Question 1

How long does the Acura dealer actually take for a 1999 NSX key?

Accepted Answer

For a mechanical key like the one on the 1999 NSX, the actual cutting is not the slow part. The slow part is everything around it: calling to confirm they can even source a blank for a car this old, scheduling, arranging a tow if the car is not driveable, and then the dealership's own intake queue. Owners of older Acura models consistently report that the visit itself runs 1.5 to 2 hours minimum even when the physical work takes 15 minutes. For a 25-year-old NSX with a broken or lost key, there is also the real possibility that the dealer's parts department no longer stocks the blank and has to order it in. That turns a same-day job into a multi-day wait. A mobile locksmith who carries the right blank and cutter gets this done on your driveway, same visit.

Question 2

What kind of key does the 1999 Acura NSX actually use?

Accepted Answer

It is a mechanical metal key. No remote, no fob, no battery to swap. The key blade is cut to your specific locks, and that cut is all the car needs to start and unlock. There is no programming involved. What matters is having the correct blank profile and the right equipment to cut it accurately. The job is locksmithing, not electronics.

Question 3

Why does any key job on an older car sometimes still take a while at the dealer?

Accepted Answer

It is the workflow, not the work. Writing a repair order, assigning it to a technician, locating the right blank in parts inventory, and getting the car into a bay all take time independent of how simple the actual task is. For a 1999 NSX specifically, parts availability adds another layer: blanks for a car with production numbers this low are not something every service counter keeps on the shelf. If they have to source one, that same-day job becomes a callback situation. The actual cutting, once everything is in front of a tech, is fast. The surrounding process is where the hours go.

Question 4

My 1999 NSX key broke off inside the ignition. Can that be handled without pulling the whole ignition out?

Accepted Answer

Usually, yes. Broken key extraction on an ignition cylinder like this is a standard locksmith job. With the right extraction tools, the broken blade can typically be removed without disturbing the cylinder itself. Once it is out, the lock can be decoded from the remaining piece or from the cylinder directly, and a new key gets cut to match. No ignition replacement, no drama. It is one of those jobs that sounds worse than it is.

Question 5

I bought a 1999 NSX and there is no key at all. Can a key still be made?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All-keys-lost on a mechanical key car is handled one of two ways: pull the key code from the vehicle's records if the VIN traces back to one, or decode the lock directly. A locksmith reads the lock tumblers, determines the cuts, and makes a key from that. No original key needed. This comes up more on NSXs than you might expect given how many have changed hands over the years without full documentation. If you just picked one up at auction or in a private sale with no key, it is a solvable problem.

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