Resolving Your Ignition Problem

If you are having trouble with your cars ignition cylinder, you’re probably very frustrated. However, don’t panic. There are some things you can do to help. People generally begin to panic when they don’t know what to do. Here, we have outlined some things that you can do to improve your situation. If the below suggestions do not provide the relief you need, feel free to give us a call at Kennesaw GA Locksmith in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Tips for Ignition Resolving Ignition Cylinder Problems:

Get a new key – We recommend that you allow a locksmith to make you a new mechanical key. You don’t necessarily have to have another transponder key made, in fact, we recommend a mechanical key. Sometimes the chip in the transponder key may be the issue or you may simply have a worn key. This occurs over time. Place the new key in the ignition and see if it works.
Spray inside the ignition lock cylinder – a lubricant such as WD40 might be all that is needed to get your key to turn. Once you spray the lubricant in the cylinder, try to gently turn the key to see if it will then turn. Do not apply to much pressure or you will break the key off in the ignition (Bad News!).
Bump the Ignition – So you’ve tried the above and nothing worked, now you should try to bump the key. It isn’t as aggressive as it might sound. Once you have sprayed the ignition with WD 40, insert your mechanical key only half way into the ignition and bump the rest by using a rubber screwdriver. In a lot of cases that we see, the problem is caused by a jammed cylinder that has misaligned some of the wafers. This will make it difficult for the key to turn inside the ignition. Bumping the ignition lock cylinder can release the jammed wafers making it possible for you to turn the key in the ignition.
Examine the key for dirt or damage – have a look at your key and make sure there is no damage to it. In some cases, if you have a transponder key and you have dropped it, the chip could fall out without your realizing it. Also, if the key is worn or damaged, it will not fit into the grooves properly thus preventing the key from turning. Even if the key has debris on it, it might prevent you from being able to turn the key in the ignition. It wouldn’t be a good idea to use your car key for anything other than starting your car. Don’t open paint cans or anything else with your key as debris can begin to develop on it without your noticing it.
Make sure the steering wheel is not locked – If you apply too much pressure to the steering column it could lock the steering wheel. If you are only able to move the steering wheel partially but not fully, it is locked in place. A locked steering wheel will prevent the key from turning inside the ignition.
Slide key in and out of ignition – If there is debris inside the ignition, it will cause the key to stick. There may be some debris on the pins, which will make it difficult to turn the key. You should gently move the key in and out, trying to remove some of the debris from inside the cylinder.
Clean the port – You can use canned air to clean the ignition if there is debris in the cylinder it will help to remove it. You do not want to spray the entire can inside the ignition. This could cause damage to the cylinder. Wear something to protect your eyes from the debris.

If you are finally able to get the key to turn in the ignition, do not turn the car back off or else you may not be able to turn it back on again. Call our locksmith to find out exactly what caused the trouble. In many cases, all they will need to do is remove the cylinder to exam the cause of your problem, resolve and replace. Don’t watch a YouTube video and think that you can handle this on your own. Many of our customers’ have learned the hard way that this isn’t the best way to resolve their issue. They often make the problem worse than it was prior to their attempting to fix it.

A professional locksmith has the knowledge and understanding needed to effectively find and resolve your problem. If you don’t want to end up spending more money than is necessary, heed our advice and allow a qualified professional locksmith to evaluate and remedy the problem for you. Now, you may think it is just easier to take your car to a dealership and get it over with. Just keep in mind that a dealership is going to be more expensive than a locksmith. They have a service fee and other fees on top of that. Remember a dealership has overhead expenses they must cover. This means that the customer is usually the one footing the bill. A locksmith doesn’t have the overhead, in fact, we come to wherever you are to administer the services you need. As you can see, we even try to assist you in figuring out the problem before you even resort to contacting us.

The one thing to take away from this article is to familiarize yourself with what you can do to try to remedy the problem on your own. Don’t be aggressive, be gentle. You could break the key off in the ignition and this would only contribute to your problem. Instead, gently clean the debris from the key and try again or spray the ignition for any debris before placing it back in the ignition. We know that you can be upset and frustrated but reacting too quickly could land you in deeper trouble. Remember that we are here to help when necessary.