Ignition Repair in Sylmar, CA: Keys That Won't Turn, Cylinders That Wore Out

Why won't my ignition key turn?

An ignition key that will not turn is one of the more stressful car problems, because it usually happens when you are already trying to leave. The good news is that the cause is often something mechanical and fairly simple. The bad news is that the wrong fix, usually forcing the key, can turn a small problem into a broken key or a ruined cylinder.

An ignition lock is a small tumbler lock, much like a door lock, with a few more jobs attached. Inside the cylinder are tiny moving parts that have to line up exactly with the cuts on your key. Over years of use, the key and those parts wear against each other. Eventually they stop agreeing, and the key either sticks, turns only if you jiggle it, or refuses to turn at all.

These are the causes we see most often when someone says the ignition won't turn:

• A worn key. A key that has been copied from a copy, or used daily for many years, loses the precise shape the cylinder expects. Sometimes a fresh, properly cut key solves the whole thing.
• A worn or sticky cylinder. The internal parts wear down, collect grit, or get gummed up, so even a good key struggles.
• The steering lock is engaged. If the wheel was turned after the engine was shut off, it can bind against the lock and clamp the key in place. This is the easiest cause to fix and the one people often miss.
• The gear selector is not fully seated. Many automatic vehicles will not let the key turn or come out unless the shifter is fully in park.
• A bent or damaged key. A key with a slight bend or a chipped edge can catch inside the cylinder.
• A damaged cylinder. Previous forced attempts, an attempted theft, or a broken internal part can leave the cylinder unable to rotate, or unable to hold the key properly.
• A heavy key ring. Years of a loaded keychain hanging off the key can accelerate wear on the cylinder.

Key stuck in ignition: what to do before you call

If you have a car key stuck in the ignition, a few calm checks can sometimes free it, and, just as importantly, keep you from making it worse. None of these is a promise that the key will come out, but they cost nothing and take a minute or two.

• Do not force it. Pliers, hammers and hard twisting are how keys snap off inside a cylinder. A broken-off key is a separate job, which we cover under broken key extraction.
• Skip household oils and sprays. They tend to attract dirt and gum up the tumblers over time, which makes the next problem harder to repair.
• Remove the weight. If you have a large ring of keys and fobs hanging from the ignition key, lift it and support it while you try the key.

1. Make sure the vehicle is in park, or neutral if that is what your owner's manual calls for, and that the shifter is fully seated.
2. Gently turn the steering wheel left and right while applying light turning pressure to the key. If the steering lock was binding, the wheel will give a little and the key may suddenly turn.
3. Try a light wiggle of the key, pulling out slightly while turning. Use gentle pressure only.
4. If the key still will not turn or will not come out, stop. Take a photo of the key and the ignition if you can, note the vehicle make, model and year, and call us.

How we handle an ignition repair, step by step

Every ignition call starts with a conversation, because the description of the symptom tells us a lot. Whether the key spins freely, sticks halfway, will not go in, or will not come out points toward different causes. Then we come to you, since the repair is done on the vehicle itself. Details of how our vans work are on our mobile locksmith page.

Here is how a typical job runs:

1. You call (213) 577-1366, any hour. We ask the vehicle make, model and year, what the key does, and whether this has been building gradually or happened suddenly.
2. We ask where the car is and whether it is safe and accessible, then send a mobile van to that location.
3. On arrival we look at the simple causes first: the steering lock, the shifter position, the condition of the key, and any visible debris or damage at the keyway.
4. We test the key against the cylinder to learn whether the key is the problem, the cylinder is the problem, or both.
5. We talk through the options with you: a new key cut to fit, cleaning and repairing the existing cylinder, or replacing the cylinder. We explain the difference in plain terms before work begins.
6. We carry out the repair, make working keys that match the cylinder, and confirm that the key turns smoothly, the steering lock releases, the key comes out cleanly, and the vehicle starts.
7. If your vehicle has an immobilizer or transponder system and the repair affects it, we handle the programming side, or we tell you honestly if the vehicle needs to go to a dealer.

Repair, rekey or replace the ignition cylinder?

Not every worn ignition needs a new cylinder. The right answer depends on what we find, and it is worth understanding the options because they differ in cost and in how long the result lasts.

Sometimes the cylinder is fine and the key is the culprit. If your key has worn down, a new key cut accurately for the vehicle can bring back smooth operation. This is usually the more economical route, and it is the first thing we check.

Sometimes the cylinder can be cleaned, repaired and put back in service, with its internal parts serviced or replaced. This works when the damage is limited and the cylinder body is sound.

Sometimes the cylinder has worn too far, been damaged by forced attempts, or has failed internally. Then replacing it is the sensible choice, because patching a failed cylinder tends to bring the same call a few months later. A replacement cylinder is paired with new keys, so the old worn key goes out of the picture.

One more point, said plainly: the lock cylinder and the electrical ignition switch behind it are separate parts. If your key turns fine but the car cranks poorly or will not start, the lock may not be your problem at all. It could be the switch, the battery, or an immobilizer issue. We will tell you what we find, even when the answer is that the repair is outside what a locksmith should be doing.

Some vehicles also tie the ignition to anti-theft electronics in ways that vary by make, model and year. We do not guess at that over the phone. We confirm by VIN and in person, and where a particular car's parts or programming are available only through a dealer, we say so up front rather than starting a job we cannot finish.

What affects the cost of ignition cylinder repair in Sylmar?

We do not publish numbers on a web page, because an ignition job can range from a quick, light-cost fix to a more involved repair, and the difference comes down to specifics. Here is what moves the cost, so you know what you are being asked to pay for:

• Your vehicle. Make, model and year determine the type of cylinder, how hard it is to reach, and whether anti-theft electronics are involved.
• Key or cylinder. If a new, correctly cut key solves it, the job is usually lighter than a cylinder repair or replacement.
• Repair or replacement. Servicing a sound cylinder differs from replacing a failed one, in parts and in labor.
• Programming. If new keys must be matched to the vehicle's immobilizer, that is additional work. Our transponder key programming page explains how that process works.
• How many keys you need. Working keys for every driver in the household are part of the job, and the count affects the total.
• Condition on arrival. A cylinder that has been forced or damaged takes more work than one that has simply worn out.
• Whether the key is stuck or broken. A key snapped off inside the cylinder adds a removal step first.

Ignition trouble around Sylmar: where we see it and why

Sylmar sits at the northern end of the San Fernando Valley, in ZIP code 91342, and the city is spread out. You can be near the Olive View area one hour and out toward the El Cariso area or along the Foothill Boulevard, Glenoaks Boulevard or Hubbard Street corridors the next. A lot of households here depend on a car every day, and a lot of people park outside, in driveways and on the street, rather than in garages.

One scenario we hear in this part of town is commuters who leave a car near the Sylmar/San Fernando Metrolink station. If the ignition key will not turn when you come back at the end of a workday, you are standing in a parking area, possibly in the dark, with a train schedule behind you and no easy way to wait out a long repair. That is exactly the sort of situation the mobile side of Wilshire Lock & Key exists for. We bring the tools to the vehicle, so you are not paying for a tow to get a key fixed.

Sylmar's summers run very hot, and Santa Ana winds funnel through Newhall Pass and the foothill canyons and push dust around. In our experience on the door-lock side, that dust is hardest on outdoor padlocks and gate locks. We would not blame wind and heat for every sticky ignition, because wear and old keys remain the usual cause. But a car that lives outside in a dusty, sun-baked foothill setting does give grit and daily use plenty of chances to catch up with a tired cylinder.

Our storefront is at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, about 24 miles from Sylmar, and our vans travel across the Valley. If your car is stuck at home in a driveway near Kagel Canyon or Lopez Canyon, or parked in a small-lot development near Foothill Boulevard, call and tell us where it sits. Gated communities, long driveways and foothill roads are all things we like to know about before we head out, so we can find you without delay.

Is it really an ignition problem? Related car-key situations

Ignition trouble is easy to confuse with other car-key problems, and each has its own best fix. Here is a quick way to sort out which one you have, and where to look if it is not the ignition after all.

If the key snapped in the lock or ignition and part of it is still inside, that is a different repair, covered at broken key extraction. If you are locked out of the car altogether, with the key inside or lost, see our car lockout service. If the key turns the ignition but the engine will not start because the car does not recognize the key, you may be dealing with a fob or transponder problem, which is a key fob replacement question rather than a cylinder one.

If the ignition is fine but you only have one key and want a spare before something goes wrong, our car key replacement page covers that. And for the full range of vehicle work we do, start at automotive locksmith.

If you are not sure which of these describes your situation, call and describe it. We would rather sort it out on the phone than send a van for the wrong job.

Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for ignition repair

Ignition work is skilled, detail-heavy work, and it is easy to do badly. Here is what we offer, stated plainly:

• We have been in business since 1987. That is a long time of seeing worn keys, stubborn cylinders and the mistakes people make while trying to free a stuck key.
• We have a real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood plus mobile service vans. There is a place you can find us, not just a phone number.
• One company, no dispatch middlemen. When you call (213) 577-1366, you reach us, and the people who work on your car work for us. You are not passed to a call center that hands the job to whoever is closest.
• David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. You can ask who is responsible for it.
• We answer the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round, including nights, weekends and holidays. A key that sticks at an inconvenient hour is still our business. See our 24-hour locksmith page for more.
• We serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, so Sylmar is part of ground we cover regularly.

How to check any locksmith before they touch your car

California requires locksmith companies to hold a license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, known as a BSIS LCO license. Whoever you call for ignition work, ask for their license number and check it with BSIS before work starts. A legitimate company will not hesitate to give it to you.

A few other signs separate a reliable locksmith from a risky one. Ask for the company's name and address on the phone. Ask what is likely to affect the cost, and be wary of anyone who cannot explain it or will only discuss it after the work is done. Be careful with anyone who insists on drilling out an ignition without first checking the simpler causes. And be skeptical of a business that cannot tell you whether it is a local company or a lead-generation service.

If you want to talk through any of this before you book, our contact page has everything, and the phone is always answered.

More locksmith help in Sylmar

• Automotive Locksmith in Sylmar
• Car Key Replacement in Sylmar
• Key Fob Replacement in Sylmar
• Lost Car Key Replacement in Sylmar
• Transponder Key Programming in Sylmar
• 24 Hour Locksmith in Sylmar
• All services in Sylmar

Ignition Repair near Sylmar

• San Fernando
• Mission Hills
• Lake View Terrace
• Granada Hills
• Pacoima
• Santa Clarita