Why door-lock keys break
Door locks see less use than they once did because most drivers rely on the remote, so the cylinder can stiffen from disuse and grit. When you finally need the key in the lock, a worn blade meeting a sticky cylinder is a recipe for a snap, especially if you twist hard to get it moving.
Salt air and moisture near the coast add corrosion inside the cylinder, which makes the lock turn rough. That extra resistance is often what finishes off an already tired key.
Safe steps before you call
If part of the blade sticks out of the lock face, try gripping it with needle-nose pliers and pulling it straight out without rotating. Spraying a little dry lubricant into the keyway can help the fragment slide free. Patience and a steady straight pull work far better than force.
Do not turn the broken piece while pulling, and skip the glue tricks, which usually bond the fragment in place. If the piece is flush with the lock face or sunk inside, stop and let a locksmith remove it so the cylinder is not damaged.
How a locksmith fixes it
A mobile locksmith uses thin extractor tools designed to hook the broken blade and slide it out of the door cylinder cleanly. After the fragment is out, we cut you a new key and check the lock for the wear or corrosion that caused the break.
If you broke the key while locked out, we can also get you into the car and then make the key. Call us with your year, make, and model and we will come to wherever you are parked in West Palm Beach.
Still have a key or fob question?
Tell us your year, make, and model and we will confirm exactly what your vehicle needs before we head out.