Screwed UP

[jef]

Last fall I had to pull the ignition key cylinder out of our 03 Focus and have the tumblers replaced. It has worked fine since then until the other night. I went to start the Focus and the key wouldn't go into the ignition, tried several times and no luck so I took another key stuck it in the ignition thinking I could line up the tumblers so the right key might work, broke that key off in the ignition. Since I was at a dark ball diamond I called a tow truck to get the car home.

Went out to work on it and when i was trying to pull the broken key out it went into the lock where I can't get it. I tried to pull the cylinder out but I need to be able to put the ignition in acc to pull the cylinder.

Any suggestions on getting the broken key out, if it is out I maybe able to get the the right key in with the help of a hammer, it is the recommended way, to replace the cylinder and then get the pats system right with the new keys, plus get the door locks rekeyed for the new keys.

Anybody have any luck drilling the lock out?

Thanks

jef

[MarkEkberg]

Around here there is a guy that does not charge much for work like that. He showed up, made a key for me once and charged me $50.

There might be someone like that near you that would be able to pick it to get the key back in there, if that is all your trying to do?

[Jmikan]

I had something like this happen to me. What I did was to drill out the pin that holds the tumbler in. Then just replace the whole tumbler again.

[jef]

I got the car fixed yesterday, talked to a lock shop and they said they could do it yesterday if they had the car in case they needed to drill the lock. Loaded the car on the trailer, fun with the steering wheel locked by the way, dropped trailer off at the shop and in an hour they called with it done, they were able to pick out the broken key. It cost 130.00 including the new lock cylinder. I didn't want to rebuild the old one to last another 4 months.

Thanks to MarkEkberg and Jmikan for the replies.

jef