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Car keysProblems › Broken key

Car key problems · Brisbane

Broken or snapped car key

If your car key has snapped, in your hand or off in a lock or ignition, the priority is to not push the broken piece deeper. We extract the fragment and cut you a new key, coded to the car where needed. Do not glue it or force the stub. Here is what is safe to do and how a mobile locksmith in Brisbane can help.

Reviewed by the LockOps automotive locksmith team · Published August 2026 · Last reviewed August 2026. General guidance only. The situation cannot be confirmed without inspecting the vehicle.

Does this sound like your problem?

  • The key has snapped in two in your hand.
  • Part of the key is stuck in the ignition.
  • Part is stuck in a door or boot lock.
  • The head with the buttons has broken off the blade.
  • The key bent and then broke.

Why car keys break

These are the common reasons, not a diagnosis. Where the fragment sits, door, boot or ignition, changes how we approach it.

Age and metal fatigue
Older keys weaken over time and eventually give way.
Forcing a stiff lock
The most common trigger, turning hard against a stiff lock or ignition.
A worn or copied key
Thinner, weaker copied blades snap sooner than originals.
A seized or damaged lock
A tight lock puts extra strain on the key until it breaks.
Head separating from blade
Common on remote head keys where the plastic head splits from the metal.

Safe things to do

  • Note exactly where the broken piece is: door, boot or ignition.
  • Keep every part of the original key, including the head.
  • Leave the fragment where it is rather than digging at it.
  • Use a spare key for now if you have one.
  • Take a photo of the break to show us.

What to avoid

  • Do not push the broken piece deeper into the lock.
  • Do not use glue to try to rejoin the key.
  • Do not repeatedly turn or wiggle the stuck fragment.
  • Do not poke tools into the lock, it can damage it.
  • Do not force a spare into the same lock on top of the fragment.

What an automotive locksmith can check

  • Extract the broken fragment from the door, boot or ignition.
  • Cut a fresh key, and code the transponder where the car needs it.
  • Check the lock or ignition for damage caused by the break.

When another trade may fit: broken key extraction is almost always locksmith work. If a wider mechanical fault made the lock seize in the first place, a mechanic may follow up, but the key and lock side is ours.

To quote this accurately we need the make, model and year, where the fragment is (door, boot or ignition), whether you have the other half or a spare, whether it is a transponder or smart key, and where the car is.

Questions

My key snapped in the ignition, what now?

Do not force or dig at the stub, since that can push it deeper or damage the barrel. Keep the broken head safe. We extract the fragment and cut you a new key, coded to the car where it is needed.

Can you get a broken key out of the lock?

Yes. Broken key extraction is a standard locksmith job, and in the great majority of cases we remove the fragment without damaging the lock or ignition.

Can you cut a new key from the broken pieces?

Often yes. The pieces help us cut an accurate new key, so keep every part, including the head with the buttons or chip.

Key snapped?

Tell us where the piece is and your make, model and year. We extract it and cut you a new key.

Licensed Queensland Security Provider · QLD Security Provider Licence No. 4512789 · LockOps mobile locksmith, Brisbane · (07) 3524 8064