How to Fix Your Broken Car Key! The One With a Chip Inside and Which Costs Zillions to Replace!

Our car has one of those keys with an electronic chip inside the plastic coated handle. That means in order to buy a replacement key we have to go to the dealer and spend about a zillion bucks! I don't like to spend zillions! It makes me flinch!


So when the handle of my key broke in one corner I figured I could fix it myself. I probably could have found some brand of glue that would fasten the plastic pieces back together in a secure fashion but I didn't do that. Instead I dug out a roll of black electrician's tape from the tool box and a couple twist-ties from the kitchen drawer. (You can click on the photos for a closer view.)


Since the repair needed some strength beyond what the tape could provide, I used the two plastic wire bread ties to reinforce the tape. I could have used one, but I figured two would add extra reinforcement. The ties were just the right length to run the full length of one side, up over the top, and down the other side. I placed two small pieces of tape in a couple spots to secure the ties. Then I cut a length of tape about three inches long and cut it down the middle to make a narrow piece of tape. This I used to wrap the handle, stretching the tape snug as I wrapped.


Then I cut another piece of tape several inches long. This piece was wrapped around the main body of the plastic part of the key and secured all in place.


The wire twist-ties add reinforcement to the broken area. The key is back on the key ring! And I still have my zillion dollars!