Locksmith vs. Dealership: How to get bike u-lock key out of car door?
July 15, 2018 8:28 AM Subscribe
House sitter needed to move my 2016 Honda CRV. Told her where the key was to do this. Unfortunately, she took the wrong key from the hook - which was the key to my wife's u-lock for her bicycle. Now the key is stuck in the door lock. To locksmith or not to locksmith?
I was on vacation when this happened, so I FedExed a fob to a neighbor, who got in the car and got it moved for me. So that's all good. Lesson learned, leave a fob instead of trying to describe the valet key to the housesitter over the phone.
But now I've got this bike key lock stuck in the car door.
I know a Honda Dealership could fix this for me, and I also know it will take time and a bunch of money because...well...dealership. I'm wondering if a dealer would just outsource to a locksmith anyway, so why would I do that?
I'm wondering if the smarter play is to call a locksmith? A dispatcher said it would be $65 USD to get them to come look at it, plus an as-yet-unspecified amount to actually extract the key if they can do it. If it was a regular car key it would be a no brainer but it's a bike lock key that looks similar to this one and I'm afraid the key might have buggered up the lock mechanism.
I can wiggle the key some, and push it forward and back a few mm, but it won't come out, so what's the smart play here to minimize cost and damage?
The fobs work and the car stays locked/unlocked as needed with the fobs so there's no major time pressure on me, I just need to get this stupid thing out of the door. My prior experiences with locksmiths have never cost me less than $200 so I'm wondering what I'm really up against?
I was on vacation when this happened, so I FedExed a fob to a neighbor, who got in the car and got it moved for me. So that's all good. Lesson learned, leave a fob instead of trying to describe the valet key to the housesitter over the phone.
But now I've got this bike key lock stuck in the car door.
I know a Honda Dealership could fix this for me, and I also know it will take time and a bunch of money because...well...dealership. I'm wondering if a dealer would just outsource to a locksmith anyway, so why would I do that?
I'm wondering if the smarter play is to call a locksmith? A dispatcher said it would be $65 USD to get them to come look at it, plus an as-yet-unspecified amount to actually extract the key if they can do it. If it was a regular car key it would be a no brainer but it's a bike lock key that looks similar to this one and I'm afraid the key might have buggered up the lock mechanism.
I can wiggle the key some, and push it forward and back a few mm, but it won't come out, so what's the smart play here to minimize cost and damage?
The fobs work and the car stays locked/unlocked as needed with the fobs so there's no major time pressure on me, I just need to get this stupid thing out of the door. My prior experiences with locksmiths have never cost me less than $200 so I'm wondering what I'm really up against?
If you're gentle more jiggling is unlikely to hurt anything. Move to a quiet spot, perhaps find a thin stiff wire to poke in alongside to see if anything moves the slightest and keep at it with zen calmness a bit longer.
posted by sammyo at 8:56 AM on July 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by sammyo at 8:56 AM on July 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
Yep, drive it to a locksmith.
If you want to try DIY first you could try cooling the key with dry ice and lubing it with lock lube. Anything marketed for locks is fine, as is WD-40, but avoid powdered graphite.
posted by SaltySalticid at 8:58 AM on July 15, 2018 [2 favorites]
If you want to try DIY first you could try cooling the key with dry ice and lubing it with lock lube. Anything marketed for locks is fine, as is WD-40, but avoid powdered graphite.
posted by SaltySalticid at 8:58 AM on July 15, 2018 [2 favorites]
Best answer: If it was me, I'd clamp a vise-grips on it and pull it out.
posted by humboldt32 at 10:29 AM on July 15, 2018
posted by humboldt32 at 10:29 AM on July 15, 2018
Best answer: I would use the vise grip brute force method first, but be careful not to pull side to side as it might snap the key off. Otherwise, drive to a locksmith. If you happen to be in Westchester County, Mike's in Thornwood is your man.
posted by AugustWest at 11:52 AM on July 15, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by AugustWest at 11:52 AM on July 15, 2018 [2 favorites]
How far is the key stuck in the lock? All the way? If it's in all the way, it may have grabbed on to a pin or wafer in which case pulling it out might pull those pins/wafers out with it. That would be bad.
On the other hand you don't have much to lose by trying to pull it out. Best case it it comes out and everything is fine, worst case you've got a broken lock which probably won't cost you any more than a stuck key from either a dealer or a locksmith.
If it's only a little way in, pulling it out with some Vice Grips might only damage the metal slot. As others have said, some lubricant and maybe some cooling on the key would help.
posted by bondcliff at 3:26 PM on July 15, 2018 [2 favorites]
On the other hand you don't have much to lose by trying to pull it out. Best case it it comes out and everything is fine, worst case you've got a broken lock which probably won't cost you any more than a stuck key from either a dealer or a locksmith.
If it's only a little way in, pulling it out with some Vice Grips might only damage the metal slot. As others have said, some lubricant and maybe some cooling on the key would help.
posted by bondcliff at 3:26 PM on July 15, 2018 [2 favorites]
A few years ago it was the case that most "local locksmiths" you found on the internet didn't exist and would dispatch a scammer who would milk you for all possible cash. I looked up the addresses of some of my "local" locksmiths and found they either didn't exist or contained a different business. In fact, one web site seemed hosed up and listed a New York City address (I'm in Minnesota). Not sure if they've cleaned that up yet, but at least map the address they list and see what shows up on Google Street View.
So, double-recommending you look for an actual building with a sign and all. And I think I would ask the actual locksmith in said actual building for advice before trying to muscle the key out. It might be a lot cheaper than we're imagining, while we have a good idea what the stealer would want to put in a new lock...
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 6:28 PM on July 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
So, double-recommending you look for an actual building with a sign and all. And I think I would ask the actual locksmith in said actual building for advice before trying to muscle the key out. It might be a lot cheaper than we're imagining, while we have a good idea what the stealer would want to put in a new lock...
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 6:28 PM on July 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
Did you give it a good shot of WD40? Any problem with a lock, that's where I would start.
posted by Jane the Brown at 8:29 PM on July 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Jane the Brown at 8:29 PM on July 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: So...I talked to 6 different locksmiths.
4 of them won't touch it. The two who will want a couple hundred bucks and no guarantee that they can pull out the key without damaging the lock. One told me to yank it (per humboldt's advice above) myself since that's what he'd do.
And if it does break, well...dealer wants $500 for a new lock cylinder, re-keying...etc....
So. There's that.
posted by Thistledown at 1:33 PM on July 16, 2018
4 of them won't touch it. The two who will want a couple hundred bucks and no guarantee that they can pull out the key without damaging the lock. One told me to yank it (per humboldt's advice above) myself since that's what he'd do.
And if it does break, well...dealer wants $500 for a new lock cylinder, re-keying...etc....
So. There's that.
posted by Thistledown at 1:33 PM on July 16, 2018
Did you give it a good shot of WD40? Any problem with a lock, that's where I would start.
Don't ever put liquids in locks.
O.P. You're unlikely to create any more damage than has already happened by pulling out with vise grips as suggested. Just be sure to exert the force straight along the axis of the keyway [don't wriggle or it move from side to side].
posted by HiroProtagonist at 10:13 PM on July 16, 2018
Don't ever put liquids in locks.
O.P. You're unlikely to create any more damage than has already happened by pulling out with vise grips as suggested. Just be sure to exert the force straight along the axis of the keyway [don't wriggle or it move from side to side].
posted by HiroProtagonist at 10:13 PM on July 16, 2018
Best answer: If you don't want to use WD40, there are a number of other products which locksmiths also use to loosen up locks. Graphite powder is one. However graphite powder should never be used where the environment is humid as in the long run the powder will concrete in the presence of moisture. You might wish to check what type of products your local hardware store sells to un-jam stuck locks.
If you use WD40 repeatedly there is a chance that the small quantity of hydrocarbon based oil will attract debris and that will stick in the lock. However if your locks are getting that much debris in them you will have a problem anyway.
The other thing you may want to do is use a pair of vice grips or a similar tool to grip with to ensure that you can pull hard and not lose your grip on the key rather than merely trying to hang onto the key with your fingers.
Let us know if you manage to get the key out, please.
posted by Jane the Brown at 7:23 PM on July 17, 2018
If you use WD40 repeatedly there is a chance that the small quantity of hydrocarbon based oil will attract debris and that will stick in the lock. However if your locks are getting that much debris in them you will have a problem anyway.
The other thing you may want to do is use a pair of vice grips or a similar tool to grip with to ensure that you can pull hard and not lose your grip on the key rather than merely trying to hang onto the key with your fingers.
Let us know if you manage to get the key out, please.
posted by Jane the Brown at 7:23 PM on July 17, 2018
Response by poster: So...
I went with the brute-force approach using vise-grips, and the key came out....so did the bezel around the lock cylinder and a tiny bit of metal.
I was able to fit the bezel back onto the door handle, and then I tried my valet key and, to my amazement, the valet key turned in the lock and worked perfectly! I tried it a couple times, and on the third time, the bezel popped off again. (This is the plastic/metal trim piece that makes the door handle look seamless.)
Examining the bezel closely indicated that there were little tabs that had to be seated under a metal lip to hold it in place. Looked at it for a while and decided that instead of getting a mallet to secure it, I would simply give it a couple of whacks with the heel of my hand to get it to seat properly.
This worked...but then the valet key stopped working. It will no longer turn.
Sigh. So...it's dealt with for now, and some time between now and the time the lease is up next summer, I will replace/repair the lock cylinder.
posted by Thistledown at 7:39 AM on August 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
I went with the brute-force approach using vise-grips, and the key came out....so did the bezel around the lock cylinder and a tiny bit of metal.
I was able to fit the bezel back onto the door handle, and then I tried my valet key and, to my amazement, the valet key turned in the lock and worked perfectly! I tried it a couple times, and on the third time, the bezel popped off again. (This is the plastic/metal trim piece that makes the door handle look seamless.)
Examining the bezel closely indicated that there were little tabs that had to be seated under a metal lip to hold it in place. Looked at it for a while and decided that instead of getting a mallet to secure it, I would simply give it a couple of whacks with the heel of my hand to get it to seat properly.
This worked...but then the valet key stopped working. It will no longer turn.
Sigh. So...it's dealt with for now, and some time between now and the time the lease is up next summer, I will replace/repair the lock cylinder.
posted by Thistledown at 7:39 AM on August 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by muddgirl at 8:42 AM on July 15, 2018 [7 favorites]