Key broke inside ignition

[Kristi2k]

I have a 97 Nissan Altima and the key broke off inside, the dealership said they have to take the wheal apart and replace the key ignition which I think is ridiculous, isn't it possible to just remove the key? Any advice?

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Take it to a locksmith. They might have a tool that can be used to get a grip on it.

 

[PCMarine]

Put a small dab of epoxy or JB-weld on the tip of the broken end of the key. Carefully insert this half of the key into the ignition and make sure it's making contact with the tip of the key that has broken off. After the adhesive cures, hopefully it will be enough to hold the key together so that it can be removed.

This happened to my mom's car, and this method actually worked.

 

[Arkaign]

You can also use a microbit on a drill, I had a friend that pulled a key like that by drilling with an .05mm bit, then putting a microthread pin in to pull it out. This was on an industrial machine, it might be more difficult on a car, but the same principle would apply.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Do you have a pair of really thin needle nose pliers or a pair of tweezers that you could use to grip the key?

 

[daveymark]

by "take the wheel apart" they mean they need to unscrew 1 or two screws, lift up the cover, and replace the ignition lock. ignition lock cylinders are very easy to remove...usually it's just a pin underneath that needs to be pushed in, and the cylinder pops right out. google how to do it for your make and model, at the very least you'd be able to replace it yourself without having to pay outrageous labor