The cylinder will seldom simply expire in its entirety. There will usually be a series of indicators weeks before that happen such as keys that resist turning or require two attempts to successfully start the vehicle. See our car key replacement service. You can also read our spare key guide.
Learn all about the signs and get ahead of the problem before you find touself stranded out:
A good ignition system rotates effortlessly under light pressure. In case of wear within the inner wafers, the key begins to stick or become stiff, requiring more effort to be applied when turning it.
This one may have happened long enough ago that it has just become your routine. If the trick of wiggling or jiggling the key just right seems to be required to start the car, the cylinder isn't lining up properly any longer.
It can be hard to tell whether there is an issue with the key itself when this happens, but if the key resists turning into the cylinder or is unwilling to turn out of the cylinder when turned off, it is a sign that something isn't lining up quite right.
As the contacts inside the ignition cylinder wear, the lights inside the car may flicker or go out momentarily when turning the key to either start or shut off the ignition system. Flashing lights on the dashboard indicate potential problems further down the ignition chain..
If the ignition key is turning but the engine fails to start periodically but the battery is full, then a failing cylinder could very well be at fault. Problems like this can prove very frustrating because they are intermittent by nature.
Worn ignition keys can give similar indicators as above so it is important to test the ignition cylinder and the key separately. A new ignition key will solve some problems but it may not solve everything and may still require ignition repair or replacement.
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