2009 Silverado - replace ignition cylinder or not?

dbmead · July 10, 2015

All -

I have a 2009 Silverado that seems to have a weird habit of the key breaking inside the ignition cylinder. The first couple of times I thought that somehow the key was getting hit and banged by my knee, but after the 3rd time I realized that there is just something screwy inside. The keys break in the same place each time, and the truck will still run and drive wen I use the broken off key. The remote start however does not work. I am wanting to go ahead and get this fixed since I am getting ready to go on vacation, and I'd hate to be in the middle of nowhere with my family and that is when the broken off piece decides to work its way out.

Talked with 2 area dealers about this and neither had a great answer. One suggested that they just break it down and recode the cylinder to function with a shorter key. The other suggested that there was something wrong with the cylinder that maybe they could fix. In either case, they are talking about at least $125, and if they are able to fix the cylinder, I don't know how much more for a new, coded key.

So, I gt to looking around, and online I see where I can buy a Dorman new cylinder with key for in the $50 price range. It says it comes coded.

I have done key cylinder removal and replace before, but never on a vehicle as new as this. I am guessing the newest I have done was my old 2000 Tahoe.

So, I am debating on whether to give this a go myself, or take it to the dealer. If I knew $125 was the end all at the dealer, I would go that route, but I can't stand open ended situations. Just seems like you become hostage once they start tearing things down.

Thoughts? Advice? Warnings?

Thanks in advance for the advice.

gmtech4 · July 11, 2015

Sound abit paranoid to me but do what ya want , won't end well the cheap way thou !!!, have fun !!!

txab · July 11, 2015

Many qualified locksmiths do this everyday. Might check there

ChevMech · July 11, 2015

I had trouble with the ignition lock cylinder on my '09 2500. You would put the key in and it wouldn't turn. You could turn the key around 10 times and wiggle the heck out of it, and it wouldn't let loose until it was darn good and ready. I used a brand new key, and it still didn't help.

Anyway, I talked with my mechanic and we decided to just replace the cylinder. We sent my truck's VIN to a dealership, they sent a cylinder to a locksmith and had it coated, they I replaced the whole cylinder. It took 30 minutes and about $108, but I haven't had any trouble with it since.

gmtech4 · July 11, 2015

I had trouble with the ignition lock cylinder on my '09 2500. You would put the key in and it wouldn't turn. You could turn the key around 10 times and wiggle the heck out of it, and it wouldn't let loose until it was darn good and ready. I used a brand new key, and it still didn't help.

Anyway, I talked with my mechanic and we decided to just replace the cylinder. We sent my truck's VIN to a dealership, they sent a cylinder to a locksmith and had it coated, they I replaced the whole cylinder. It took 30 minutes and about $108, but I haven't had any trouble with it since.

Awesome !!!

dbmead · July 12, 2015

I had trouble with the ignition lock cylinder on my '09 2500. You would put the key in and it wouldn't turn. You could turn the key around 10 times and wiggle the heck out of it, and it wouldn't let loose until it was darn good and ready. I used a brand new key, and it still didn't help.

Anyway, I talked with my mechanic and we decided to just replace the cylinder. We sent my truck's VIN to a dealership, they sent a cylinder to a locksmith and had it coated, they I replaced the whole cylinder. It took 30 minutes and about $108, but I haven't had any trouble with it since.

So, was the $108 for the cylinder, or cylinder plus install? Did you install it, or your mechanic?

My dealer was leading me to believe that a new cylinder/install would be north of $400.

I don't even care if it is coded to my current key set. I have two keys at this point, one is broken off and the other is stressed at the same point. If I had a good working ignition key and kept the stressed key for the one time a year when I actually use a key in my door locks, that wouldn't be too terrible.

ChevMech · July 16, 2015

$108 was just for the cylinder. I installed it in my driveway. It's really not that difficult. Pull the plastic casing from around the column and it will reveal all of the workings. It's been a year and a half since I did mine, but if I recall correctly, you take a screw out that holds the key chip reader in place and use a paper clip to release the cylinder. Push the new one in and put everything back together.