Emergency Service — 24/7 Response Across Devon, Dorset & Somerset

Broken Key Extraction Safe Removal. Replacement Cut On-Site. Same Visit.

Key snapped in your door lock or ignition barrel? Stop — don't try to remove it yourself. Using the wrong tool pushes the fragment deeper and can damage the lock cylinder. DB Car Keys uses specialist extraction equipment to safely remove broken keys without causing further damage — then cuts and programs a brand new replacement on the spot.

⚠ Important: Attempting DIY removal with pliers, glue or a spare key risks pushing the fragment deeper into the barrel. Call us first — 07830249408.

★★★★★ 66 Google Reviews ✓ No Further Damage ✓ Replacement Cut On-Site ✓ All Makes Covered ✓ 24/7 Service

Call Now: 07830249408 WhatsApp

No Further Damage

Specialist Extraction Tools

New Key Cut On-Site

Same Visit, All Makes

24/7 Emergency

20–60 Min Response

Ignition & Door Locks

Both Barrel Types Covered

15+ Years Experience

Fully Insured & DBS Checked

Why Do Car Keys Snap — And What To Do Next

Key blades are made from brass or nickel-silver — both metals that wear, corrode and fatigue with repeated use. Over time, a key that's been in daily use for 5–10 years builds up micro-fractures that are invisible to the eye. The snap often comes without warning — a slightly stiffer turn in a cold morning, a worn barrel requiring a touch more force, and suddenly you're holding half a key. The fragment left in the barrel is what we specialise in removing.

Common reasons keys snap

🔧

Worn Key Blade

Years of daily use wears the blade profile and creates stress fractures at the shoulder — the most common snap point

❄️

Frozen or Stiff Lock

A cold or corroded barrel requires more turning force — and applying that force to a worn blade is all it takes

🚐

Heavy Commercial Use

Van keys are used dozens of times daily with gloved hands and in awkward positions — high stress on the blade

🌊

Salt Air Corrosion

Coastal locations — Lyme Regis, Charmouth, Weymouth, Exmouth — accelerate key blade corrosion significantly

📍 Real Callout — Marsh Barton, Exeter

"Ford Transit and VW Transporter ignition snaps are the callout we see most in Exeter's industrial estates. A commercial driver turns the ignition key at 7am after a cold night, applies a fraction more force than usual — and the blade breaks cleanly in the barrel. The engine won't start, the driver can't get the fragment out, and the working day is immediately on hold. We carry specialist ignition extraction tools and are typically on-site within 45 minutes."

📍 Real Callout — Lyme Regis, Dorset

"Holiday callouts along the Dorset coast are a regular part of our work — and Lyme Regis car parks see several broken key jobs every summer. Salt air accelerates corrosion on key blades. A family returns to their car after a day on the beach, the key feels slightly stiff, they apply a bit more force — and the blade snaps. Two hundred miles from home, children waiting, no idea where to turn. We reach Lyme Regis from Honiton in under 30 minutes."

📍 Real Callout — Bridgwater, Somerset

"A Land Rover Defender owner near Bridgwater had the ignition key snap during a cold start on a working farm. The nearest Land Rover dealer was 40 miles away and couldn't help until the following week. We attended the farm on the Somerset Levels, extracted the fragment cleanly, and had a replacement blade cut and programmed within the hour. The Defender was back in use the same morning."

⏱ When does a broken key need professional extraction?

Key snapped in the ignition barrel

Key snapped in the door lock

Key broke off in the boot or tailgate lock

Fragment is flush — nothing to grip

DIY attempt made things worse

Key blade visibly worn before snapping

How We Extract Broken Keys

Four steps from your call to driving away — single visit, no towing required

You Call

Describe the situation — ignition or door lock, make and model. We confirm we can help and give you an accurate ETA before leaving.

We Arrive

Specialist extraction tools — hooked picks, spiral extractors and broken key removers — purpose-built for door and ignition barrels.

Safe Extraction

Fragment removed without touching the barrel teeth. Lock cylinder inspected for wear or damage after extraction. No force, no damage.

New Key Cut & Coded

Replacement blade cut and transponder chip programmed on-site. You leave with a working key — all in one visit.

📞 Emergency? Call Now: 07830249408

Ignition, Door Lock or Boot — We Cover All Three

Different barrel types require different extraction approaches — we carry tools for all of them

Broken key extraction from car ignition barrel — DB Car Keys Devon Somerset

Most Urgent

Ignition Barrel Extraction

The engine won't start and you can't get the fragment out — this is the most time-critical scenario. Ignition barrels are more complex than door locks, with multiple spring-loaded tumblers that can trap a fragment. We attend ignition snaps as priority callouts. Don't attempt removal with pliers — the risk of damage to the barrel is significant.

Most common makes: Ford Transit (ignition wear), VW Transporter, Land Rover Defender, Vauxhall Astra/Corsa, BMW older models

Broken key extraction from car door lock — DB Car Keys Dorset Devon

Vehicle Still Accessible

Door Lock Extraction

The car can still be accessed through another door or the boot, but the door lock is jammed with a broken fragment — and leaving it means the lock can't be used safely. Cold weather snap is the most common cause, particularly on German vehicles where door lock cylinders tend to stiffen in winter. We extract cleanly and inspect the barrel for wear.

Most common makes: BMW, Audi, VW, Mercedes — door lock freeze common. Ford, Vauxhall — worn blade snap

Broken key removal and replacement — DB Car Keys mobile service South West

Boot / Tailgate

Boot & Tailgate Lock Extraction

The vehicle is accessible but the boot or tailgate lock has a broken key fragment inside — the cargo area can't be locked or opened. Particularly common on commercial vans where the rear doors are operated with a separate key dozens of times daily. We extract and cut a replacement blade on the same visit.

Most common makes: Ford Transit, VW Transporter, Vauxhall Vivaro — high daily boot use. Older estate cars

Vehicles We Most Frequently Attend For Broken Key Extraction

Some makes and models are more prone to key snaps — here's what we see most across Devon, Dorset and Somerset

🚉 Vans & Commercials (highest frequency)

Ford Transit / Custom VW Transporter T5 / T6 Vauxhall Vivaro / Movano Mercedes Sprinter / Vito Peugeot Boxer / Expert Citroën Dispatch / Relay Land Rover Defender

Commercial keys are turned dozens of times daily — often with gloves, in awkward positions. Ford Transit ignition snaps around Exeter's trading estates are the most common extraction job we attend.

🚗 Passenger Cars (most at-risk)

Ford Fiesta / Focus (older) Vauxhall Astra / Corsa BMW 3 / 5 Series (door lock) VW Golf (door lock freeze) Peugeot 206 / 207 Citroën C3 / Saxo Any vehicle 10+ years old

Older vehicles with original keys that have never been replaced are most at risk. If your key is visibly worn, get a spare cut now — before the original snaps. Call 07830249408 for a spare key quote.

Recent Broken Key Extraction Callouts

Recent extractions completed across Devon, Dorset & Somerset

Ford Transit — key snapped in ignition, new blade cut on-site

📍 Marsh Barton Trading Estate, Exeter 40 mins

BMW 3 Series — door lock fragment extracted, cold weather snap

📍 Sidmouth, Devon 35 mins

Vauxhall Astra — key snapped at ignition shoulder, full extraction

📍 Lyme Regis Beach Car Park, Dorset 28 mins

Land Rover Defender — ignition barrel snap, farm callout

📍 Bridgwater, Somerset 55 mins

VW Transporter — boot lock fragment, replacement blade cut

📍 Plymouth Industrial Estate 50 mins

Peugeot 207 — worn key snap in door, barrel inspected and cleared

📍 Yeovil, Somerset 30 mins

Updated regularly · Call 07830249408 for an immediate ETA at your location

Dean — DB Car Keys

Mobile Auto Locksmith · Based in Honiton, Devon · 15+ Years Experience

✓ Specialist Extraction Equipment ✓ AUTEL Certified ✓ Xhorse Trained ✓ Fully Insured ✓ DBS Checked ✓ No-Damage Guarantee

“Fully respected my car and property. Efficient and quick. Would not hesitate to recommend or use again.”— Richard Jones, Google Review ★★★★★

“Dean arrives short notice. In the car, battery charged and home after a long flight. NOBODY does it better than the quiet confidence of Dean. Put the number on your phone.”— Peter Buxton, Google Review ★★★★★

What Our Customers Say

Verified reviews from drivers across Devon, Dorset & Somerset

Makes We Perform Broken Key Extraction For

Specialist extraction tools for all lock barrel types across UK vehicle makes

FordAll models VauxhallAll models PeugeotAll models CitroënAll models FiatAll models HyundaiAll models KiaAll models HondaAll models

BMWDoor & ignition

AudiAll models

VolkswagenAll models

MercedesAll models

ToyotaAll models

NissanAll models

Land RoverDefender+

RenaultAll models

SeatAll models

SkodaAll models

MazdaAll models

VolvoAll models

Call 07830249408 with your registration — we confirm instantly.

Broken Key Extraction — Areas We Cover

24/7 emergency extraction service — at your location across all three South West counties

Devon

All EX, PL, TQ postcodes — including industrial estates and remote rural areas

Exeter Plymouth Torquay Exmouth Newton Abbot Barnstaple Honiton Sidmouth All Devon →

Dorset

DT postcodes — coastal tourist areas see higher broken key frequency due to salt air

Bridport Dorchester Weymouth Lyme Regis Charmouth West Bay Portland All Dorset →

Somerset

TA & BA postcodes — including the Somerset Levels, Glastonbury area and A303 corridor

Taunton Yeovil Bridgwater Chard Ilminster Wells Sherborne All Somerset →

Call 07830249408 for an immediate ETA · EX · PL · TQ · DT · TA · BA

Broken Key Extraction — FAQs

Questions we get asked most about broken key removal across Devon, Dorset & Somerset

Potentially, yes — but only if the wrong approach is used to remove it. Attempting to extract a broken key with pliers or a screwdriver can scratch the barrel teeth, bend tumblers or push the fragment further in. Our specialist extraction tools are designed to remove the fragment without touching the barrel walls. After extraction we assess the barrel condition and advise if a replacement is needed.

Yes. Flush breaks are actually the most common scenario and are exactly what our extraction tools are designed for. Hooked extractors and spiral broken key removers grip the fragment from inside the barrel — no part of the key needs to protrude above the face of the lock for us to remove it safely.

Yes — this is standard for every broken key callout. Once the fragment is removed and the barrel is confirmed intact, we cut a new blade from blank stock and program the transponder chip to your vehicle's ECU on-site. You should have a fully working key before we leave. All in one visit, no towing required.

Commercial vehicle keys are put under significantly more daily stress than car keys. They're turned dozens of times a day — often by drivers in gloves, in awkward positions, at the back of a van, sometimes in freezing temperatures. Ignition barrels on vans like the Ford Transit also tend to wear faster due to heavy use, requiring slightly more turning force over time. This combination of a worn blade and a stiff barrel is what causes most van key snaps.

Yes, indirectly. Cold temperatures cause metal to contract slightly, which can stiffen a lock barrel that was already showing wear. A key that turned fine in summer may require noticeably more force in January. If that key has accumulated micro-fractures from years of use, the additional force applied on a cold morning is often enough to snap it. German vehicles — BMW, Audi, VW — tend to have tighter door lock tolerances and are disproportionately represented in cold-weather door lock snap callouts.

Extraction itself typically takes 10–25 minutes depending on the barrel type and how deep the fragment is. Adding the time to cut and program a replacement key, most callouts are fully resolved within 45–60 minutes of our arrival. We give you a realistic time estimate when you call before we leave.

Yes, absolutely — and this is something we strongly recommend. Once a key shows visible wear on the shoulder or the tip, it's already at risk. Getting a spare cut and programmed now costs a fraction of an emergency extraction callout, and leaves you with a backup if the original fails. Call 07830249408 for a spare key quote — we come to your location across Devon, Dorset and Somerset.