Car key stuck in the ignition? Here’s what to do about it.
If it’s ever happened to you; you know what a hassle it is! You grab your keys and head for your car. You have plans and the car will help you accomplish those plans. You just have to go there. But how can you when the ignition key gets stuck? If this has never happened to you; it will. KTB Marietta Locksmith often gets calls relating to this subject. That’s why we’ve made this post; hopefully it will be helpful the next time this odd even happens!
Now what?
Your key is stuck in the ignition; now what? How are you supposed to go about your business, or your day? You need your key out of there in order to lock the vehicle. You can’t drive anywhere to get it fixed because the key is stuck and not moving. What do you do? If you try and force it, the key may break and then you have two problems to face; a stuck key and a broken off part to remove!
Take a breath!
That’s right; breathe in deeply and relax a bit. We’re serious! If you panic, you make judgment calls that may not be good. Why stress yourself out if you don’t have to? Here in Marietta, GA there are lots of things to do and places to go. You most likely had a busy and event packed day planned. Good news – you can still do those things! While many people would panic and call for emergency help, you most likely won’t need to do that. Sure, an automotive locksmith in Marietta, GA sounds like a great solution, but what if you don’t need to call one?
Did you take that much needed deep breath? Good – now put on your parking brake! This does two things. It gets you busy and productive. It also helps to keep your car from rolling forward or backward while you work on getting you key loose.
Next step
Ok, with the parking brake on, try gently moving your ignition key back and forth. Remember; you don’t want the key to break off! Did this action work? Did the key come out? If so, great! If not, let’s go on. Check to see if you are in the right gear. You really need to be in the PARK gear and nothing else. Make sure that you are not in NEUTRAL or DRIVE or in-between. You need to be in PARK or the safety feature built into your transmission will not let the key be released. It was originally designed this way so that drivers would have to deal with an ignition key that comes out accidentally while still driving. Can you imagine the horror?
Next – the steering wheel
Move the steering wheel back and forth gently and see if this releases your key. Sometimes another safety feature allows your ignition system to lock up when the steering wheel is leaned on too heavily. This action really throws a lot of people off and many automatically call for help from a Marietta, GA locksmith that specializes in automotive service.
You might have a drained battery. If your car’s battery is drained, the signal sent by your transponder chip will not be strong enough to be recognized by the vehicle’s computer. You can test your battery by turning on your headlights, radio, windshield wipers or power windows. Do they work? If so, your battery does too. If you just turn on your dashboard lights, be sure that they are not on DIM as that would really throw you off!
Did you insert the right key?
At first this seems like a strange question! Of course you did, or else how did the key go in the ignition in the first place? In actuality, there might be more than one car in the household and it’s easy to grab the wrong key by mistake and yes, other similar keys can go in. This doesn’t mean that they come out as easy! So, what should you do in this event? Try gently moving the key back and forth and if you can, tap the top of the key with a hammer or hard surface but be careful not to break it or drive it further in.
Worn keys
As a side note, be careful to NOT use your car keys as a Boy Scout tool. Countless folks use their transponder keys for other things like opening cans, ripping open boxes, puncturing surfaces and removing tape. It’s easy to do since one part of the key (blade) has a jagged edge and the handle is large enough so that it is easy to hold. Resist temptation! Even though your key is made of metal, its edge is dulled each time it is used like that. Eventually, when inserted into your ignition, it will work erratically or not come out at all!
Time to clean your lock!
As a last resort, you can try cleaning your ignition lock. Many times this action will result in it releasing your key. Simply spray some electrical contact cleaner on the lock and follow this action by spraying some silicon lock lubricant on it. The two sprays act together to form both a cleanser and lubricant and often, this is enough to both clean your lock and release your ignition key.
Call for help
If all else fails, you can call for help; professional help in the form of an automotive locksmith. In Marietta, GA there are many shops that offer licensed, bonded and insured service on a 24-hour basis and with all work done by experienced and skilled experts. If you don’t already have a lock professional to work with, find one that offers affordable pricing, round the clock assistance and mobile service that comes to you. Add them to all of your mobile devices for handy reference in the event that you have a problem like a stuck ignition key!