It may reach a point where your car key does not turn in the ignition. It can be so depressing and worrying, but the solution is to make it simple. Here’s how to check and possibly fix it?
It is not a new thing to hear of a key that does not turn in the ignition. This may cause the engine not to start or stop depending on its state when the key stops functioning. There are some easy steps that you can use to fix this mess and move on with your activities. However, if the problem seems not to be responding to your actions, look for a professional car locksmith in Tulsa to fix it.
Turn the Steering Wheel
The steering wheel may lock hence causing a nonresponse effect to the key. The first step to solve this should be turning the steering wheel around and trying the key again. The process can be done using the following guidelines:
- Turn the wheel to the left and the right
- Turn the wheel to the direction it moves with ease and hold it there, try turning the key inside the ignition
- If this does not work, turn the key inside the ignition as you jiggle and turn the wheel
Alternate the above steps repeatedly and see if the car starts.
Lubricate the Lock
Another reason why a key would not move inside the ignition may be just the jamming of the ignition. In such a situation lubricating the lock would serve as the best solution. Choose a good lubricant for this purpose, graphite and silicon lubricants are advised. Use the following steps:
- Take your key, piece of cloth and your lubricant, preferable spray
- Spray the lubricant into the ignition way
- Insert the key and try moving it. If it does not work add more lubricant and jiggle the key
Rapping the Key
If your ignition has locked and lubrication seems not to work, you might need something more than that to unlock your jammed key. Rapping involves the use of a vibrating mechanism and a hammer. The two are used together to shake the lock and set the internal components into position. It is not mandatory that you use a hammer for rapping, you may use any tool which may shake the inner components of the lock hence making them regain initial positions.
Replace the Key
Above all, if all the above techniques fail to work, replacing the key is the only option. Even if a key is broken there is a way to copy its pattern and create a duplicate of it.
Replace the Ignition Cylinder
Sometimes the problem might just not be the key, but the cylinder. The cylinder might be faulty hence it may not be recognizing the pattern of the key. For this case, you should replace the ignition cylinder.
Identifying where the problem is just the starting point of solving the mess related to a non-working key. If you try to do the above steps, but nothing seems to change, you should call a car locksmith in Tulsa expert to help in detecting and fixing the problem. Ensure the locksmith you contact is certified and authorized to do the work in the area.