Lock Barrel Collapsed

[steviec]

Anyone come across this before, went out this morning returning home, no issues, went to go out again a little later and the Key wouldn't go into the ignition. Seemed like something had broken off inside but the key is perfect no missing bits. You can see down the barrel of the ignition lock and there is a piece of metal about eight of an inch in to the left side which is solid and won't move.

The car hasn't been broken into as it was on my drive and it was only 15 minutes earlier I'd returmed home. Tried WD40 in the lock to try and free it up, tried putting the steering lock on in case there is something electronic that needs to unlock, but no joy. Local mechanic has looked at it and he thinks the lock barrel has collapsed.

Spoke with two local dealers, fully explaining the issue, and bar the one that asked can I bring it in so they can have a look to be sure, they both recon the same and I will need a new barrel. No w the problem is they are coded to the car, and have to be ordered in with then quoting 5 - 10 days delivery. Cost seems pretty reasonable will have change from £100 inc fitting & VAT with barrel being £45 +VAT but it is the time delay, as we are a one car family and I use it for work.

Anyone come across this issue before, or any solutions, need to find my local scally to hot wire it so I can get it started :-)

BTW Car is nearly 5 years old with just 51K on the clock and out of the 4 year warranty I had.

Thx

Steve

[Aspman]

Thought about asking a locksmith?

[steviec]

Thx, currently exploring that option

[steviec]

Resolved, spoke to a Locksmith who specialises in Cars, stated locks don't collapse, or in 20 years in the job he's never had one. Explained the issue and was advised to jam a big screwdriver in the lock to force back the piece of metal that was block access. Please don't try this on yours, or if you do it's at your own risk. As at the end of the day my lock was broke and I was stranded having to get the car towed to the dealers so had nothing to lose if I broke anything.

But it worked, spent an age lubricating and testing the lock and it now appears to work fine every time, key goes in easier now, so would imagine it's never been lubricated, I'd ceratinly never done it, so a lesson learned. Plus I now have a big screwdriver in the boot just in case.

Better than my local dealer who wanted £285 fitting a new barrel with 2 different keys whilst they waited for the correct code part from Skoda which was apparently on a 6-8 week leadtime!!!

[blackspaven]

Was gonna suggest a large, flat screwdriver, but my theory was more that it would act as a bodger's key with just a hope of fixing it as happened in your case. Having said that, what I would actually do and what I would admit to on a forum are two totally different things... couldn't be @rsed with the ridicule it would have invariably brought on, but on the flipside I would have looked pretty smug after your 'fixed' post!

[gregoir]

I'd the same in around 1982 with a Morris Marina. AA man chiselled the lock off and he'd also never seen anything like it.