Ignition Repair | Key Won't Turn In Ignition? Barrel Repair & Replacement
Key won't turn, key stuck in the ignition, or a barrel that has gone stiff and unreliable? New Forest Auto Locksmith diagnoses and repairs ignition faults at your vehicle across the New Forest, repairing the barrel where possible and replacing it with matching keys where it isn't.
- 7 years' experience
- Diagnosis before any parts are fitted
- Comes to your vehicle
- 8am–11pm, seven days
- No upfront payment
Key Won't Turn In Ignition? Start Here
If your key won't turn in the ignition, the cause is usually one of three things: the steering lock is holding the barrel under tension, the key's blade is worn, or the wafers inside the barrel are worn or sticking. Turning the steering wheel gently while turning the key frees the first. The other two need the key and barrel testing.
Steering Lock Holding The Barrel
When the car is parked with the wheels turned, the steering lock can bind against the barrel. Rock the steering wheel gently left and right while turning the key. Don't force it, as that can snap the key or damage the barrel.
Key Won't Turn In Car After Years Of Use
A key that's carried every day wears its cuts down. Eventually the key won't turn in the car's ignition even though it still opens the doors, because the ignition wafers are more sensitive. Try the spare if you have one. If the spare turns, the key is the problem.
Key Stuck In Ignition
A key stuck in the ignition that won't come out is often caused by the car not being fully in park on an automatic, a weak car battery on some models, or worn wafers catching the blade. Check the gear selector first, then call before pulling hard on the key.
Key Turns But Nothing Happens
If the key turns fully but there's no power or no cranking, the fault may be the ignition switch behind the barrel rather than the barrel itself. If the engine cranks but won't start and a key light flashes, it's usually a transponder problem instead: see Car Key Programming.
Ignition playing up? Call and describe what the key is doing: 023 8218 2674
What Ignition Repair Involves
Ignition repair covers the mechanical lock you put the key into, called the ignition barrel, and the parts around it: the ignition switch behind it, the steering lock it releases, and the antenna ring that reads the key's transponder. A fault in any of them can look like the same problem from the driver's seat, which is why the work starts with diagnosis rather than a new part.
Ignition Barrel Repair Or Replacement: How It's Done
Testing The Key & Barrel
The key's blade is checked against its original cuts, and the barrel is tested for worn or seized wafers. If the key is worn and the barrel is fine, a new key cut to the original pattern can solve the problem without touching the ignition at all.
Ignition Barrel Repair
Where the barrel itself is worn, it can often be stripped and rebuilt. Worn or sticking wafers are cleaned or replaced, and the barrel is recoded to match your existing key, so the same key still works the doors and the ignition. Ignition barrel repair keeps the original part and is usually the cheaper option.
Ignition Barrel Replacement
If the barrel is too badly worn or damaged to rebuild, ignition barrel replacement fits a new barrel. It's either coded to match your existing key, so one key still does everything, or supplied with new keys. The transponder antenna ring is refitted or replaced, and new keys are programmed to the immobiliser where needed.
Ignition Switch & Steering Lock Faults
The ignition switch is the electrical part behind the barrel, and when it fails the car can lose power or refuse to crank even though the key turns. On some push-button cars, an electronic steering lock does the same job as a barrel, and it can fail on certain makes and models. Both are tested on site, and we'll tell you honestly if a fault needs a part that has to be ordered.
Ignition Faults On Cars & Vans
We work on ignition barrels and switches for most makes of car and van. High-mileage vans and work vehicles see more ignition wear than most, and a worn Ford Transit ignition barrel is a common call, along with barrels on Vauxhall, Volkswagen and Nissan models. For van keys, see Van Key Replacement.
Repair The Barrel, Replace It, Or Go To The Dealer?
| Barrel repair | Barrel replacement | Main dealer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original barrel kept | Yes | No | Usually no |
| Same key works doors and ignition | Yes | Yes, if coded to your key | Often new keys supplied |
| Done at the vehicle | Yes | Yes, for most vehicles | No, car must get to the workshop |
| Getting a car with a stuck key there | Not needed | Not needed | Often needs recovery |
For most cars, repairing the barrel on site is the quickest and least expensive route. Replacement is the fallback when the barrel is beyond repair.
Ignition Barrel Replacement Cost
Ignition barrel replacement cost depends on the vehicle, whether the barrel can be repaired instead, and whether new keys have to be programmed. A rebuild of the existing barrel is usually the cheapest option, a new barrel coded to your key costs more, and a barrel supplied with new programmed keys sits at the top. You get a price before any work starts.
Why Diagnosis Comes First
A new barrel won't fix a worn key, a failed switch or a transponder fault. Testing first means the price you're given is for the repair the car actually needs.
No Payment Upfront
There's nothing to pay before the work. If the barrel turns out to need more than expected once it's out, you'll hear the revised price before we continue, and there's no call-out charge if you decide against it.
For an ignition repair price, call: 023 8218 2674
Ignition Repair: Frequently Asked Questions
Related Services
If the key itself is snapped or worn, see Broken Car Keys. If the key turns but the car won't recognise it, see Car Key Programming. For urgent help between 8am and 11pm, see Emergency Auto Locksmith. Every other key service we offer is listed under Services.
Ignition Problem? Call With These Details
The more we know about what the key is doing, the better we can prepare:
We repair ignitions across the New Forest, from Cadnam to Blackfield. You can also contact us online.
- Vehicle make, model and year
- Registration number
- What happens: key won't turn, turns but won't start, or stuck
- Whether the spare key behaves the same
- Where the car is
Get a free quote in two quick steps
Send your details and we'll come back to you with a price. For anything urgent, calling is quickest.
- Price explained before any work
- No upfront payment
- Deal direct with the technician
Call About An Ignition Fault
Describe what the key is doing and we'll tell you the likely fix, or request a quote online.
“I cannot recommend Alec enough. My Transit Custom lock was not turning. I did not know Alec at this point and called another locksmith.”