5 Symptoms of Car Ignition Troubles

You depend on your vehicle every day as you go about your routine in Atlanta, Georgia. Whether it’s driving to work, shepherding the kids off to school, or running seemingly endless errands, your vehicle is an essential part of your life. That’s why just about anyone gets anxious when they identify an issue with their vehicle. It doesn’t help that many vehicle problems require costly repairs and even lengthy downtimes that require us to make inconvenient alternate plans.

Luckily, problems related to your ignition cylinder are usually relatively inexpensive and easy to replace. However, some of them can mimic more serious problems. That’s why it’s crucial to contact an automotive lock and key professional whenever you suspect a problem with your vehicle’s ignition system. The longer that a problem is left to develop, the more severe it may become, and the higher the potential bill might be in the end. By contacting a professional early on, you’ll be able to have the problem addressed when it’s still small and relatively simple to fix.

Symptoms to Watch Out For

Most problems involving your ignition are due to a part known as the ignition cylinder. This is a housing for your lock that fits into either the steering column or the dashboard. When you insert your vehicle key into the ignition lock, a signal is sent through wiring on the back portion of the ignition cylinder that is connected to the engine and allows it to start. Defects or damage in any part of this connected system can cause performance issues with your ignition. A locksmith can assist you in diagnosing troubles with your ignition, but it’s important for you to know what to look for to give them the proper information.

The following are common symptoms of car ignition issues that can help you determine whether you should contact a locksmith before you jump to calling a mechanic.

1. Difficulty Starting Your Vehicle

One of the first and most troublesome warning signs that something is amiss with your ignition is difficulty powering on your vehicle. Usually when this occurs you may immediately jump to the conclusion that there’s a serious problem with your engine, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, it may be a sign of a faulty or failing ignition cylinder. If you notice your vehicle has a hard time getting started on multiple occasions, and you’ve checked the battery and had the engine tuned up, it’s worth considering whether or not the ignition cylinder is at fault.

2. Your Key Frequently Sticks in the Ignition

Most manual ignition locks feature a pin and tumbler system that is calibrated to correspond with the grooves on your ignition key. While these keys are designed to be used frequently, over time the metal can become rounded out, worn down, or bent. This may cause your key to stick when you insert or try to remove it from the ignition lock. This problem usually starts out small, but will gradually get worse the longer that you ignore it and continue to operate your vehicle with the damaged key. While it may seem like a hassle to have your key replaced, it’s always recommended to do that before you face a situation where you can’t remove your key from the ignition cylinder.

3. Your Key Won’t Fit in the Lock

Often a progression of the issue listed previously, in some circumstances your key may refuse to fit into your ignition cylinder lock. Usually this occurs after you notice difficulty with getting your key in and out of the lock on previous occasions, although sometimes it seems to happen out of the blue. This problem can be due to other causes as well, including internal damage to the ignition cylinder or an obstruction of debris in the lock itself. Never try to force your key into the lock, which will only compound the damage. Instead, contact an automotive lock professional for assistance.

4. The Vehicle Stalls Occasionally

In this case, your vehicle starts up and drives just fine, at least for a while. However, every once in a while it stalls while you’re out on the road. This problem is not only anxiety-provoking, but could put you at risk of a car accident depending on the circumstances in which is occurs. Again, this may be a symptom of a deeper issue with the engine, but it may just be due to faulty wiring in the ignition cylinder that loses its connection to the engine. If your vehicle has begun to stall, it’s important to have the cause diagnosed as soon as possible to ensure your safety.

5. The Vehicle Completely Refuses to Start

This last issue is actually one of the most common signs of an ignition cylinder that needs to be replaced. Your key fits into the lock just fine and turns, but your vehicle refuses to start up. It may not even try. Because the ignition cylinder acts as a switch to turn on your engine, a faulty or worn out ignition cylinder is incapable of doing its job correctly. When this occurs, your only option is to have the ignition cylinder replaced.

Professional Ignition Cylinder Replacement

Ignition cylinder failure is a fairly common issue, especially when it comes to older vehicles with lots of miles. An ignition cylinder failure can cause you to be unable to operate your vehicle, which is why it’s important to contact a professional as soon as you begin to notice a problem related to your ignition lock system. Ignoring the issue won’t make it go away, and usually leads to the problem getting worse quickly.

Many people assume that they’ll have to turn to a dealership or mechanic’s shop in order to have their ignition cylinder replaced, but that’s not the case. Many professional locksmith companies, are highly experienced with ignition cylinder replacement, and can perform the service quickly and at a much more affordable price than the alternatives.