When a key snaps
A worn, bent or stiff-turning key can snap with the blade still in the lock. It can happen in a door, the trunk or the ignition.
Leave the piece where it is. Pushing at it with a pin or pliers can wedge it deeper or damage the lock. Keep the part you’re holding, and call us.
What matters is what’s left in the lock: whether the piece sticks out, sits flush or is deep inside. Tell us what you can see when you call.
What we do
We come to the car and remove the broken piece, taking care of the lock and the ignition. As with any lock work, no job is entirely risk-free.
Removing the piece is one job. A new key is a separate service with its own price, quoted before we start, so tell us on the call if you want one. If the broken piece includes the chip, we can program a new key on site at your request.
If the lock or ignition was already worn or damaged, we’ll tell you on the phone. If the broken key was your only one, see lost car key replacement.
We quote the job on the phone before we dispatch. If the job turns out different from what we were told, we tell you and give you a revised price before any work starts.
How it works with mobile service
Same service call as any other job. Your car stays where it is.
- 1
You call
Tell us the year, make and model, where the key broke (door, trunk or ignition) and what's left of it. You get a quote on the phone before we dispatch.
- 2
We take it out
We come to the car and remove the broken piece, taking care of the lock and the ignition.
- 3
A new key, if you want one
A separate service, priced separately and quoted before we start. If the broken piece includes the chip, we can program a new key on site.
Questions
Can the key come out without replacing the lock?
Usually, yes. Extraction is meant to take the piece out and leave the lock in place, though as with any lock work no job is entirely risk-free. If the lock or ignition was already worn or damaged, we'll say so on the phone.
Should I try to pull it out myself?
We'd rather you didn't. Pliers and pins can push the piece deeper or scratch the inside of the lock. Leave it where it is and call.
Will I need a new key?
Only if you want one. A new key is a separate service with its own price, quoted before we start. If the broken piece includes the chip, we can program a new key on site at your request.