Key Shell Broken

[Tryingtofixitmyself]

All of the (3) key shell housings for my 2005 RX 330, have a small crack near the

screw. They all work fine. All I want to do is replace the shell, but the local Lexus dealer wants $75.00, for a new key/shell AND $245.00, per key to reprogram them. That is truly not happening!

I have seen some of the key/shells on Ebay. Can I buy these shells and blank keys and just transfer my key and remote into the shell and call it a day! If so, which should I buy?

Tryingtofixitmyself

[bayray]

Don't buy eBay unless it Lexus brand the Chinese stuff is junk ! if you Pay the $75 for a shell it should include cutting the HS blade! You can't fix it yourself without going to a reputable locksmith or dealer!$ 245 is a more than fair for a new key ! BMW owners pay $140 more! Owner of 2 RXs

[RX400h]

I agree -do not trust the eBay stuff. These high-tech keys are expensive with every brand of vehicle. Treat them as if they are expensive (which they are).

[pj8708]

All of the (3) key shell housings for my 2005 RX 330, have a small crack near the

screw. They all work fine. All I want to do is replace the shell, but the local Lexus dealer wants $75.00, for a new key/shell AND $245.00, per key to reprogram them. That is truly not happening!

I have seen some of the key/shells on Ebay. Can I buy these shells and blank keys and just transfer my key and remote into the shell and call it a day! If so, which should I buy?

Tryingtofixitmyself

Hi Bruce and welcome to the LOC.

You may want to check with our LOC approved parts vendor for a check on prices. Sewell Lexus in Dallas has a large parts house that offers hefty discounts to our LOC member. I had to buy a new FOB for my 2013 ES350. The dealer quoted $320. I checked with Sewell and bought it for $160. When you sign on be sure and register yourself as a member of the Lexus Owners Club.

Sewellparts.com

Paul

[Mik176]

On my 1997 Lexus ES300 the plastic shell broke so I can't put it on keychain, the key

works fine and I love my Lexus

[RX400h]

Update: I bought a Lexus "shell", about a year or two ago and it works perfectly. I may have bought it on Amazon. The original shell was cracked beyond repair.

 

[Randy25]

Question: A guy at a Jiffy Lube broke my key tonight. I'm ordering a replacement shell. How can I remove the remaining plastic? I tried to get it off with a pair of pliers. Do I need to use a hammer?  

[RX400h]

That plastic section of two halves should be able to be pulled apart after the screw is removed. I would NOT use a hammer.

[Randy25]

Thank you.  Well first I tried prying the plastic apart with a pair of pliers.  Then I tried boiling it in water. That didn't work. Then I tried prying it apart with 2 pairs of pliers. All i succeeded in doing was scratching the key. Guess I'll have to bring it to a locksmith for more ideas. 

[RX400h]

....or a machine shop. Machinists tend to run into all kinds of issues and are good at fixing them.

[Randy25]

So I wound up having a friend who has a jewelry cutter remove the plastic. Then I put the new shell on. It was not easy getting it on. I had to use pliers to squeeze the key into the plastic. I am now able to turn the ignition on and drive the car, but the key is now stuck in the ignition! I called a locksmith. He's been working on trying to remove it for a half hour now on a Saturday night. He actually had it removed after a few seconds, then he sprayed some WD-40 in the ignition and now the key won't come out again!  I never had a problem before with the key sticking in the ignition. 

[Randy25]

So after another 15 minutes, the locksmith was able to extract the key. But it's completely destroyed now. I'll have to find a source online where I can order a piece of metal to be cut. 

[RX400h]

That is very odd. By the way, many years ago, one of our keys was not going all the way into the ignition, which prevented it from enabling the ignition switch to rotate. I had to tap the key to get it to go all the way in. Once I did that, I could rotate the ignition switch and pull out the key. I then squirted some powdered graphite into the key opening. That was over 10 years ago, and we never had that issue again.