Signs something is wrong
- The key won't turn in the ignition, or only turns after a lot of wiggling
- The key turns but the steering stays locked
- The key goes in but won't come back out
- A door lock is stiff, spins freely or won't take the key
- The key has snapped and part of it is stuck in the lock
These usually come from wear. Keys and lock barrels wear against each other over years of use, until they no longer line up properly. Sometimes it's damage from an attempted break in.
Don't force it
If the key won't turn, the temptation is to push harder. Please don't. A key forced in a worn ignition is how most snapped keys happen, and a snapped key is a bigger job than a stiff one. If the steering lock is on, gently turning the wheel while turning the key can free it. If that doesn't work, leave it and call us.
What we do
We look at the key and the lock together, because the fault can be in either. Sometimes a worn key is the problem, and a freshly cut key turns the original lock without any trouble. If the barrel itself is worn or damaged, we repair it or replace it, and make sure your key works with it, and with the doors, before we leave.
Where a new lock means a new key, we cut and program it on the spot, so the car is back to working normally.
Snapped keys
If a key has broken off in the door or the ignition, leave the broken piece where it is and keep both halves if you can. We extract it without damaging the lock, then cut you a new key on the spot. Bring both halves to the car when we arrive, because the broken key can help us cut the new one.
Get it looked at
Call or WhatsApp with the make, model, reg and what the key is doing. Tell us whether it's the ignition or a door, and whether anything has snapped. We'll give you a price agreed before we set off, and we're open 24 hours across Gloucester, Cheltenham, Bristol and the towns in between.