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Shazbot! Did a stupid thing.....

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Bret

Bret

Yoda
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Ok I was working on the B the other day and went & broke the front half of the key off in the ignition switch. I can use the other half to start the car but none of my other keys would work unless I broke them too. Bad news is I can now start the car with a stubby flat blade screwdriver! Good thing it’s in a secure area for now.

So looking at it I probably need to get a lock smith to remove the broken key from the ignition because nothing I’ve got in my tools will get in there to remove it.

Thoughts?
 
Do you have a pick? I have used one to perform the same task on a car that someone had tried to steal, and had broken the key off in the ignition. Takes time, a lot of patience and cusswords, but it should work.
 
I had a simular experiance with my Dodge Dakota {broke the dang key off in the lock.} I tried everything and anything to remove it with NO success. I finally called in a lock smith. He even had some difficulty removing the broken part of the key. After several attempts he finally did succede. {He used a very small diameter flexible pick with a very sharp pointed 45 degree angle on the end.} After much "fishing" around in the lock with this pic he finally managed to "hook' the key and drag it out. The cost to me was $125.00 {I about died when he told me the price}. {Sarcasm} But then again he was there well over 45 min.
 
I think I would at least remove the ignition switch from the car and take it to a locksmith, avoiding the service call. Besides, with the switch out of the car, you might be able to fish the key out yourself.
 
A long time ago I saw an article on removing broken keys. They ground the back side of a jig saw blade to make it small. Then tried to insert it (grinding more if it didn't fit) with the teeth against the "teeth" of the broken key. Give it a try.
 
I have had some luck getting the broken key out of my daughters "K" car with a couple of dental picks.
I like the idea of the hacksaw blade though...............

good luck!
 
How about this.

Take a narrow gauge wire, one that will fit inside the keyway, bend a small piece of the end of the wire at a 90 degree angle, take a small amount of super glue and put the drop on the end of the wire at the 90 degree bend. Insert the wire into the keyway until the wire end hits the broken end of the key in the keyway. Let it sit for a minute. The super glue should hold fast to the broken key. Pull the wire out and hopefully the broken key piece with it.

Worth a try, and it'll save you $100. If it doesn't work all you've lost is a bit of time.
 
All good ideas. But it's going to have to wait until next week because I'll be in Boston through this weekend. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif
 
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