Guys, I've got a serious problem and need some help

My girlfriend goes to the Art Institute in a town close to us. She came out of class today and went to get in her car and come home. Over break we just bought her an 05 Cavalier. Anyway, she used her key (doesn't have the keyless remote) and opened up the car and sat down. She turned on the ignition and the radio station was really loud and one that she doesn't listen to. She turneda round to look in the backseat and realized 'Holy ****! this isn't my car!"

She looked frantically in the parking lot for her car and couldn't find it anywhere. After about ten minutes, someone pulled up in another 05 Cavalier of the same color and asked if it was hers. Apparently the lady had taken off in Lish's car and didn't realize it was not her car until she got home.

This is a serious ******* problem. Can anyone tell me about how much it would cost to get the outdoor keys and locks changed? The ignition doesn't need to be changed, but we've got to get the locks on the doors changed immediately.


Do you think this could be a problem with all 05 Chevy Cavaliers, or is it possible that it was just some completely freaky fluke that in the same city, with the same color car, going to the same school, the keys matched?
Please help, this is insane.

Sorry can't help you, but hope it doesn't cost much to change the lock/ignition.

Question for you:

Your family bought your girlfriend a car?

Originally Posted by lee_44106

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Sorry can't help you, but hope it doesn't cost much to change the lock/ignition.

Question for you:

Your family bought your girlfriend a car?

No, I said we but she bought the car herself. I paid the down payment and she pays all the monthly bills, so that's why I said we.

We once did that after barhopping in Lincoln, NE. My friend Alicia had an early-90's Saturn and took my friend and I downtown. After closing, we went back and hopped in what we thought was her car.

About halfway back to her apartment, I noticed a Muscle & Fitness mangazine and a protein jug sitting on the floor in back. We went back and parked in the original space. Her car was three spaces down.

Wow that is very very strange. I've heard it's possible in a few line of cars from certain car makers, as they do repeat keys but it's a huge number of different ones, so the odds of it happening are kept very very low. I heard a story exactly like this a few years ago involving, IIRC a Chrysler minivan. One of the people drove all the way home and didn't realize until a day later. The other person had immediately reported the car stolen, and the first person with the car also called the police as soon as she realized what happened. Luckily, they were able to get there cars back. I thought you were going to say there was a person hiding in the back seat for a minute, which I'm glad was not the problem. As to how much it cost: I would be willing to guess it isn't the most expensive change. As you said, all you need is the car door's locked changed. You may have to carry 2 keys, but I feel the ignition would be the hard/expensive part to change.

It sounds as though your only risk here is accidental theft by other Cavalier owners. Putting some sort of sticker by the driver's side entry or tying a bandanna to the roof rack should make yours distinctive.

If you're worried that you were issued a key that everyone can use, I suppose the dealer could change the barrel.

Originally Posted by onion

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Wow that is very very strange. I've heard it's possible in a few line of cars from certain car makers, as they do repeat keys but it's a huge number of different ones, so the odds of it happening are kept very very low. I heard a story exactly like this a few years ago involving, IIRC a Chrysler minivan. One of the people drove all the way home and didn't realize until a day later. The other person had immediately reported the car stolen, and the first person with the car also called the police as soon as she realized what happened. Luckily, they were able to get there cars back.

I thought you were going to say there was a person hiding in the back seat for a minute, which I'm glad was not the problem.

As to how much it cost: I would be willing to guess it isn't the most expensive change. As you said, all you need is the car door changed. You may have to carry 2 keys, but I feel the ignition would be the hard/expensive part to change.


I thought the ignition would cost more as well, which is why I only want to get the outdoor locks done.

Here's another question--- Do I have any right to go back to the guy who sold us the car and ask him to change them pro bono?

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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I thought the ignition would cost more as well, which is why I only want to get the outdoor locks done.

Here's another question--- Do I have any right to go back to the guy who sold us the car and ask him to change them pro bono?

They might do it if you explain the situation and ask nicely. If it's a dealer, it shouldn't be a big deal - they should swap out the lock cylinders for the ignition and doors. If you're dealing with a re-seller / individual, you'd probably be better off using a locksmith. In either case, I doubt it's a major operation.

I recall a story about downtown Yoakum. Two red chevy pick-ups are parked on the same street next to each other. Guy gets in, pulls the keys from the visor where they're hidden and drives off. Doesn't realize he's in the wrong truck till he gets home. Takes it back, puts the keys back on top of the visor, gets back into his own truck and heads out. What are the odds both would hide their keys in the same location?

Originally Posted by Thomas

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They might do it if you explain the situation and ask nicely. If it's a dealer, it shouldn't be a big deal - they should swap out the lock cylinders for the ignition and doors. If you're dealing with a re-seller / individual, you'd probably be better off using a locksmith. In either case, I doubt it's a major operation.

I recall a story about downtown Yoakum. Two red chevy pick-ups are parked on the same street next to each other. Guy gets in, pulls the keys from the visor where they're hidden and drives off. Doesn't realize he's in the wrong truck till he gets home. Takes it back, puts the keys back on top of the visor, gets back into his own truck and heads out. What are the odds both would hide their keys in the same location?


Maybe that's just a truck thing lol, cause my dad does the same thing, and almost the exact same thing has happened to him before.

It was a dealer, and a really nice guy at that. I've been involved in 3 car sales with him now, and he's always been more than kind, and easy to work with. I hope he'll understand and do it for free, or at least at a partial discount.

I feel dumb for freaking out now that I'm calmed down, it was just scary when I thought of my girlfriend being alone in a city and vulnerable.

This is a VERY serious problem and this is no time for complacency. I suggest you stop driving this car immediately and have it towed to the nearest dealer. You should change all the locks including the ignition, trunk, gas tank - even your apartment while you're at it. Spare no expense.

Can you imagine what would happen to your poor, vulnerable girlfriend if some weirdo with an '05 Cavalier, which studies have shown is the second most popular car of convicted serial killers, stalked her and waited for inside the car as she was coming back from class? I also recommend you booby trap the car so that anyone trying to open it without the secret password will be electrocuted and pursued by a pack of angry pitbulls.

It's a good thing you are seeking our help with this now. There is no telling what could happen if you don't fix that car.

I had a friend who had a Jeep and one day he went to Walmart and parked near the car service garage and when he came out after shopping he noticed someone parking his Jeep and the guy gets out, hands him some keys (not his)and says, "Your new battery is installed"

It was probably just a fluke. I wouldn't worry about it. The chances of 2 people confusing thier own cars has to be small.

Same thing happened to me in 1976. Olds Cutlass.

The most embarassing aspect of the situation was the owner of the other Cutlass was a fraternity type who looked just like a Ken doll.

Call up the nearest Chevy dealer and ask what they can do. There may be a recall on it that would cover replacement of the locksets. If not, you might call a good locksmith and see if they can do anything - they may be able to change out one pin/wafer from each lockset and make it into a pattern that's not found on any other Chevy keys.

It might be cheaper to just get an alarm for it though, which would accomplish more anyway.

My dad's company (whom I work for) also has an automotive department, so I called down there. They gave me a rough estimate saying it would take about an hour per door (our labor rate is 80 dollars per hour) and the locks themselves would cost 30 - 80 dollars each depending on the car (a quick Google search came up your car is on the lower end of that number). So you can do the math from there for an approximation. This is just for the door locks themselves, I'm not sure about changing the remote.

Didn't previous generation BMW X5's have this problem?