How to Do When Your Car Key Broke in the Ignition

When people find that their car keys broke in the ignition of the car, they can not start engine and drive the car. So, it is important for you to know how to deal with the situation. We are going to tell you the guidance in the article.

 

Avoid Damaging The Ignition

If a key broke off in the ignition of your car, the ignition is not necessarily damaged, but you can break it if you do not proceed with caution. In many ways, damaging a car’s ignition has greater repercussions than harming just any old lock. This is your primary means of transport, it represents a tremendous financial investment, and it needs to run properly. For that reason, I would recommend calling a locksmith to remove the broken key from the ignition. You do not want to unnecessarily damage your ignition by improperly performing a broken car key extraction yourself.

 

If you would still prefer to attempt the removal of a broken key in an ignition, we have a few damage prevention recommendations. Firstly, you want to be extremely careful about what you put in the keyway. For example, super glue methods of extraction are not recommended. Do not force any tools into the clogged ignition. If something does not go in smoothly, try and find a smaller tool. Lastly, refrain from excessive attempts of the same method. If a tool is used too many times or too harshly, it can damage the vehicle’s ignition so that even a working car key won’t turn in the ignition.

 

Gather The Right Tools

Removing a broken key from an ignition cylinder is a bit more complicated than the standard practice of getting a broken key out of a lock. If your car key broke off in the ignition while you were still at home, you may be able to gather supplies more readily. Gathering the proper materials and tools can be more complicated if you are stranded. Search your vehicle for tools you can use, and take inventory of any nearby stores that may sell helpful materials such as:

 

Key Extractors – Though these are specialty tools specific to addressing broken keys in locks, you might be able to find them in auto parts stores and the auto parts sections of big-box retailers. Though this is a long shot, always try to use the best tool for the job.

 

Tweezers – Likely found in any make-up or beauty section, tweezers can be perfect for pulling out broken key fragments. Ideally, they should be thin enough to be able to enter the keyway. The natural opening of the tweezers should be wide enough to fit the key blade.

 

Needle Nose Pliers – Hardware stores and some big box stores will have these tools. The extra-long pliers work best, as the thinner ends allow you to be more precise when grabbing the small bit of metal protruding from the keyway. 

 

Mini Hacksaw Blades – Likely only available in hardware stores, these devices are used by sliding inside the ignition cylinder alongside the broken key. The blade must be extremely small and thin for it to work. You turn the serrated edge of the blade toward the key and grip the key as you pull out. Too many attempts using a hacksaw blade can damage the ignition.

 

Paper Clips – Widely available, paper clips can be shaped into tweezers and probe tools that may help get a broken car key out of the ignition. If you find the metal too soft to be helpful, you may have more success with binder clips (though these are difficult to shape).

 

Safety Pins or Hair Pins – You may have these types of pins on your person, and they are widely available at stores, rest stops, gas stations, etc. Often too small to be bent into tools, these are best used as probes to pry at the key. Consider using a pair of pins as if they were tweezers or chopsticks.

 

People can find the right tools to try to figure out the problems and solve them. And you can also call an auto locksmiths to deal with them quickly with car lockout kit.