Rear hatch will pop but can't open it with key

I searched but couldn’t come up with anything…

A while ago I discovered that my rear hatch (3-door) will no longer open via the key. I can insert the key into the keyhole but it won’t turn. I think what caused it to stop working is one time I guess I had too much in the back an kind of force the hatch closed when I shouldn’t have. :bang:

I can still pop the trunk with the pop lever but it is starting to get old, like when I am walking back to a locked car with a handful of things I need to put in the trunk, I have to set them down first and open the car and pop the hatch.

I’m not real familiar with the mechanics of the rear hatch latching/locking system, so I was hoping maybe somebody had some ideas. Is it likely that I will need to get a new lock cylinder (and a new key) or is there some linkage between the lock cylinder and the latch that I might be able to replace?

Dustin

that happens to me every once in a while. try pusshing down on the hatch while turning the key

u can’t turn the key, that most likely means the pins in the lock, or the key itself is getting worn out. take it to a locksmith or the dealer, i prefer a locksmith.

but to be safe, i suggest removing the lock cylinder thingy, drive another car or get a ride to a locksmith and then have it fixed. that way, if the guy is shady and makes a copy of the key, he wont know what ur car looks like, and won’t know where u live or anything. (some get ur info from the registration paperwork inside the vehicle).

if it was just ur key getting worn out, then it should first start acting up on the locks that u put the key into more, like the driver door, and usually the glove box is picky from old keys so that might help. but if all it needs is a new key, then u could either get a new one made from the original. i believe dealerships use the number on the key to make a brand new one or whatever, with the original specs to the key. other places make a copy based on the existing key. a locksmith can make a new one based on glove box lock. some dealerships charge like $15-20 to copy ur key, so there is a difference in cost. locksmiths usually don’t charge more than half of what the dealer does.

crazyboy: thanks! your tip worked! actually, it seems to have fixed it. after pushing the hatch down while turning the key it opened, and on all subsequent openings it hasn’t needed to be pushed down simultaneously.

Dustin

You might also try squirting some powdered graphite lock lubricant in there. Comes in a little tube and is sold at most auto supply stores. Helps lock mechanisms work more smoothly. (Don’t be tempted to squirt oil or WD-40 or anything else in the lock though).

i’m having the same problem too, and i’m gonna try the pushing the latch down, if that doesn’t work then im gonna try what (Squeezethis) said.

go to your local hardware store and get them to make you a replacement key. my hatch will pop from the interior, but when i try it with my key, it wont even turn. i got a new key made and it works fine, i can also now lock my glovebox.

Hey guys, what about the opposite? my hatch opens with a key, but the release from inside the car won’t work. Easy fix? Just curious for ideas before i go tearing apart my teg to see whats goin on

^^ stretched/broken cable or cable casing not well anchored. If the casing is not anchored properly the cable wouldn’t have the required tension to pull on the release mechanism in the trunk. Similarly, if the cable is stretched/broken there would be too much slack to pull on the release mechanism. My GSR has the same problem, but it’s too cold to take the thing apart so I’ll wait for spring.

do you guys have different keys?? meaning one for the ignition and the other for the glove box and trunk?? cause my ignition key wont fit in the glove an trunk key holes… someone told me that i woudl have to go to the dealer and ge tthem made

Awhile ago I had a real problem getting my key to turn the ignition tumbler. It would slide in but not turn. I thought I would have to replace the tumbler/key cylinder, but as it turns out I just went to the dealer and had a new key cut from the VIN and that solved the problem.

As for the different keys… My key works in ignition, door locks, trunk and i believe the glove box as well (can’t remember because I never use it there).

Your ignition lock cylinder may have been replaced, and as a result the tumblers are different than the rest on your car. You can have a key cut via your VIN and try that.

^^ yeah im going to try to head out the dealer and get the key mad hopefully that solves my problem

there are 2 different keys for the 90’s.

i had the same problem when i first got the car. It came with 2 keys. I couldn’t lock my glove box or unlock the trunk with one of the keys so I read the owners manual and it is called a valet key. The smaller of the two keys is meant for valet so they can park your car and lock your car but they can’t into you trunk or your glove box if you lock it with the master key.

Acura- way ahead of their time. : )

how much does acura charge to get a key made? and would a honda dealership be able to help me out? sorry ahead of time for the possible stupid question.

honda or acura should be able to cut keys for you. i only know how much for sure how much the laser cut keys cost, and luckly, we dont have those. like mentioned before, i think its like 20 bucks, depending on how well you know someone up there of course

i called honda here and they said that i need to get it done at an acura dealership. i called acura and they said 40 flat. poop!

you can simply go to honda or acura, buy a key for a '90 honda civic, or a '90 acura integra, the key alone is less than $5, take it to a local key shop, they’ll charge you $2 or so to cut the key…

$40 for a key made at the dealership is the definition of stealership

only thing is if the key shop messes up, if your original key they copy from isnt in good enough condition to copy, then you’re out of a key that you bought… but then key shops still have them for like $3 each, non oem…

when i got my car and the only key the previous owner had was the valet key. i need to go to the dealership to get the origional key rekeyed using the vin number though?