Car Key Stuck in the Ignition? Here’s What to Do
While keyless entry has virtually replaced locks and keys for most vehicles being manufactured today, many older vehicles on the road still use physical lock hardware for their door and ignition locks. As the components of these vehicles wear down over time, problems can develop. Since your ignition lock sees a great deal of hands-on use during its lifetime, occasionally issues can develop with either the lock or key itself that causes the key to get stuck in the ignition lock.
A car key that’s stuck in your ignition can cause you to become effectively locked out from using your vehicle, necessitating a call to a professional locksmith. Before you take that step, read on to learn some common causes and solutions of stuck car keys.
Causes of Stuck Car Keys
Your first step when facing a car key that is stuck in the ignition is to try to determine the cause. Investigate the ignition lock and the key thoroughly using the following information. Diagnosing your problem may allow you to resolve the situation yourself, without involving a professional. Just be careful to treat your lock and key with the utmost care to avoid any unnecessary damage.
Make Sure the Vehicle Is in Park:
While this might seem like an obvious suggestion, with some vehicles that have looser parts in their ignition cylinder mechanism may have a problem with the vehicle appearing to be in park when in fact the car is still on another setting, which locks the keys in place as a safety measure. While not all vehicles have these safety settings, they are very common. Make sure that your vehicle is entirely off and definitely in park before proceeding.
Damaged Key:
Over time, even with normal use, your key can become susceptible to wear and tear and damage. Certain types of keys, such as transponder chip keys, will require additional programming in order to be linked to your vehicle. While dealerships provide this service, it’s usually less expensive to turn to a professional locksmith company. Try gently wiggling your key back and forth in the lock. You may be able to get the key unstuck if you take your time. Don’t try forcing the key out, as this may cause additional damage to the lock. If you are able to get your key out, it’s best to replace it as soon as possible.
Broken Key:
It’s possible for your key to become damaged in just the right way that when you apply force to it, either when turning it in the lock or taking it out, the key breaks off, lodging half of the key in the lock. While it may sound unusual, it’s something that happens more often than you might think. That’s why it’s important to inspect your keys for wear and tear and replace them if you notice any before this kind of situation occurs.
If your key breaks off in your lock, you can attempt to retrieve the broken half from the lock cylinder with a pair of tweezers or needle-nose pliers. However, usually this is ineffective, especially if the fragment is lodged deeply within the lock cylinder. A call to a locksmith is probably your best bet in this situation.
Lock Blockage:
Dirt and debris can find their way into the ignition lock and become lodged inside. This can either block your key from entering, prevent it from turning, or cause it to get stuck. Check the area around the key that you can see and if you see any visible dirt or debris, you can try cleaning it out with a thin object like a paperclip.
Be careful not to scratch the face of the lock or cause additional damage. It’s best to try gently grasping the key and moving it side to side as you attempt this process. If the key comes out and you are able to identify a blockage within the lock cylinder, clean it out using short bursts from a container of canned air. Do this carefully so as not to damage the ignition cylinder.
If You Can’t Fix It Yourself
It’s not always obvious what’s causing your car key to be stuck, which can be a very frustrating situation. Because you can’t see the internal mechanisms inside your lock cylinder, you can only guess what may have happened inside. We recommend ruling out problems with your key first, and then your ignition cylinder.
A locksmith company has the correct tools, no matter your vehicle’s make and model, to be able to free broken keys, repair or replace ignition cylinders, or extract broken key fragments, among other services. By having a professional locksmith handle the job, you may be able to avoid further damage to your ignition lock cylinder that amateur attempts at solving the problem can cause.
If the problem is with the key, a trained locksmith can remove the key and inspect to make certain it didn’t damage the pins in the ignition cylinder. Then they can cut a new key on the spot for you as a replacement, including transponder chip keys. If the problem is with your ignition cylinder itself, a locksmith can determine whether a repair or full ignition cylinder replacement would be the most appropriate for your vehicle.
By counting on a professional locksmith to assist you when you are dealing with a key stuck in your ignition lock, you are making sure that the situation will be resolved appropriately. If your auto key is stuck in your ignition cylinder and you’ve tried to fixes above, don’t hesitate to contact a locksmith today.