Re: 96 Merc Door Key
somethings up. a 96 grand marquix came from the factory with two keys. square headed ign door key, round headed key for trunk, glove. non transponder
keying is, door and ign the same, trunk and glovebox the same. the ign uses a key with ten cuts on it. the first 6 cuts operate the door cylinders. cuts 5-10 operate the ign. so the ign lock and door locks are not the same key even though it appears to the end user that it is one key. cut's 5 and 6 are common to ign and door cyl. however cuts 5 and 6 are at the back of the door lock. cuts 5 and 6 are at the front of the ign.
to have the door and ign the same key cut's 5 and 6 must be the same as for both locks. code series for ign is numbers on both sides of a letter a-b-c-d-e. secondary key is FB code series for old style pin tumbler locks.
all that being said. if the key that ya have operates ign and trunk. i suspect ya have a 97 grand marquix. keying changed that year to a new code series of 1x-1706x. 1 key fits all. i'm gonna stick my neck out and say this is what ya have. what is the number on the key blank? if any. these are known as ford 8 cut locks. i've seen more than one 96 or 7 vehical that has yer exact senerio. specially the ones that have a remote. basicly , the door locks dont get used. there lubed with grease from the factory. the grease gets hard and the tumblers don't move proper to follow the key. or from lack of use too, they devolope corroion from dissimaler metals, just like a boat. that prevents movemnet..... my suggestion before doing anything, is lub the door locks. a lot. i use triflow. work the key in and out, in and out, try to turn, in and out, more, lub, try to turn, ya get the idea. i've worked on a few that took up to 20 mins of this action repeitivly before they finally cooperate. worst case is that the doors are off a different car. keys can be made for the existing locks easyest. replacement would be nessesary if they really are different as i don't believe them to be rekeyable... though i could be wrong about that statement............... good luck.......
