Keys Stuck in Ignition? Here are 5 Things You Need to Retrieve It!

There’s almost nothing worse than being late for something, having one foot out of your car when you realize that your car keys are stuck in the ignition! It’s a problem most of us think we would never really have to deal with until it happens to us! This will leave you stuck in your car because you can’t lock it, and you can’t leave it there with the key in the ignition either! However, you’re not stuck there forever. As “permanent” as the situation might seem, it isn’t. There are several steps you can take to get your keys back, so you can get on with your day as soon as possible!

Make sure that your car is actually turned off

Most of the time, when you think your car keys are stuck in the ignition, they’re actually not! Even if your engine is “off”, your car might still be on! Just to ensure that your car is actually turned off, turn your key all the way back one more time to check. A lot of the time, this is the culprit and you’ll be able to get the key out easily! The same goes for your gear. You should also check if your gear is in the park or not. If it isn’t, the car’s safety mechanism won’t let you take the key out anyway! To get it out, just put your car in park and wiggle the key and it should come out fairly easily!

Check your steering wheel

A lot of the time, if it’s not the ignition being locked in place, it’s the steering wheel! Almost every car comes with a safety lock that will lock your steering wheel in place and in turn, also locking the ignition with it. This is to keep any intruders from stealing your car. Sometimes, the steering lock is easy to miss, and it keeps your key from coming out like it’s supposed to! To unlock it, just slowly turn your steering while also turning the key. If you do it right, it should unlock the wheel and along with it, your key too!

Check if the key is broken

This one’s pretty bad, but it’s still not the absolute worst, yet! If there’s a chance that your key might have broken inside the ignition, it won’t come out easily. As long as most of the key is in one piece, there’s a possibility you can get it out yourself. You can try to gently wiggle the key out, but there’s a possibility that you’ll end up breaking it. This is why the safer alternative is to contact a Locksmith in Chicago, or your general area, and have them come over and safely remove your key out of the ignition. They’ll be able to get this done regardless of how much the key has broken, and you’ll be back in your car in no time!

Check your car’s battery

If your car’s running low on battery, or the battery simply dies on you, the entire car will lock up, which includes your ignition. In a situation like this, you’re going to have to charge your battery before the key can come out. The good thing is that it doesn’t need to be charged all the way, a simple jumpstart should give you enough energy for the car to unlock the ignition and let the key out!

Check your ignition cylinder

There’s also a chance that the entire ignition cylinder is your problem. A damaged cylinder can cause a key to get stuck and even if you can get it out, it could happen again. It’s best to get a damaged cylinder replaced or repaired as soon as you notice it. A locksmith would be able to help you with that to ensure that it never “catches” your key ever again!