Broken Key Extraction
Broken key removed from your ignition, door, or trunk using specialist extraction tools.
from $85
Service
Ignition Repair & Ignition Key Replacement in Louisville, KY
Stuck key or worn ignition? Repair and replacement at your vehicle.
$180 to $520
Typical range
1
to 2 hours
24/7
Answered every day
An ignition cylinder is a mechanical component that gets used several times a day for years, with a key that slowly wears down alongside it. Eventually the wafers no longer align cleanly and the key sticks, binds, turns only at a particular angle, or refuses to turn at all.
It rarely fails suddenly. There is almost always a period of having to jiggle the key, and that is the window where a cheap repair is still possible.
Ignition cylinders and switches are repaired and replaced on site, and where possible the new cylinder is keyed to your existing key, so you do not end up carrying two different keys for one car.
What’s included
Keyed to your original
The replacement cylinder is rekeyed to match the key you already carry. One key still opens the doors and starts the car.
Cylinder vs switch
The mechanical lock and the electrical switch behind it are different parts with different failure modes. Only the one that actually failed gets replaced.
Key extraction
Broken key snapped off in the ignition, or a key that will not come out of the run position. Both are same-visit fixes.
Steering lock release
A seized steering lock preventing the key from turning gets freed without damaging the column.
How the visit goes
- 1
Diagnose the real fault
A key that will not turn is often a locked steering column under load or a worn key rather than a failed cylinder. The cheap causes get checked first. Sometimes the fix is a freshly cut key.
- 2
Access the column
Column shrouds and, where required, airbag-adjacent components are removed carefully and correctly.
- 3
Repair or replace
The cylinder is rebuilt where the wafers are serviceable, or replaced with one keyed to your original.
- 4
Reassemble and test
Every position, accessory, run, start, is tested, along with the steering lock, key release, and any warning lights.
Common Ignition Repair & Replacement questions
My key won't turn in the ignition. Is the ignition broken?
Not necessarily, and it is worth trying the free fix first. If the steering wheel is under tension against the steering lock, the cylinder physically cannot rotate. Apply firm pressure turning the wheel left and right while gently turning the key. If that frees it, your ignition is fine. If it does nothing, the cylinder or the key is worn.
Can you fix it without replacing the whole ignition?
Often yes. If the wafers are worn but intact, a rebuild plus a freshly cut key restores normal operation for a fraction of a replacement. That gets assessed before any replacement is quoted.
Will I need a new key if I get a new ignition?
Not here. The replacement cylinder is rekeyed to your existing key, so you keep carrying one. The alternative, common elsewhere, is a second key for the ignition while your door locks stay on the old one.
My key broke off in the ignition. Can you get it out?
Yes, that is a routine extraction. Please do not try to dig it out with pliers or superglue. That usually pushes the fragment deeper and damages the wafers, turning a simple extraction into a cylinder replacement.
Related services
Car Key Replacement
A brand-new key, cut and programmed at your car. No tow, no dealership appointment.
from $145
Immobilizer Programming & Repair
Anti-theft system faults diagnosed, modules realigned, and security data restored.
from $180
24/7
Emergency Car Lockout
Keys locked in the car? Non-destructive entry, usually in under five minutes on site.
from $65
Car keys · Fobs · Lockouts
Need help with ignition repair & replacement?
Call or text your vehicle details and location. We’ll confirm the service, price, any applicable fees, and arrival window before dispatch.
Answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week — including holidays.