Broke key in ignition barrel

[DAMINK]

As the title states, i broke my key in my ignition barrel. (6 months ago)
Half of the key remains there still to this day hahaha.

I have bypassed the key entirely now and use a push button start and central locking.
However i have been caught with my pants down on more than one occasion now where a flat battery has forced me to break into the car :(
Not easy to break into either! Got my youngest/smallest daughter to climb through the top little roof window after i removed it hahaha. She actually goes feet first through that little hole. Funny as **** to watch.

Anyhoo i have 2 questions regarding this problem.

How the bageezus would i go about getting the stuck half of the key out?
I have tried poking at it, swearing at it, drinking beer while looking at it and nothing!

If i get the key out am i likely to be able to get one cut that will work?

Thanks.

[Gordie]

never had to do it...but maybe magnetise the other half of the key and see if you can draw it out with that??

[bee utey]

Sending you a PM re a locks solution.

[damienb]

If you have central locking, you can piggyback a cheap system ($10 ebay) over the locking ecu behind the passenger kick panel.

[DAMINK]

never had to do it...but maybe magnetise the other half of the key and see if you can draw it out with that??

I did try that already with no luck. But will give it a try again today.


If you have central locking, you can piggyback a cheap system ($10 ebay) over the locking ecu behind the passenger kick panel.

Yes i already have remote central locking and push button start. The key is purely as a backup when the battery goes flat.

[remer]

Pretty straight forward for a locksmith to remove the broken half and duplicate a key from the remaining 2 pieces, drive it to your local locksmiths to save on labour too

[DAMINK]

Pretty straight forward for a locksmith to remove the broken half and duplicate a key from the remaining 2 pieces, drive it to your local locksmiths to save on labour too

Yea never thought about that. I guess they would have the tools to get the remaining key part out of the barrel without the need to remove it.
I was thinking about removing the barrel and taking that to them, in situ is a far better idea for all i think.

[Tins]

never had to do it...but maybe magnetise the other half of the key and see if you can draw it out with that??

Most auto keys, and in fact most keys of any sort, are non ferrous.

[Gordie]

Most auto keys, and in fact most keys of any sort, are non ferrous.oops, blonde moment![bighmmm]

[AK83]

D1 key is strongly magnetic!(just checked)
D2 key is not .. zero, zip, nothing, nada .. zilch!

I have a vague memory of a broken key in a car many moons ago, and I used a 'pick' to prise it out.
For the metal to break, it has to first bend .. so a small lip will have developed on some part of the broken section.
That is, there is very little chance of the broken key section having a smoothed shear edge like a piece of laser cut steel!

I used a very fine sacrificial jewellers screwdriver bent the end and used the bent end on the broken edge of the key. The two interfering edges had enough bite to get the key out.

But a std D1 key certainly has very good magnetic properties, so a nice strong magnet could work.

[DAMINK]

This particular key is infact non magnetic.
I tested it with the remaining key i have.
Dont have much on today so decided i will waste an hr or 2 and have another go at it.
I dont "need" the ignition barrel as its push start anyway so may just pull the barrel out and get the left overs out that way.
Will keep you informed.

[DAMINK]

Got motivated today.

Tig gas turned on, old alan key, couple misses :), Few resharpens and wallah.

136939

136940

Pulled barrel out and finally got that pesky bit of key i have been wanting out for months.

136941

Now off to the local key dood with barrel in hand and old parts of the key.

Might rip out the steering lock then put the barrel in just for looks, i run a push button start anyway.
Main reason i wanted this key out was for the doors in the event my central locking does not work..... like now lol.

Anyway problem solved.
Thankyou for the help everyone.

[bee utey]

Wow, that looks like fun. Usually takes me around 5 minutes with nothing more than a sharpened centre punch and a hammer to remove the bolts, they're quite soft...

[DAMINK]

Wow, that looks like fun. Usually takes me around 5 minutes with nothing more than a sharpened centre punch and a hammer to remove the bolts, they're quite soft...

I enjoy welding far more than i do swingin hammers. Might even weld a small nut back onto said bolts and reuse them.

[87County]

Got motivated today.

136939

136940

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136941


Might rip out the steering lock then put the barrel in just for looks, i run a push button start anyway..
Thankyou for the help everyone.

Glad you were successful damink

The rego safety check (annual "pink slip" in NSW) should check for correct operation of steering lock - I would think that this is rarely done, but ....

[DAMINK]

Thanks 87County

My problem is when i took the piece of key out i basically activated the lock again.
Now i need a key in there again to unlock it where as before i could just leave the ignition in the on position and pull the remainder of the key out.

I assumed the steering lock was purely an anti theft device?

[87County]

Thanks 87County
....

I assumed the steering lock was purely an anti theft device?

Yes that is so, the safety issue arises in the matter of its being kept out of engagement by the key. In the past crashes did occur when the steering lock engaged whilst the car was being driven - I would think fairly rarely.

As I posted - most inspecting mechanics (technicians?) wouldn't be aware of it these days.

If I was faced with your situation where the key does nothing, I think would be removing the steering lock altogether

[Gumnut]

I enjoy welding far more than i do swingin hammers. Might even weld a small nut back onto said bolts and reuse them.

Nah, don't be a tightwad..... Zip down to local fastener supplier or bunnies, and pick up bolts without the shear head!!

[DAMINK]

Nah, don't be a tightwad..... Zip down to local fastener supplier or bunnies, and pick up bolts without the shear head!!

Dollar saved is a dollar earned in my eyes. Tightwad perhaps.......

I have the old bolts and have loads of old nuts. A quick tack and i have shear bolts again.

[DAMINK]

Spend $12 for a replacement key. Works perfect.
Pulled the steering lock out of the barrel so thats no longer a safety issue.
Tacked the locking/locating pin back in place.
Tacked on a few nuts to the old bolts and cranked on them until the tacks broke.

Reinstalled and bobs your uncle.

An ignition that looks like it works yet does absolutely nothing :)