Can't turn the key? Does it stick? Is the engine refusing to start? We diagnose and repair worn-out ignition cylinders, sometimes matching the key to yours.
When a key cannot turn, or you feel looseness and inconsistency in the ignition, it makes perfect sense to point to the key. Often it is exactly the case; however, there is a chance that the problem is the worn-out ignition cylinder. First of all, we determine the reason.
Since the symptoms produced by the worn out key and worn out ignition cylinder are the same, it is important to diagnose both. If the problem is indeed in the key, cutting a new, sharp key will be enough and much cheaper than a new cylinder. On the other hand, if it is the ignition cylinder that does not work due to worn-out wafers or seized cylinder, then the cylinder has to be replaced or repaired.
Avoid pulling a stuck key. It may result in breaking off the key blade inside the cylinder, thus making it harder to fix the problem later. The best thing to do when you cannot get a key out of the ignition cylinder is to contact us.
In those cases when the cylinder can still be serviced, we make sure that its further operation is smooth, fixing the problems without changing the cylinder entirely. Should it be impossible because of the wear level, we have to put in a new cylinder. Most of the time, it can be matched to the key that you already have, so you can forget about carrying two keys for one car.
1. Decide if the problem lies with the key, the cylinder, or the wire surrounding the lock.
2. Offer the solution that will actually solve the problem without being overly complicated.
3. If the car allows it, repair or replace the cylinder.
4. Make sure that you key it to an existing key, and do several test starts.
Browse through our mobile services offered by Victory Car Locksmiths:
We travel throughout Los Angeles and surrounding towns right to your place, take a look at our other mobile services: car key replacement and cutting, key fob and transponder programming, and car lock rekey.
