oscar24 + 3 Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 (edited) Good evening Ladies and Gents. As per the above, 2011 is not being good to me at the moment and its just got worse! Anyone with any ideas to the above?? The vehicle if you need to know is a 56 plate Vauxhall Corsa. Many thanks. Stay safe out there! Edit to say i cant afford to get anyone out at this time,hense this topic started Edited January 3, 2011 by Oscar_24 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Universally_Challenged 0 Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Doh! Sorry, I don't have anything useful to say........can't help you with the ol' key problemo. I'm off to bed, you'll be in my thoughts. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paradox + 666 Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 There are a variety of specialist tools for removing broken keys from locks, but odds are they would be more expensive to get hold of than hiring someone to do it for you. Here's one method I found by Googling: LINK and I have used this method before successfully. You can also do this with a hair clip if you hammer it flat and file a seration into the edge. Be warned though, if this is attempted by anyone that is not trained to do it properly there is a chance that you will do even more damage to the locking mechanism. And although it costs money to have someone remove the key for you it would cost a lot more to replace the entire locking mechanism as you would have to replace all of the door locks, the boot and the ignition as well I imagine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddbod 393 Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 There should be a small hole in the side of the shroud (metal bit on the side of the steering rack) big enough to push a small screwdriver into. When this is pressed in the whole barrel can be removed if the key is in place, which you say it is, as it's snapped off in there. Once its out the piece of key can be removed by pushing something thin up the wrong end of the barrel. I ought to add the last time I did this was on a 1973 MK1 Escort so things may have moved on slightly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prolixia 704 Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 (edited) Be very careful trying to remove it yourself. I recently tried to get a snapped key out of a window lock and ended up needing to replace the whole lock. When sensible approaches failed I got a bit silly because I knew the new lock was only £15 (unlike your ignition switch!) and tried pulling it out with superglue, a drill bit, etc. I certainly don't recommend such approaches! In the absence of a specialist tool, it's possible that you could get the key out t with a small saw blade slid into the lock down the side of the key and drawn back - but realistically finding a small enough blade and getting it in past the key will be very difficult. I'd probably just bite the bullet and call a locksmith - he'll have it out in a jiffy and it'll probably be a lot cheaper than getting a new lock fitted. Edit: I've just noticed that Paradox's link is to instructions on the saw blade approach. It's certainly worth a try, especially if it's tried and tested Edited January 4, 2011 by Prolixia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscar24 + 3 Posted January 5, 2011 Author Share Posted January 5, 2011 Hi Ladies and Gents. Many thanks for all the responses, i was expecting that many. I did all the tricks in the book, but the broken part was just not having it. i believe the broken part had gone past a certain point in the ignition anyway Ended up getting locksmith out this morning and now all sorted. Thanks once again! Stay safe out there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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