Car Ignition Repair in Rednal, Birmingham

Why a Key Will Not Turn

Three causes sit behind almost every key that will not turn, and each one feels different in the hand. A worn key turns part of the way and then stops, because the cuts no longer line up with the pins inside the barrel. A steering lock holds the key still, because the wheel has locked with pressure on the barrel, and the key cannot turn until that pressure is eased. A faulty barrel turns loosely or not at all, because the parts inside have worn or broken.

A worn key is the simplest cause, and it often shows itself slowly: the key needs a jiggle, then a firmer push, then it stops working at all. A steering lock fault appears suddenly, often after the car has been parked with the wheel turned hard to one side. A faulty barrel can show itself with a key that turns but does nothing, or a key that feels loose in the lock. Tell us what the key does when you call, because the symptom points to the cause.

What to Try First

One gentle step is worth trying before you call, and it costs nothing. Move the steering wheel gently from side to side while you turn the key, with a light hand and no force. The wheel may move only a little, and that little movement can be enough to ease the steering lock and let the key turn. If the key turns, drive the car and call us about the fault, because a steering lock that grabs once can grab again.

Check the key itself as well. Try your spare key if you have one, because a spare that turns tells you the fault sits in the first key rather than in the ignition. Check that you are using the right key for the car, because a key for another car can slide into the barrel and then refuse to turn. If neither key turns, stop and call 07367 634032, and tell us what you have tried.

What Never to Do

Never force a key that will not turn. A forced key can snap inside the barrel, and a snapped key needs extraction as well as repair, which costs more and takes longer. Never use pliers on a stuck key, because pliers grip the blade and twist it, and the blade can snap at the mouth of the barrel. Never spray oil or cleaner into the ignition, because the wrong fluid can damage the parts inside and make the fault worse.

Never try to start the car by turning the key with a tool, and never try to open the ignition yourself. The ignition holds the immobiliser, the steering lock and the wiring for the starter, and a wrong move can damage all three. If the key will not turn after the gentle steering wheel step, stop and call 07367 634032. We come to your car in Rednal, Birmingham, and we are open 24 hours.

How Ignition Repair Works

Ignition work starts by tracing the cause, since the fix turns on what has failed. We look at the key, the barrel and the steering lock in turn, and what we find is set out for you ahead of any work. A worn key is put right with a fresh key cut to code, and the fresh key is tried in the ignition ahead of us leaving. A faulty barrel is put right or changed, and the fresh barrel is matched to your key where the car allows it.

When a barrel is replaced, the new key may need programming to the car, because the immobiliser must recognise the key before the engine will start. Proof of ownership is required for that step, just as it is for any replacement key. Read our car key programming page to see how programming works, and our broken key extraction page if a key has already snapped inside the barrel.

Key Stuck in the Ignition

A key stuck in the ignition is often caused by the steering lock, a worn key, or a faulty ignition barrel. Try gently moving the steering wheel while you pull the key, with a light hand and no force. The wheel may move only a little, and that movement can free the lock enough to let the key out. If the key still will not come out, stop and call 07367 634032, because pulling harder can snap the key inside the barrel.

A stuck key can also mean the car is not fully in park, on a car with an automatic gearbox, or that the battery is flat and the release has no power. Check the gear lever and the dashboard lights, and tell us what you see when you call. We will tell you honestly whether we can help, and what the next step is if the fault sits elsewhere in the car.

Proof of Ownership

We look at your V5C logbook and photo ID where ignition work calls for a fresh key or a fresh barrel, since the work touches the security of the car. If the papers are not with you, ring 07367 634032 and we will set out the other proof we can take. Read the full rules on our proof of ownership page.

What Affects the Price

The price of the work turns on the cause, the make and model, and on whether a fresh key, a fresh barrel, or coding is wanted. A worn key fixed with a fresh cut runs to less than a barrel change with coding, since fewer stages are part of it. Before we start, we lay the price out in plain words. To look into the points behind the price in more depth, read our car key replacement cost page.

Useful Guidance

Official sources are linked below. They cover the V5C logbook and the rights you hold when you buy a service, so look at them where the papers we ask for leave you with questions.

• GOV.UK — V5C logbook guidance — what a V5C logbook is, and how to ask for a fresh copy
• Citizens Advice — Buying or repairing a car — your rights where a repair is wanted