Lost Keys

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
4ducksrus

4ducksrus

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 17, 2010
Posts
814
Anyone ever lose their keys to their MH?  How about while you're living in it in another state?  Well, we just did!  We have a spare set...locked in a safe back in California that no one seems to be able to open!  Guess one of us will have to fly home and get the extra set.  In the mean time, I was just wondering if anyone else ever had this dilemma and if so, is there a way to get keys made?  I thought with our Vin and Serial No that we could get some from Winnie, but they said no.  They said we could get a new deadbolt, but then that would make our extra keys obsolete...and we still need an ignition key to get home in July!!  I'm hoping one of you will have a suggestion...from a similar experience  ;D

Thanks in advance,
Mikie
 
Perhaps Freightliner (the chassis builder) could get a key made for you? I think they supply the ignition switch and keys along with the chassis.  Give them a call and ask.

1-800-FTL-HELP (1-800-385-4357)
 
You should be able to get an ignition key from the chassis manufacturer (Freightliner?) using the VIN number.  Have a locksmith open the door and either change the deadbolt or don't use it.  The other lock is a common key, readily available from an RV dealer, and probably the locksmith as well.
 
I?m sure that a local locksmith can help you.  I have lost car keys and AAA  auto club sent a locksmith.  He made short work of opening the door and replacing the ignition key.  I am surprised that the Winnebago dealer could not help you.
 
Thanks to all of you for your suggestions.  We are not locked out...just can't lock or drive the coach!  We lost the keys AFTER we opened it up from being gone for a weekend..next morning, couldn't find the keys to lock up when we were leaving for work.  I'll give Freightliner a call on Monday and see if they can get us an ignition key.  As for the door lock; I called the Camping World where we bought it and they suggested that we go talk to the CW that is close to where we're at and see if they would loan us a "master key" until we can get home and get the spare set.  We WILL be putting keys somewhere on the outside or even in this case... inside.  Luckily, we have neighbors that are also living and working from here and they're keeping an eye on things when we're gone!  :D
 
We have never had a problem losing the ignition key as it never leaves the ignition switch.  We do have a spare set of door and bay lock keys hidden outside, however.
 
We use a couple of the suggested methods to make sure we don't have the problem. I wonder why this would be a Winnebago Specific topic? Seems like owners of other brands would have good ideas too.

Ken
 
bucks2 said:
We use a couple of the suggested methods to make sure we don't have the problem. I wonder why this would be a Winnebago Specific topic? Seems like owners of other brands would have good ideas too.

Ken
Click to expand...

I guess because I own a Winnebago product I was thinking that maybe someone would tell me that the CS at Winnebago was wrong and that they could just sell me new keys! ;D  I agree that others might have good suggestions, especially since it sounds like I'm going to just have to have more made and get an extra ignition key from Freightliner.
 
The door key, not deadbolt key, for my 2007 Winnebago and my new 2011 Winnebago are the same. If there are other Winnebago's in the park, see if their door key might fit your door. You then can get a copy made and be able to lock the door. As someone said seems they use the same key repeatedly.

Good Luck and hope you don't have to return home just for a key,
 
Ah so..  you must keep the door keys and ignition key on the same key ring and now you can't lock/unlock the door or start the engine (but you are not locked out.)  Our ignition keys never leave the coach, actually the door keys never leave the coach either since we always use remote entry.

Where is your second set of keys?
 
My wife has a bad habit of locking herself out of her car and we have a door key wired to something underneath the car for her on all vehicles. She doesn't even tell me anymore. She just leaves the key and wire in my chair and I go rewire it. I like it better than the magnetic types. Since the advent of the cell phone, it has gotten a lots worse. She will be on the cell phone when she gets to her destination and forget the keys.
 
Talk to a locksmith, have him come out, pick the ignition and make a new key. Sounds like you're ok with the other locks for now. Should be a fairly easy job for a competant lock guy. Many new vehicles come with the key code somewhere in the owners manuals. If you have the code written somewhere the locksmith can simply cut you a new key by the numbers. It's worth a look thru the manuals to see.
 
John Canfield said:
Ah so..  you must keep the door keys and ignition key on the same key ring and now you can't lock/unlock the door or start the engine (but you are not locked out.)  Our ignition keys never leave the coach, actually the door keys never leave the coach either since we always use remote entry.

Where is your second set of keys? 
Click to expand...

John, our second set of keys is at home in California...locked in my DH's gun safe!  Which, by the way...even with the combo, no one can seem to open!  We fly home every 3 weekends anyway, so we will get them then.  There is another Itasca Meridian here at the park, it's a 2012...but, I'm going to ask them about the door key.  That's really all I'm worried about right now.  I just don't really like to leave for the entire day and leaving it open.  Of course my DH says they'll take our new Weber Q first and it just sits outside!  He's trying to comfort me...haha.. 

I did call a locksmith and he wants $125 to do the ignition and $65 to do the door.  Since we do have actual keys we could get copied, that seemed kind of expensive.

Thanks again for the suggestions. 
 
If the door lock is open, it's simple for a qualified locksmith to disassemble it, read the tumblers and cut a new key.  Not too expensive either - I had to do that with a salvage trailer I bought that came without keys.

I dislike storing keys in an outside safe, key holder, etc.  Makes them too conspicuous to anyone who stumbles across them.

I tape my spare key to the chassis rail under a piece of duct tape.  Wrap the key in plastic wrap to keep the tape adhesive off of the key, clean the road grime off of a section of the frame so the tape sticks well, then tape it to the rail.  Inside of 100 miles you'll accumulate enough road grime on the tape to make it look like it's been there forever.  Unless you know what you're looking for you'll never see the tape.
 
When I was at camp freightliner they made extra keys for me on the spot. I am sure they can help!
 
I ordered replacement Tri-mark keys from Winnebago a few years ago. They sent the door key, however the deadbolt key was blank. The note said to have a Locksmith duplicate the key. I accepted this for safety reasons.
I also put an extra set in a key case and put it under the coach on the frame in front, now cannot find it, wonder were it is?
 
I recently lost my keys in El Paso when at the hospital visiting my new grandson. Luckily we had a second set with us but then the dilemma of having a new second set made. Freightliner made the new ignition key and Camping World made the rest. All perfect.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 1,105 (members: 18, guests: 1,087)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,934
Posts
1,387,761
Members
137,684
Latest member
kstoybox
Back
Top Bottom