Why Does My Key Get Stuck in The Ignition?

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It seems to be stressful when you cannot get your key out of the ignition. You will be more confused as you can just leave it there with the unlocked door and go to work or home. And you should wonder at least one time, “Why does my key gets stuck in the ignition?”

Whatever the problem is, you should not try to get the key out forcibly. Let’s have a quick look at this article to find out some fundamental cause of this problem! The solutions are also attached. 

Why Does My Key Get Stuck in The Ignition?

A lot of factors might contribute to the reasons why your car key does not come out. There might be an obstruction in the keyway, or you may have your steering wheel locked. Sometimes, the reason is that the car key is broken, or the battery is dead. 

Apart from these causes above, there are some others that will be figured out in the following section. By reading them carefully, you will know how to take out the key getting stuck in the ignition. 

Debris on Key

Some drivers have habits of opening packages or boxes by using their car keys, which can make some tape pieces stick to the key. Other cases might be particles, including dirt or dust, adding up in the keyway. They can cause a block in the whole ignition system.

In other words, it is an issue of getting the debris in the keyway stuck. In this case, you should turn the key back and forth gently but aggressively several times. If it does not work, you can spray DW40 into the keyway, helping to loosen the key. 

Steering Wheel Lock

The key will be stuck in the ignition if your steering wheel lock has been accidentally activated. This is due to the safety mechanism, which prevents your car from moving when you are outside. 

Besides, this system does not allow your car to operate if you use the wrong key. Although you can insert the key, you still cannot unlock the steering wheel. If you are in this situation, you should rotate your steering wheel slowly to both sides. 

At the same time, you have to put some pressure on the car key then turn it slightly. Remember to do these steps slowly if you do not want to jam the key deeper into the keyway. 

Forget to Set Parking Gear

Some cars having automatic transmission will possess safety features, including the ignition mechanism that will lock the vehicle in place. As you may know, this feature can keep people inside and the car itself out of danger. 

This feature is to remind the drivers that they cannot turn off their cars yet as they are still in drive. Therefore, drivers have to put their vehicles in neutral or in the park. From that point, you should check your car status before taking the key out. 

Dead Battery

To check whether your car battery is dead or not, you can try to turn on the headlights. If they do not show up, you know that the battery is not working. In this case, you should call someone for help. They will replace your car battery. Then you can get the key out. 

Apart from these aforementioned problems, you may encounter another issue, such as a broken key. If this happens, you can use the critical extraction tool to remove the key. Other tools can be used, including tweezers or needle-nose pliers, and a jigsaw blade. 

Conclusions

After reading this article, you now have answers to the question “Why Does My Key Get Stuck in The Ignition?”. As mentioned above, you should carefully check what your problem is, then you will have a suitable solution. 

If the case is out of your hand, you have to stay calm and wait for the mechanics to help. Calling the locksmith will not be a bad idea as well because they are professional enough to solve these issues. 

source https://automotivegearz.com/why-does-my-key-get-stuck-in-the-ignition/