Why won't the key turn?
Most of the time it is one of four things: the steering lock is holding, the shifter isn't fully in Park, the key is worn, or the ignition cylinder is worn. You can usually clear the first two yourself from the driver's seat.
The last two need a new key or ignition repair, and both are done at the car, whether it sits in your garage, a work lot or a parking spot off Eagle Road.
Two things to try first
- Rock the steering wheel. If the wheels were turned when the car was shut off, the steering lock can pinch the ignition. Ease the wheel side to side as you turn the key lightly. When the lock lets go, the key moves.
- Seat the shifter in Park. On most automatics, the key won't turn back to lock or come out until the shifter is fully in Park. Hold the brake, push it firmly into Park and try again.
If neither helps, don't force the key. Extra force bends worn keys and can snap them in the cylinder, turning this into a broken car key job.
Worn key or worn ignition?
Grab your spare. When it turns easily but your everyday key won't, the everyday key is the problem: its cuts have rounded off with daily use, so the small wafers inside the cylinder no longer line up. Side by side under good light, the worn key's peaks look flat or rounded.
If neither key turns, or both turn only after jiggling, the cylinder is wearing out. Other signs of a tired cylinder:
- The key turns only when pulled out a little or held at an angle.
- It sticks in one position or won't come out.
- The cylinder spins loosely without starting anything.
One trap: a copy made from a worn key copies the wear. If your only spare was cut from your everyday key, it may struggle the same way.
When the key turns but the car won't start
That is a different problem. If the engine cranks but won't catch, or the anti-theft light blinks on the dash, the car probably isn't recognizing the key's chip, which points to programming, not the ignition. See chip keys.
If nothing happens and the dash stays dark, check the car battery. A dead battery or starter is a mechanic's job, and we'll say so on the phone.
Push-to-start cars usually have no cylinder to wear. If the dash says no key is detected, see the dead fob guide or the smart key page.
How we sort it out at the car
We check the steering lock and shifter first, then try both keys and look at the cylinder. If the key is the problem, we cut a new one to the lock's original specification instead of copying the worn one, and program the chip if there is one.
If the cylinder is worn, we tell you whether repair or replacement makes more sense and quote it before we start. No tow and no waiting on a dealer's schedule. Before we leave, we run the key through every position, from lock to start, and try it in the doors.
Worth mentioning on the call
- The car's year, make and model, plus where it's parked.
- Whether the spare turns, and whether the key slides all the way in.
- Any warning lights or messages on the dash.
- Photo ID plus the title or registration, so we can confirm the car is yours before cutting anything.
You'll know the price before we drive out, because we explain it on the phone. If the car shows us something different, you hear the new price before any extra work.