please help...snapped key/ignition..

[mkcman17]

*RESOLVED!!!*

unfortunately, an asshat frat boy tried to move my car and put the wrong key in the ignition and snapped it inside the cylinder. like a good neighbor, state farm won't do anything, and neither will the police, so i'm s.o.l. fixing/covering it myself. is there any way i can remove the snapped piece or cylinder completely? my car is in ticket-able parking, so i would appreciate any help i can get...lowest quote so far is 'starting at' $160.

[u3b3rg33k]

I've done that before, and I used one of my lock picks to remove the broken portion. Perhaps you could bend up a paperclip and try hooking the side?

[tonywonder]

hot wire the car my man. thats what i would do til i can find a solution for that key lock. i think the ignition cylinder is removable. you can prolly buy one from the dealer or pelican. let me know if you wanna get it from a dealer i can help with pricing there possibly. assuming the cylinder itself can be removed and replaced.

[mkcman17]

My med school friend has a surgical kit. Think that would be worth the trouble of borrowing? It's pretty twisted in there, I don't want to fight a lost cause..

Thanks tony, I may have to take you up on that offer...i want to avoid any janky fixes and keep everything intact for now, as i'd have to break the wheel lock too.

[tonywonder]

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...54&hg=32&fg=30

hopefully you can just get the cylinder out without damaging anything. but the part appears to be 51 bucks ill get pricing if you want to buy one let me know and ill see how cheap i can get it for. just PM me with the part numbers you will need. ill get you a quote.

[mkcman17]

Okay, i'll take my bentley to class and see if it looks like it can be done.

[Ceeker]

Okay, i'll take my bentley to class and see if it looks like it can be done.

It try using a pic or paperclip first to fish it out. It's lots more work changing it. Don't hot wires your car. That is a butcher job. I believe there is a pin you can push in through the key hole up top which can release the ign cylinder. so you can work with it outside the car. then again if it's only 50.00 for a coded ign cyl it might be worth you while to just buy new.

[bernzpeed]

Dude take a really thin nail, like the one you hang pictures with and then insert it in the tiny pinhole. See if you can turn the key to the on position and then drive the nail gently all the way in and then try to pull the whole ignition out.

Use another ignition, if you can get one used or borrow one from a friend. and just insert it in there and start the car to move it.

I'm sure you can find someone with a used one. I have one but I would have to ship it.

[mkcman17]

The problem is that it's the wrong key...the jackass put the trunk key in and torqued it until it snapped. I have a lockpick set, but I'm still not having any luck. I've tried gluing the key to a piece of solder wire to no avail. I think I might try to solder onto the key next. The problem is the stupid gate doors in the way. I glued them open, but it didnt help much. Here's where I am today.

[hyperE30]

damn that fucking sucks man...

[McGyver]

well you can pull the ignition switch (the orange thing) off the side and turn it with a screw driver to start the car. but that wont help since the key is stuck in there.

if you really need to, use a hack saw and cut into the steering column top piece between the wheel and the plastic. eventually you will get to the point where it pushes the pin down and you can remove the wheel. then tape the pin down and put the wheel back on so you can turn the wheel to drive.

if you do that^ you'll have to replace the top with a junk yard part, but you will get it out of a ticket zone and have time to fix it properly.

other than that, just fish that bitch out.

[e30trooper]

mike tell that asshole to pay for that shit, forget who he is. This is why you dont let ppl drive your cars. Good luck getting it out.

It pays to have AAA

[harm]

call a locksmith.. or see if you can find one who will sell/loan you an extractor. I pull broken keys for people all the time.. the twisted ones are the worst.

If you can't get a proper extractor, get a couple vice grips/pliers and twist a paperclip or piece of wire into a spiral/drill-type shape.. you want to be able to thread it in along one of the grooves or sides of the key along the wafers and then pull straight back. a 16th-inch drill bit might have a similar effect. Just don't break anything else off in there..rotating the ignition while you're working on it is going to bind up the internals, too.

Spiral extractors are your friend. Twist the extractor in, get a little tension against the key, pull straight back.

Remember, you need to pull the broken piece straight out, and the wafers/tumblers that allow the ignition to operate have to move out of the way. That last picture looks like you're making progress.. just keep at it and take breaks when you're frustrated.

Don't forget to slap the asshat frat boy with your hourly rate afterward.

[mkcman17]

Ben, I told you I have AAA and they won't touch the car. It also isnt a choice to not hang my keys because of stacked parking.

I may try the drill, i've concluded that it's way too twisted to pull out...i cant even see the whole end of the key in the opening. I'm going to have to try and install a new cylinder, I guess...

The guy that did this got a new 2006 m3 in high school as his first car from his parents. I struggle to pay tuition and he is allowed to get off scott free from this.

[harm]

Option C: Call a locksmith and send the bill to AAA. You have an issue that falls under roadside assistance.. I'm kind of surprised (but not extremely surprised) they aren't going to do anything for you directly.

Make sure you're getting an actual local locksmith company, not some national scam chain.. try to get an estimate in writing before they start working on it.