What to Do When Your Key Won’t Turn the Ignition

December 25, 2018 2:43 am Published by Leave your thoughts

Picture this: you’re running late to an important meeting, you hop in your car and get ready to speed off to your destination. You put your key in the ignition and try to start your car, but your key won’t turn! What’s going on? Your car was working fine yesterday, and you haven’t had any other problems with it in the past.

As with any sticky situation, your best bet is to call a professional for inspection and subsequent repair. However, calling an automotive locksmith in Fairfax, VA to make a new key isn’t always fast, and if you’re in a hurry, waiting around just won’t do. Here are a few DIY tricks you can try the next time you’re in this jam:

  • Turn your steering wheel: Before you start panicking, simply try turning your steering wheel to the right or left and see which side is blocked. Turn the wheel to the side that does move, and then try turning your key. If that doesn’t do the trick, try turning your wheel and jiggling your key while it’s in the ignition. Let’s hope that does the trick and you can get on your way quickly! However, if you find yourself doing this every time you start your car, you might want to consider having your ignition inspected, as something clearly isn’t right with your vehicle.
  • Lubricate the lock: This issue may have to do with your key and ignition slot’s lubrication. If you have lubricant (preferably graphite or silicone-based) in your vehicle, spray the key down and try jiggling it in the ignition slot. Don’t get discouraged if this trick doesn’t work on the first attempt—you might have to try spraying and jiggling it a few times to get it to work.
  • Repair or replace your key: When you’re running late for a very important date, and none of the options above do the trick, you’ll have to call a mobile locksmith in Fairfax, VA. If your key is bent or twisted, or if the teeth are worn down, a professional locksmith can either repair your key or create a new one from scratch. Our licensed locksmiths can give you a new, working key in a flash.
  • Repair or replace your ignition cylinder: If it’s not your key that’s causing your problem, it must be your ignition cylinder. Obviously, this is the worst-case scenario, but the good news is that we can handle the situation for you. Our professionals have years of experience repairing or replacing ignitions for all makes and models. The best part is that we can perform the job quickly, so you can get on with your day.

Don’t trust any other automotive locksmith in Fairfax, VA to make a new key the next time you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. The technicians at Artie’s Lock and Key arrive on the scene quickly and can get you back on the road in no time at all. Call us today to learn all about our services!

Categorised in: ,

This post was written by Writer

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *