The key stuck in the ignition is a common problem among many car owners. However, all these issues can be solved with some amazing strategies that you’ll see in this article.
To ensure your key doesn’t stick in the ignition, you can follow some methods to avoid this. You can unlock the lock and remove the key from the ignition switch correctly by turning the wheel in the other direction. Another simple approach for removing a stuck ignition key is to use your left index finger to press down on the key cylinder while wiggling the key with your right hand.
If things still don’t work out, you can always take the help of professionals to guide you with all the solutions.
The Possible Problems Regarding Key Trapped In Ignition
The car Isn’t In The Parking Position
It is essential to check if you selected the correct gear selector in your car’s parking gear. You must position your gear at P before you attempt to remove the key from the ignition system. And this is true for all automatic transmission cars with the generic ignition switch. Therefore, don’t select any other gear before removing the key from the ignition hole.
You should select your car gear to be neutral for manual transmission system cars. This practice is not limited to any specific vehicle model but all cars. In short, if you want to avoid
Make Sure The Car Is Off Position
If your car key is stuck in the ignition, you should first check if your car is off properly. Many people overlook this simple fact. As a result, people become frustrated that their car key is not coming out and later find out that the car was not off properly.
The stated problem is true for all key-based ignition systems. Drivers often do not fully rotate the ignition cylinder while turning off their car. This is very simple but often overlooked. As a result, their face keys stuck. Also, the key cylinder may get damaged if forced applied to remove the key from the ignition.
So understanding the basics of the ignition system is important. So if the ignition cylinder is not fully rotated, then the key will not come off because the car is not off until the ignition cylinder is not fully rotated.
Check If The Steering Wheel Is Locked In Place Or Not
Remember that if your car key is stuck, it does not mean that the issue has to be in the ignition system. Many components also require paying attention to. You may find the reason for the key stuck if you check those components. One of those components is the steering wheel lock. The car key may get stuck in the ignition if the steering wheel is locked. So make sure the steering wheel is unlocked first.
You may ask why it happens? This is a safety feature for a car to ensure that the car does not move or that no one can use the wrong car key. The steering wheel and ignition system are closely related.
You move the steering left and right to solve this issue while putting some rotational pressure on the key. This procedure will most likely unlock your steering wheel, and you will be able to get the key out of the ignition. It is a straightforward solution, but this may not be the case for every issue. You may have other complicated issues with keys stuck in the ignition.
Check If There Is Any Key Broken In the Ignition
Your car key may be broken in the ignition, and you should also consider this possibility. This can happen in many ways; one of the possible ways is using an already worn or damaged key for the ignition. These issues need to be handled very carefully to avoid any further damage.
Many drivers ignore their key maintenance. As a result, the ignition may fail at some point in time. If you pay close attention to your key, you can see visible bend or wear of the key. If you try to use that damaged key out of despair, you may find your key stuck in the ignition due to miss alignment. In this case, this damaged key is considered a broken key because the key is not functioning the way it was intended to.
In other cases, you may have some key pieces inside the ignition. In that case, you need to contact the local locksmith to take the piece of key out of the ignition.
Look For Issues In The Ignition Cylinder.
Finding out issues in the cylinder system is more complicated than other things described so far. If you can not remove the key from the ignition switch, it is hard to determine whether the issue is with the key or the ignition cylinder. So the correct approach would be to assume that your key does not have any issue and start your investigation. But remember that there is always a possibility that your car key is broken inside. Better get help from professionals for proper diagnosis.
Check The Ignition Switch Insert For Any Blockage
You may also want to check if your keyway is blocked or not. You may find that the ignition switch pathway is not smooth when you insert the correct key there. So, in that case, check if the key was fully inserted and can move freely.
Remember, if the keyway has debris, you may damage your key, which may cause failing ignition and require a new key replacement. After being used for a while, most cars start to accumulate dirt in the ignition switches, and keeping it clean is one of the most obvious ignition repair basics that you need to follow. It to recommend to get a new ignition switch if you face repeated problems with it.
Best Solutions If The Car Key Won’t Get Out Of The Ignition
It will take time to understand why car keys are stuck in the ignition. According to the problems, you should find out the exact solution that you can apply for the key stuck in the ignition. Here are some helpful ways you can follow:
Extract Broken Key
Extracting the broken key is not that much complicated. However, you have to understand the situation and decide whether you want to handle the situation or you need a locksmith’s help. You can use tweezers to extract the broken key part. However, we suggest you leave this task to the locksmith as long as you don’t feel confident.
Choose Between Ignition Cylinder Repair Or Replacement Key
A vehicle’s ignition system is a complicated vehicle component. It may also have an anti-theft feature that makes it more complicated. So you have to consult a locksmith or a local dealer to determine whether your car’s ignition cylinder needs repair or replacement. Your car ignition cylinder may need to be deconstructed to remove the key first.
It’s much easier to replace the cylinder since most car ignition system replacements would take a few hours.
Pay Attention To Additional Factors
We strongly suggest that you pay attention to other car components and rule out the issues with the vehicle’s interior, internal mechanisms, steering column, and physical key to avoid such issues. It would also help to look for the car’s security system issues. Your car’s steering column may be locked, or your battery may have issues. So, always check these factors first, and yet If you cannot detect your problem, you better get professional help.
Use lubricants
You can try lubricating for stuck keys, but you need to be aware of oil-based lubricants such as WD-40 or tri-flow. You can also choose dry lubricants or graphite-based lubricants. Also, you can use rubbing alcohol to remove the stuck key. With the proper lubrication, a few stuck keys can easily be taken out all at once without damaging the key or ignition switch.
Contact A Professional Mechanic
If none of the solutions clicks, you should get help from a professional locksmith who can easily solve common mechanical ignition problems and deal with different ignition switches to ensure your car stays intact. Moreover, a professional locksmith can investigate all the slightest of issues and replace any parts like a dead battery or ignition lock cylinder.
Replace The Battery
As mentioned earlier that the car battery might be responsible for the key being stuck. You can remove the battery with an old flat head screwdriver and charge it. Check your battery if this works or not. If charging up your battery does not work, you may need to change your vehicle’s battery.
We suggest that you contact a professional to determine the exact problem. But regular checking of your battery may save a lot of time and money in the long run.
Final Words
Car keys aren’t something we think about much because they don’t need to be maintained. They may, however, become damaged with time, causing them to become caught in the ignition cylinder.
The good news is that carmakers are abandoning traditional keys favoring fobs that merely plug into a port or even communicate wirelessly, requiring only a button press.
Any forceful attempt at the stuck key and ignition switch may result in a worse blunder, as the key may be broken or the automobile may be damaged. So, if you have a key stuck in the ignition, keep a cool head and follow the procedures mentioned above.