Key won't work in car door. (alarm, chip, buy, battery)

[neekah18]

Last week I accidently bent my one and only key to my 2000 mitsubishi eclipse (i know I should have had an extra set made but it actually slipped my mind since I bought the car almost 3 years ago after a hit and run car accident that totaled my old car). Anyway I was finally able to get my key repaired so that it would go into the ignition and start the car but now I can't lock my doors because the key will not let me back into the car.

Has anyone ever had this problem before? My brother said it could possibly be a fuse since in the beginning after I got the car started nothing worked in the car but the headlights and turn signal (mind u it was stuck in the company parking lot during one of the coldest nights and and during a snowstorm followed by heavy rain). I checked my owners manual and yes a fuse does control the door locks. I am going to get another key made but I know when I take it to the dealer they will magically find something else wrong (the key will cost me $175). I plan on getting an alarm put on the car (probably around $200 since the car has a chip in it) that will allow me to lock and unlock the car without using a key. I just want to know if this has ever happened to anyone before and what did you do to solve it.
I love Mitsubishi's I just hate this problem

Thanks

[scirocco22]

I don't know if I'm understanding correctly. First, you do or don't have electronic door locks? It sounds as if you have electronic locks but no remote locking?

So when you put the key into the door lock, does it turn and not activate the electronic locks? ...or doesn't turn at all?

I don't know, your description wasn't making sense to me. But maybe I'm having a senior moment.

[neekah18]

lol it could be because I know almost nothing about cars. I have automatic locks but no remote entry. The key will go into the lock but it will not turn to lock or unlock the door.

[scirocco22]

Ah, so I take it that the switch on the inside of the door won't activate the locks either? And you've checked the fuse and the circuit is intact?

[neekah18]

I haven't checked anything yet. The switch on the inside will activate the door to open and close it but that's it. Could it be that I had the key in the ignition at the time I slipped and bent the key while it was in the ignition? the car wasn't on at the time but that one incident reaked havoc.

[scirocco22]

The fuse is ok, then, if the switch on the inside of the door activates the locks.

Does the key turn when inserted in the door lock? If it doesn't, then it sounds like a bad key. Take it back to the locksmith who made the key and have them file it a bit so it is absolutely identical to the original one that worked.

[neekah18]

the key doesn't turn when inserted in the door lock. Do you think I should just get an alarm that unlocks and locks the door with a push of a button? It seems like a lot to spend in one shot. The key from the dealer will cost me $175 and the alarm will run me about $200.

[scirocco22]

So the key will insert into the lock but won't turn? But the switch inside the door will electrically activate the locks?

If it were me, I'd want the key to work even if I had remote locking. For instance, if the battery was completely dead for some reason, you couldn't get inside the car. And most cars have their hood release inside. I'm thinking that you'd have to have to either break into the car or break into the hood to get to the battery.

Again, to me, it sounds like you have a bad key. Have you tried jiggling it around or backing it out just slightly once you've inserted it in the lock to see if it will turn?

[Linson]

try spraying some WD40 in the keyhole. seriously.

[neekah18]

I did all of the above and nothing works. In fact I still smell hints of that damn WD40 when I open my door (yuck) I am just going to have to get both but I don't want to buy a key only to find out that it still won't work. That is my main issue. Now if the key was $25 I wouldn't mind but $175 is alot especially if I can't pin point the problem.