Your key just broke. What now?
Stop turning. If part of the blade sticks out, one gentle, straight pull with your fingers is worth a try. If it doesn't slide out, leave it, because each extra poke pushes the piece deeper.
Hold on to both halves. The blade helps us read the cuts, and the head of most modern keys holds the chip the car checks before it starts. Then call (208) 629-0482 with the vehicle's year, make and model, its location, and which lock the key broke in. We remove the piece and make a new key at the car.
Where it broke changes the job
- In the door lock. That door won't open with a key until the piece is out, so extraction comes first.
- In the ignition. A spare won't help until the keyway is clear, and pushing it in on top of the piece can wedge both.
- In your hand. A spare at home gets you going, but you are now down to one key, a good moment to add a spare car key.
- A flip key that flops. The blade won't stay open or folds as you turn it. The pivot is worn, and the next twist may snap it. See flip keys.
- A bent blade. Bending it back weakens the metal, so have a new key made before it breaks inside a lock.
Why the head of the key matters
Most car keys today carry a small transponder chip in the plastic head. The ignition can turn with a plain metal blade, but the engine won't start, or starts and dies, unless the car recognizes the chip.
That is why a copy with only the metal blade cut turns in the ignition but still leaves you sitting there. We cut the blade and program a chip to your car, so the new key turns and starts. More on chip keys and remote-head keys.
Fixes that make it worse
- Super glue on the broken edge. It runs into the lock and can bond the piece in place.
- Taping the halves together. The tape lets go on the first turn, and the blade ends up further in.
- Tweezers, pins or a pocketknife. They slip off the smooth blade and shove it deeper.
- Jamming the spare in beside it. A keyway has room for one blade, and the spare can bend or break too.
Getting the piece out and a new key made
Thin extraction tools slide along the broken blade, catch its cuts and draw the piece out straight. Tools and methods are chosen to avoid damage, and a lock that worked before the break is often fine afterward.
Next comes the new key, cut from the pieces when they're readable, or made from the car's lock when they aren't, the same way we make keys for a car with no working key. A key cutting machine, key blanks and programming tools travel in the service vehicle, so the chip is programmed on site. Before leaving, we run the new key through the doors, trunk and ignition, and test every button if it has them.
Keys rarely snap for no reason. A worn ignition or a stiff or frozen door lock makes people twist harder; if we spot one, you get the price before we do more. See ignition won't turn and the frozen lock guide.
Ownership check and safety
Have your photo ID handy along with the title or registration. No key gets made until we've confirmed the car belongs to you. We answer 24/7 and explain the price on the phone before we drive out.
If the key broke in a door and a child or pet is locked inside, call 911 first, especially on a hot or very cold day.