Broken Car Key Extraction in Rednal, Birmingham

Why Car Keys Snap

A key snaps when the metal is weaker than the force put through it, and that weakness builds up over time. A key that has been used for years wears thin at the blade, and a worn blade bends a little more with every turn. One day the bend becomes a break, and the break happens at the weakest point, which is often right at the mouth of the lock.

Forcing a stiff lock is the other common cause. A lock that has not been used in a while, a lock that is cold and dry, or a lock with dirt inside can resist the key, and pushing harder puts the whole force through the blade. A key should turn with a steady hand, not with a wrenching twist. If a lock feels stiff, stop and call, because a snapped key costs more to fix than a stiff lock.

What to Do When a Key Snaps

The first minute after a key snaps matters more than any other, because a wrong move can push the broken piece deeper into the lock. Follow the steps below, and call 07367 634032 as soon as you can. We are open 24 hours, and we come to your car in Rednal, Birmingham.

• Do not push the broken piece further in. Pushing it deeper makes it harder to remove, and it can damage the pins inside the lock.
• Do not use glue on the broken end. Glue can stick the piece to the lock, and it can glue the lock itself shut.
• Do not use pliers, tweezers or wire to pull the piece out. Tools that grip the blade can snap it again, or score the inside of the lock.
• Do not try the other half of the key in the lock. A half key can jam, and it can push the broken piece further in.
• Call 07367 634032, tell us where the car is, and tell us whether the piece is in the door or the ignition.

How Extraction and a Replacement Key Work

Extraction starts with a look at the lock and the piece inside it. We work out how deep the piece sits and which way it faces, then remove it without forcing the lock. The aim is to leave the lock working as it did before the key snapped, so the car can be used again with a new key.

Once the broken piece is out, we cut a replacement key. The broken pieces can often be used to work out the cuts, and the key code can be used when the pieces are too damaged to read. The new key is tested in the lock and in the ignition before we leave, so you know it works. If the key holds a chip, the new key is programmed to the car as well, and proof of ownership is required. Read our car key programming page to see how that step works.

Ignition or Door: What Is Different

A broken key in a door lock and a broken key in an ignition are two different jobs, because the two locks do different work. A door lock only opens and locks the door, so extraction from a door is a shorter job, and the car can often still be driven once the door is open. A broken key in the ignition is more serious, because the car cannot start until the piece is out and a new key is cut.

The ignition also holds the steering lock, which can grip the broken piece and make it harder to remove. Never force a stuck ignition key, and never use pliers on it, because the key may snap again inside the barrel. If the piece is in the ignition, tell us on the call, so we bring the right approach for the job. Our ignition repair page explains what happens when the ignition itself is at fault.

Getting a Spare Key After a Break

A snapped key is a good reason to get a spare made at the same time, while the new key is being cut. A spare means the next break, or the next lost key, does not leave you locked out of the car. The spare is cut and programmed on the same visit, so there is no second call-out to arrange.

Keep the spare somewhere safe, away from the main key, so one lost or broken key does not leave you with nothing. A spare kept at home, or with someone you trust, is worth more than a spare kept in the car. Read our spare car key page for more on when a spare helps, and what it involves.

Proof of Ownership

We look at your V5C logbook and photo ID ahead of cutting a replacement key, since a fresh key is a replacement key, and the check guards the owner of the car. Where the papers are not with you, ring 07367 634032 and we will tell you which other proof we can take. The full rules sit on our proof of ownership page.

What Affects the Price

The cost of the work turns on where the broken piece sits, on whether a fresh key has to be cut and coded, and on the make and model of the car. A door extraction with a plain key runs to less than an ignition extraction with a coded key, since more stages are part of it. The price is laid out in plain words before we start. For a wider look at the points behind the price, read our car key replacement cost page.

Useful Guidance

Official sources sit behind the links below, and they cover the V5C logbook and your rights when you buy a service. Look at them where the papers we ask for are unclear to you.

• GOV.UK — V5C logbook guidance — the V5C explained, plus how to ask for a fresh copy
• Citizens Advice — Buying or repairing a car — the rights you hold when a repair is wanted