5 Methods to Get a Broken Key Out of a Car Lock

Oh SNAP - your key just broke in your car door? Yikes, that’s inconvenient to say the least!

Our best recommendation is to call an auto locksmith right away, as there’s little risk of damaging your car door lock with the lubricants or extraction tools that are used by professionals.

But, if you’re determined to try getting the broken key fragment out yourself first, here is a list of methods that use common items found in households that you can use to get the broken key out of your car door. 

Align the Cylinders

If your key broke while turning the lock, the fragment will be very hard to remove from this halfway position. The easiest way to fix this is to use a pair of needle nose pliers to reach inside the cylinder and turn it slowly to the locked or unlocked position. 

Be careful not to jam the key further into the lock or to twist the key itself, as it could break even more. However, if you do manage to get a good grab on the end of the broken key with your pliers once aligned, you can try pulling the key out of the slot at a straight angle. 

Apply oil

Before removing the broken key from your car door lock, spraying an oil-based lubricant like WD-40 inside of the keyhole can make it easier. Professionals typically use a dry lubricant because it won’t make the keyhole grimy over time, but if you’re in a pinch, an oil-based lubricant can do. After spraying the lubricant into the keyhole, be sure to wipe up any excess around the lock before getting to work.

Note: If you’re planning on using the glue or sticky putty method first, don’t use lubricant on the lock just yet. 

Use Tweezers

If you don’t have needle nose pliers, another item frequently found in households that can be used to unlock car doors are tweezers. Consider first how thick the tweezers are, and how far in the key fragment is inside of the lock. Make sure that your tweezers can open wide enough to fit around the key, but not so thick that they cannot fit along the sides of the key, otherwise you risk pushing the key in farther.

Try the “Probe and Pull” 

By taking two thin pieces of metal, you can probe the keyway and slowly pull out the key fragment. Line these pieces of metal on both flat sides of the key, and only insert it far enough to get a firm grip on the end with your tools. Slowly pull the broken key straight toward you. You’ll likely lose grip on the key with these separate pieces, so just repeat the process until the key is out entirely. Don’t use pieces that have value to you, as they’ll likely become bent during this process. Some items that can be used for this are: 

• Metal hair clip

• Bobby pin

• Paper clip

• Safety pin

• Button pin

• Pocket knife

• Small flathead screwdriver

Extract with Paperclip

Bent the paperclip into a straight line and insert it into the keyhole slightly above the broken key fragment. Once far enough into the lock, twist the paperclip downward to grab the back of the key. Once it's caught on the key, pull straight outwards to remove the key.

Use sticky putty 

If available to you, you can try using a very sticky or tacky putty to remove the key fragment.  Push the putty into the key slot and allow it to sit for a few minutes, then pull it out. If you're lucky, the broken tip will come out as well. 

If none of these items are available to your or your attempts don’t work with these gentle methods, we recommend contacting an auto locksmith right away. The damage you could do to your lock with rough methods or adhesives like super glue are not worth it, and you’ll end up paying more in the long-run to get it fixed. 

Need help in Omaha, NE metro area? Call us at 402-676-8973 for assistance.