You’re carrying on with your regular routine. You make your way to your car, off to your next appointment, going home after a long day at work, or just
grabbing lunch.
You insert your key into ignition and then you hear it: “snap!”
Broken car keys can happen to anyone. And it’s not just a physical break, either – the physical key might be fine, but other problems can stop you from
getting back on the road!
What do you do when you suffer from a sudden car key emergency? Call a certified auto locksmith, that’s what!
Types of broken car key problems
While you might think that it’ll never happen to you, broken car keys can happen to anyone.
Many times, they can completely ruin your plans too!
There are many causes of broken or damaged car keys. Here are just some of the more common ones…
1) Broken keys
When we think of broken keys, odds are our minds first drift to the physical key itself.
It’s not uncommon to have your car keys wear out or completely break over time. If you’re the type who jams your keys into the ignition, you might see
this happen sooner rather than later!
Sometimes, you don’t even have to break your key for it to be useless. If the grooves and notches wear out enough, your key may stop fitting with the wafers
in your ignition cylinder.
Luckily, a broken key can be easily remedied by an auto locksmith.
In many cases, we can even cut a replacement key without the original on-hand!
2) Twisted or bent keys
If you’re too aggressive with your keys or don’t keep them in protective key holder, you could accidentally bend your keys.
This is a problem. After all, your key can’t fit in the ignition if it’s bent in the middle!
You might think you can fix this yourself, however, we don’t recommend it!
Firstly, because you run the risk of snapping it if you use too much force.
And secondly, because this makes your keys more brittle. Sure, you might have straightened it out now, but at the cost of speeding up its eventual breaking!
3) Broken locks
It’s not always the key that causes the problem. Oftentimes, it’s the lock itself.
While the majority of modern cars use remote unlocking nowadays, not all of us drive modern cars.
If you drive an older model without remote unlocking, the driver’s side door can also stop you from getting home.
Can you get back in? In the vast majority of cases however, the answer is yes!
That’s because oftentimes, the cause is debris and dirt blocking the chamber. Luckily, your auto locksmith has the tools to dislodge anything that might
be stopping your keys.
4) Ignition problems
Your ignition chamber is much more complex than just a key-shaped slot with wafers inside.
There are batteries, transponder receptors, wires… long story short, a lot of things work together to start your car.
As such, a failure to start mightn’t mean key problems – it might be because of a problem in your ignition.
Can this be fixed by an auto locksmith? That depends.
If you require multiple turns to start your car or your keys won’t turn, that’s a solid “yes”.
If the problem is that your car won’t start at all despite your key fitting and turning, we can also help with replacement ignition cylinders.
Click here to learn more about ignition problems, and
how your car locksmith can help.
5) Broken and damaged transponder chips
Most modern cars come with in-built transponder keys.
These tiny chips send a wireless signal to your ignition telling your car that this is the right key to start the car.
When combined with physical locks, this makes for a pretty secure car!
If your transponder breaks or fails however, then you might have some trouble starting the car.
An auto locksmith can program transponder keys on-the-spot, getting you back into your car.
Whether you break your transponder key or accidentally submerge it in water, call an emergency locksmith.
Call an auto emergency locksmith for your car key problems
Fixing a broken car key on your own is risky. You could accidentally cause further damage to your ignition, or make the break even worse.
The best way to avoid this? Call a professional auto locksmith to resolve your car key dilemma for you.
Galmier Locksmiths specialises in replacing worn and broken car keys for some of Australia’s most popular makes and models.
Contact Galmier Locksmiths today on 0407 022 234. Better yet, save our number in your phone so you’re always prepared should
you need an emergency locksmith!
Got a question? Visit our FAQ page here or fill in this contact form.
