The dilemma of stuck keys is unnerving, to say the least.
Whether you are stuck inside your house because the keys won’t budge or whether you are stuck because the keys won’t come out of the ignition, the problem is real.
How do you unfreeze the door?
An emergency locksmith could be your savior in this time of distress.
But what if you are in a hurry and want to get out of this predicament?
A car key stuck in the ignition is quite rare.
But if you do get stuck, it can be a frustrating experience.
The key here is not to panic but rather to ascertain a potential cause for your key being stuck in the ignition.
To start with, we suggest using minimal force to take out the key.
A key that won’t come out is different from a key that won’t rotate.
In each case, the solution to your issue would be different.
If you are experiencing the former issue, we suggest rotating your key all the way counterclockwise and then trying to pull it out.
If the issue is the latter, then using brute force won’t suffice.
It could, however, amplify your problem because your key may get broken, and thus it is one end could remain stuck in the ignition.
In this case, you would need extra equipment like pliers to get out the broken key.
You may need to hire a professional car locksmith like Roy’s Locks & Keys to help you.
Call us today for prompt and meticulous service.
What To Do If My Key Is Stuck In The Ignition
Getting your car key out of the ignition is quite a simple three-step process.
Here is all that you will need to do.
Step 1: Make Sure That The Steering Wheel Is Unlocked
Your steering wheel may get locked if it’s pushed too much to the left or the right.
This locked steering wheel could also prevent you from extracting your key out of the ignition.
To get rid of this issue, you will need to unlock your steering wheel.
Do this by rotating the wheel in the opposite direction to which it is locked.
Step 2: Reset The Gear Selector
For the key to be pulled out of the ignition, it is necessary that your gear is set either to the park or neutral position.
Sometimes, your gear may not be in that position, even though you are parked.
In this case, you will need to reset your gear to pull out the key.
Step 3: Jiggle Out
Once the key has been freed from the locked steering, it is time to jiggle it out.
Use one hand to press on the key cylinder to deactivate any stuck pins or springs.
Then, use your other hand to simultaneously jiggle the key out.
This should do the task, and you will be able to pull out the key.
Why Is My Car Key Stuck In Ignition
Now that you have successfully pulled out your car key from the ignition, it may well work in your favor to know why the key was stuck in the first place.
This could help you prevent such a mishap in the future.
There could be a number of reasons.
As mentioned earlier, apart from the steering wheel being locked or the parking gear not being set to a neutral position, there could be other reasons for the key in stuck in the ignition.
A common cause could be an unclean key.
If your car key has debris like cardboard, dust, or tape on it, then it could create friction with the keyhole and cause it to be stuck inside the ignition.
To prevent this, we suggest regularly cleaning your key, preventing it from rusting and not using it to open boxes or packages.
Another reason for a key being stuck in the ignition is if the ignition system gets locked up.
This could be because of a dead battery.
In such cases, you would either have to replace the battery or wait for it to jump start.
An ignition cylinder that is damaged can be blamed too.
If the spring-loaded pins are out of alignment, then the key could be quite a hassle to remove.
Similarly, if your car key has worn out over the years as a result of too much usage, the key may again get stuck in the crevice.
The Bottom- Line
Having a car key stuck in the ignition is a dilemma we wish no one was under.
However, in case you are looking for a locksmith company in Markham, then Roy’s Locks & Keys is your go-to place.
We also provide professional home locksmith services.
You can read more about us here.
If your key is stuck in the ignition, contact us today, and let us fiddle with the locks for you.
