What To Do If Your Car Keys Are Stuck In The Ignition

Here's a frustrating hypothetical: you return home from a long day of work, turn your car off, and move to pull your key out of the ignition. Only, instead of the quick click and removal that usually occurs, your key remains stuck fast in the cylinder. While nothing is keeping you physically trapped inside the car, it's neither safe nor wise to leave your keys in the ignition while you're not present, which means you're going to have to dedicate some extra time to working them out of there.

Obviously, ignition cylinders are only designed to hold your keys fast while they're engaged, so if your key isn't coming out, then something weird is going on. There are a few potential causes for this situation, but the good news is that most of the time, the cause is very simple and can be remedied with just a little bit of intuition.

Contrary to what you might expect, a problem with the key itself or the ignition slot is actually among the least likely reasons for your keys getting stuck. Unless you've been making a habit of dunking your keys in mud puddles, it's pretty hard for contaminants to get in there and gum up the works. While it's not impossible — little metal bits can get stuck on a key if you just had it made, for instance — it is generally pretty unlikely.

The more common causes of stuck keys are simply improper car settings. When you park your car and go to remove your keys, your car needs to be set in a very particular way to facilitate that removal. Specifically, the gear selector needs to be in park and the steering wheel needs to be centered. If you're still in drive or the wheel is cut too far to one side, the ignition won't release your keys as a safety precaution.

It's also possible that your ignition isn't turned all the way off. Remember, when you turn your key one notch, that turns on the accessories in your car such as the lights and radio. You need to turn the ignition all the way off — past accessory mode – to release the keys.

Assuming your car is set properly for parking and your keys still won't come out, then you can engage in some light troubleshooting. First, if you're using an automatic transmission, try giving the gear selector handle a little jiggle. It's possible you didn't fully shift into park, so the ignition didn't unlock. You can also press lightly on the ignition cylinder and jiggle your keys to work them loose. A gentle touch is vital here, as you don't want to damage anything.

If you have reason to believe that some manner of contaminant has gotten into your ignition cylinder such as solid debris or grimy substances, you can use workshop products like compressed air or penetrating oil to clean them out and loosen your key. You'll need a can of such products with a spraying straw included so you can work it into the space between your key and the ignition slot and spray. Only use a little of these products – too much could flood the cylinder and cause further damage.

The one thing you absolutely should not do if your key is stuck in the ignition is violently tug on it. Car key fobs are tough, but they're not that tough. If pulled wrong, you could end up separating the entire key from the fob, leaving it stuck in the ignition with no handle to pull on.

In this worst-case scenario, you have two options. If you have a pair available, you may be able to employ some pliers to grab onto whatever vestiges of the key are still poking out. If you can get a firm grip on the key, you can then employ the usual removal tactics to gently jimmy it loose.

If there isn't enough of the key sticking out to grab with pliers, then your only remaining recourse is to contact a locksmith. Locksmiths have the tools and training necessary to remove even the slightest shards from a tumbler lock, so they'll be able to get it out for you. With any luck, they'll also be able to tell you what caused the sticking in the first place and suggest some fixes.