Melbourne VIC · at the vehicle
Ignition Repair
Ignition barrels wear out from the inside, usually slowly enough that people adapt without noticing — jiggling the key, turning the wheel, trying twice. By the time it fails completely it has often been warning about it for a year.
+61-3-9007-2696What this covers
- Keys that will not turn in the ignition
- Worn ignition barrels
- Keys snapped in the ignition
- Steering lock seized against the barrel
- Barrel replacement keyed to your existing key
- Diagnosis before replacement
Before you call
Have the make, model and year ready, and know roughly where the car is. Those three things decide what equipment the van needs on board, and getting them on the phone is the difference between one visit and two.
You will also be asked to prove the vehicle is yours — photo ID and registration papers, or the car registered in your name. There is no version of this work where that step is skipped.
Ignition Repair
Tell us the make, model and year and where the car is parked.
Ignition Repair — questions
My key will not turn at all. Is the ignition broken?
Before assuming it is, try turning the steering wheel gently while turning the key — a steering lock loaded against the barrel is the single most common cause and costs nothing to rule out. If that is not it, the barrel or the key may be worn.
Is it the key or the ignition?
Worn keys and worn barrels produce nearly identical symptoms, and replacing the wrong one solves nothing. A worn key in a good barrel is the cheaper outcome and it is worth checking first.
Can a new barrel use my existing key?
On many vehicles, yes — the replacement can be keyed to match so you are not left carrying one key for the doors and another for the ignition.