and the key is recognized by the car. The keys came with poorly translated Chinese instructions, and only 1 of them worked in my case. There's 2 ways to add new keys, one is to put in your old key and turn the ignition on, then count a few seconds, turn off and do the same with the second key, then off, and then do the new key (this is in the manual as well). However, this didn't work for these keys, the car said it refused the new key. So, here's what actually works, but be careful as you're reprogramming all your keys:
A YouTube video I found (including written on the Chinese instructions) explained that if you want to reprogram all keys, close all doors first, then you turn the ignition on and off 8 times in rapid succession (don't actually start the car). When done, the car responds by locking/unlocking the doors. That's programming mode. Now you press any button (unlock for example) on ALL keys, old and new, in succession. I did the old ones first (starting with the one in the ignition), then the new ones. When done, turn the ignition off and programming is completed. The new keys should now work and aren't rejected by the car anymore.
The only difference I notice between my old and new key functionality-wise is that the "double press to open the cargo door" needs an ever so slightly slower double-press than my original key (and of course the key picture doesn't have the 2x on it), other than that, it works like a charm!
Here's the new key family and the old (tags are old hotel keys found on Etsy):
If anyone has a question let me know!
For starters, here's the old key:
I ordered 2 blank keys on Ebay, http://www.ebay.ca/itm/131883176041 - I opted for this one as it was nicer than most and the title said Ford Explorer, so I figured it was compatible on some level.
I was worried that they had changed the key frequency when the car came over to Europe but it turned out that was not the case.
Once I had the keys, the next step was to get them engraved. I stopped by a local locksmith store (that's usually where people go for keys over here) and the very rude lady said she would do no such thing as copying a car key, and to go to the dealer. I didn't give up though and went over to a Mr Minit and introduced my key as "old car, can't get new keys as it's a US car". He just shrugged like he didn't care. But he said the expanded key was too big for his machine.
Should your key guy also not have a big copy machine, What you have to do is to take the new key apart, which is very easy. Just tug on the plastic back of the key, and it should pop off without too much effort.
Inside you will see a small screw holding the blank key in place (top left in picture). Unscrew it and keep some pressure on the plastic part until the screw is out. Then slowly let your pressure up, a spring will push out. Ensure it doesn't fly away. Also take out the little metal insert and put all of those things aside. Take only the blank key to your key copy person.
The Mr Minit guy said it fit now, but looked closely at the Ebay key and said it was slightly different, that the groove was a little different and the thickness didn't seem quite the same. I figured worst case I'd lose $20 so I asked him to go for it anyway. 5 min later I had two engraved keys. I tested them in the car and the door opened, but the car said the alarm would go off if I didn't insert a real (programmed) key, so I did. But the key worked to unlock the door (but you can't start your car with it).
I can't say if it works for newer models than 2012, should they be more picky with exact key thickness etc, but it probably will, I doubt they changed that part much before they introduced button start.
To put the key together again, put the little metal insert back in (it has 3 spokes, they can only go in 1 way) and put the spring on the plastic pin. The side of the spring that has a little part sticking out should go up into the plastic bit we unscrewed. Take unscrewed plastic part and place it on the spring. Now rotate the plastic cover counter clockwise while ensuring the spring doesn't fly away or let go. Rotate it 2 full loops, then push down and screw the screw back in. Doing this "loads the spring" which means your key will actually flip out when you push the button. If it doesn't, you loaded the spring in the wrong direction, just release the spring and go the other way.
Then it came to actually programming them so that the buttons work and the key is recognized by the car. The keys came with poorly translated Chinese instructions, and only 1 of them worked in my case. There's 2 ways to add new keys, one is to put in your old key and turn the ignition on, then count a few seconds, turn off and do the same with the second key, then off, and then do the new key (this is in the manual as well). However, this didn't work for these keys, the car said it refused the new key. So, here's what actually works, but be careful as you're reprogramming all your keys:
A YouTube video I found (including written on the Chinese instructions) explained that if you want to reprogram all keys, close all doors first, then you turn the ignition on and off 8 times in rapid succession (don't actually start the car). When done, the car responds by locking/unlocking the doors. That's programming mode. Now you press any button (unlock for example) on ALL keys, old and new, in succession. I did the old ones first (starting with the one in the ignition), then the new ones. When done, turn the ignition off and programming is completed. The new keys should now work and aren't rejected by the car anymore.
The only difference I notice between my old and new key functionality-wise is that the "double press to open the cargo door" needs an ever so slightly slower double-press than my original key (and of course the key picture doesn't have the 2x on it), other than that, it works like a charm!
Here's the new key family and the old (tags are old hotel keys found on Etsy):
If anyone has a question let me know!
