You just got home from a nice evening out. You pulled in the driveway and took a sigh of relief – you can relax before getting up early for work in the morning. But then, you go to take your car key out of the ignition. It doesn’t budge. You think you must be really tired, and try again. Still, the key won’t move. You’re confused and wonder why your car key is stuck in the ignition because this has never happened to you before. You remember that a friend told you once to turn the steering wheel from the left to the right a few times, while pulling the key, because it’s supposed to loosen it. But this doesn’t work. You could be dealing with ignition cylinder problems. It might also be a problem with the key. We are here to provide useful information to help you out of this situation. 

If you have read this far, you probably already tried turning your steering wheel while pulling your key, in case the wheel was locked. Perhaps this did not work for you. 

Why is my key stuck? 

So, you are sitting in your car, wondering why the key is stuck. Determining this information will help you to decide the appropriate steps to take next. In many cases, the issue at hand is wear and tear on the ignition cylinder. This certainly happens when keys or vehicles age. And a locksmith can help by replacing the ignition cylinder. The key could also be broken off in the ignition. The problem, in this scenario, might point to either the ignition cylinder or to the key. Either way, this is something you could call an automotive locksmith for. They should be able to resolve the issue for a competitive price.     

Here are some other common scenarios that could be leading to a key stuck in the ignition cylinder…

You Need to Get Out of the Steering Wheel Lock

If your steering wheel is locked, which was mentioned earlier, you will have a difficult time removing the key. To turn the key to the point you can remove it or start the car, the steering wheel needs to be in the proper position. Try turning it from side to side while trying to, at the same time, turn the key. This can help you to unlock the steering wheel. If this does not work for you, of course you aren’t going to want to leave the key just sitting there. So, call a locksmith! 

You Misused the Car Key

A car key can, over time and after many years of not exactly being used correctly, become damaged. How? Why? You might do things with your key ring like toss it onto a hard surface after a long day. You might not even think about it, but it is eventually going to impact the key. Do you sometimes use your key for opening mail like packages? Again, this is not how the key was meant to be handled or used, and eventually it could cause problems. You should only be using it with your vehicle. If you have not used it properly, one thing to try is cleaning the ignition lock. This might or might not work. You could end up needing a replacement key, and yes, a locksmith specializing in automotive services can help you out with this.  

Your Battery Needs a Charge or Replacement 

Understandably, your vehicle relies on having an operative battery, because if the battery is not holding a charge properly, the vehicle is unable to properly function. A dead battery could be causing the car key to be stuck. You can try to jump start the car and this might work because it will give you, at least, a temporary charge to remove your key. You are certainly going to want to have your battery checked out because a dead battery is not something you want to deal with.  

The Lock Cylinder Needs Replacement 

Did you know that over time, the pins inside the ignition lock cylinder can shift? When this happens, the key can get stuck. Just a quick tap on the ignition cylinder could help. But when it does not work, you should call a locksmith.  

If the transmission gear selector is not in the appropriate position you aren’t going to be able to pull out the key. If you can’t put your car in park, you might want to reach out to an individual you can trust, such as an automotive locksmith who will be able to come to your location to help with this. 

Look into the Possibility of a Recall

You might get random notifications that there is a recall surrounding your vehicle. It isn’t common but it’s possible that there could be one revolving the ignition cylinder.