Broke key in ignition :(

Car, this time. On Wednesday. I had literally no idea it had happened until it came to go home.

I put my key in the ignition and it didn't turn. So, I wriggled it, and giggled it, and screamed at it, swore at it, and finally it dawned on me that my key looked a little bit shorter than normal. This was after I assumed that the pins were just stuck, and thrust a wooden stick down the barrel... pushing the rest of it in further . Then I pulled off the plastics around the column and started reviewing my options.

Couldn't even start to hot wire it because the steering lock was on. I have very powerful back and arms, and could only pull the steering wheel so far before I realised that I was doing more damage to the column than anything - so gave up on that idea.

Mr AA man turned up 2 and a half hours later in a van, and because the wheels were pointing right he couldn't tow me. So, he called a truck, which he said would have skates. Turned up at 10:30pm with no skates, and almost didn't manage to hoist the motor on, because some plank abandoned their BMW at the entrance to the car park, obstructing the truck backing in. He managed to only just get the damned thing in and pull the wretched car onto the back. Then I got home for near midnight, dumping the car outside the house.

The car is a cheap 2000 (W Reg) Peugeot 306 runaround and going to try and get the lock sorted out tomorrow (after I fit the stator on my bike, so I can use it again).

By 'sort it out', I mean by force. Drill or screwdriver + hammer. I'm not worried about it, as I'm going to scrap it by MOT day next year.

Does anyone have any expert advice, before I try to demolish the barrel, or dismantle it?

Have a look for a key extraction kit (roughly £5) easy to get a broken key out with a little patience

-Get an old hack saw blade. (Smaller the better)

-Clip the ends off so the little knobs are gone (the little knobs that hold in in to the Handel)

-File away all the teeth apart from two or three eather end of the blade.

-now insert the blade in to the lock and wiggle it over the top or Dow the side of the broken key. The end teeth should then hook round the key as you pull it out.

This works on most padlocls and house keys but might be difficult on a car key. You can buy lock picls that do a similer job but this is cheeper. Hope this helps dude.

Had similar in the past, took whole thing off, snap bolts are usually easy to turn once you get them moving with a small pointy punch, moved halo for key to glove box and removed all the lock mick out so wad left with the switch at the back, just used dumpy screwdriver to turn it.

Main drawback, got stopped leaving b n q for shoplifting as was walking round holding screwdriver like key lol, got pulled up 2 ft from door, they were fine once I took them to car and explained. Put screwdriver in pocket after that.

Cheers, all. I found that the key was too far down, and such a short part of the key to enable me to extract it. After getting so wound up, I pulled out a powerful drill and bored the crap out of it, all the way down, so that the wires fell out.

I sat there covered in metal shavings, feeling a bit better about getting the frustration out, before calmly locking the doors and going back indoors.

The next thing is going to be wiring up a switch and button to start it, after I eventually manage to get to the steering lock.

That was the other bit that bothered me - I cannot get to that steering lock. Maybe just scrap it... it's an old diesel hack, covered in dents, smokes like mad, doubtful it will ever pass another MOT, and it stinks inside.

For now, Triumph - you are my only wheels.

Righty, then. The problem has been fixed. I no longer have a use for my old keys, other than the central locking.

I removed the steering wheel by butchering my way into it, and having to remove the airbag. (The front of the steering wheel is no longer there).

Then after faffing about trying to locate my torx keys, I got the lot apart, even removing the entire steering wheel, just to get access to the ignition barrel.

I then proceeded to smash it out with a mallet and flat head screw-driver.

Removed the bolt and re-fitted the wheel.

Then I soldiered a new loom, using the Kawasaki ZZR600D ignition and the electric starter (from a Honda CB500), and fitted it to the existing loom, bolting the ignition to the dash.

The next bit was making sure that the chip out of the battery was secured inside the immobilizer coil, and a quick test - it works.

Massive bodge job, but it works.

Proper bodging

Glad it's fixed

Here you go... Don't laugh! It's the biggest bodge I have ever done, hands down.

Thank you, thank you. My bodge is the talk of the office, right now. Give it five minutes... Everyone will be queuing to book me to do it to their car, next.

I have a spare airbag going, now... So am contemplating on creating an under-seat security device for the Triumph.

2 bits of info ..

1. The car may not pass an Mot with the airbag removed

2. If your car gets nicked not having a working steering lock may cause grief with claim .

2 bits of info ..

1. The car may not pass an Mot with the airbag removed

2. If your car gets nicked not having a working steering lock may cause grief with claim .

I know, matey. Hopefully nobody will nick it, but if they do then they are desperate. And, I wouldn't bother claiming for it. It's a £300 lump, after all. I would only cut my losses, which wouldn't be much.

The mot isn't until 26th of April, by which time I plan to scrap it, as it will almost certainly fail on the emissions. That diesel lump puts out a lot of smoke.

It's my 'emergency' car, for use only when I have no bike, or need to take a passenger out.

Instead of £300+ per month for a car on finance, I just hop around the local ads and go check out a cheap runner with a long MOT. Check every nut and bolt to tell if it will likely go bang, or keep going, keep it until the MOT expires, and either flog it or crush it.