I was pulling the center console to replace my cluthc and I happened to find a nice shinykey under the carpet twoards the passenger side. Is this a normal place? It still had the little punch thing in it. Accroding to the info I have in my big container full of documentatio and such the sales rep is supposed to punch the lil pucnhouts as he hands the keys to you.

The previous owner gave me 2 door keys and two ignition keys. I think this extra was put in from the factory. If it was, why the strange location?

Its a '90 base firebird

 

Maybe a factory worker dropped it when assembling the dash. It would be cheaper for GM to make a new key instead of holding the line for the guy to find the key.

 

i have no idea how that happened.......but thats cool!

 

That is weird, I just bought my second third gen, a 91 Formula,while cleaning the car I removed the center console, and there off towards the passenger side was a nice shiney new door key with the center still in it, just under the carpet a little.

 

Damn, I would have fired that SOB for dropping so many keys!!

 

Hmm... The previous owner of my car gave me two sets of keys, and said there was a spare door key in the map pocket. When I checked I found both a door and an ignition key, both without their centres punched out.

That one little hole in the middle of the punchout sure makes it tricky to stick them on a keychain eh?

 

Exact same place as mine!

I kind of doubt that a key would be dropped in that location. The key was sitting pretty straight relative to the shifter and the doors. I'm going to call the previous owner about this. I doubt he put it there, because the knock out is still in place.

For some reason, I find this hidden key very interesting. Why just a door key? Is there an ignition key somewhere else?

Any others with a hidden key in this location? So far I'm guessing 90s, 91, and 92s had this.

 

Could it be a bird thing only? Ive taken my 90 RS' interior apart completely and didn't find anything.

 

Wow, looks like I now have something to do today. I'll go look in my 92. I let you all know what happens.

 

Well I did not look in the 92 yet, but I did look in the 88 and found nothing.

Conrad

 

I found a whole key ring with like 10 keys or so on it. Several of them are clearly copies of GM keys. It was stuffed up into my passenger seat.

None of the keys work in my car however.

 

By punch out, are you referring to the diode passkey system or something 1990 and up?

I never found anything unusual but mine was a theft recovery and I am the third owner (1989)
BILL

 

No. The punch out is the little piece of metal in a half moon shape that is where a key ring would go through the key, they are in the keys when you get a new car. You punch them out and keep them, they have your key codes on them (not VATS code).

 

Has anyone looked in an 82-89 car? It might give me something to do while I let my oil collect in the oil pan...

 

Looked in my '85 years ago, no key there.

 

I guess I'll have to look anyways. I have to remove the carpet and seats anyways to clean them real good. The previous owner was a smoking pig of sorts... ashes everywhere and I am absolutely positive I didn't get them all, and that's why my car still smells like an ashtray... Maybe I can find the other set of keys. Only have one set you know, and I know that the dealer usually gives you two.

 

Hey Maverick,
When I bought my car the guy that owned it before me smoked also. My husband took apart the center console and under that was cig butts and ashes too. Made me sick! I cleaned it all up, vaccumed really good and the smell didn't go away so I put baking soda on the seats (cloth) and the carpet and left it there for a while and then came back and vaccumed it up. It seemed to help draw the odor out. Then I got some OZIUM and sprayed it in there. That helped too. Now its been over a year since I did that and I hardly ever get that ashtray smell. Give that a try.
Good luck

 

I just got all the ashes out of my car when I replaced my carpet. They were in the radio pod, center console, under the carpet, all over the shifter.

 

I found a key in one of my cars... seems to me it was a door key, I think it was on my 91 V6 Firebird. Could have been my 86 T/A though. I had the carpet out of both of them within a couple months of each other. It still had the knockout in it also, was a GM key.

I also found a pair of keys wired under the front bumper of my 83 after I'd had it for a couple years. I wouldn't attribute either find to a factory habit, but its possible. It's also possible that the key was dropped thru the e-brake lever slot in the console and slipped under the carpet.

 

I think mine have been sparingly used. The Firebird was my fourth car and they were all used 80s rides. The ashtrays were empty but not clean. Never had a problem with smell and I'm a non smoker.... that's always a plus when selling (electronics as well)
BILL

(thanks for the info on the keys, not familiar with the new car buys buying used like I do)

 

My key looks like its never been used. I guess it could fall through the e-brake cover, but this thing was quite a ways under the carpet. I had to take out the shifter for it to show itself.

and for ashes... eeeek.... I had ashes under the first shifter boot, under the console, and all under the driver's side seat.

 

In my 85 firebird s/e i found a brand new door/hatch key under the carpet with the punkout thing in place .. it was right behind the driver seat

 

When I took apart my 86(T/A) and 89(Formula) I didn't find anything--no build sheet or keys under the rugs--just old french fries!