We continue our series of articles on what can get stuck on your car. After seeing why your fuel flap or hood could get stuck, in this article we’ll take a look at why the key is stuck in your Citroen C3 Picasso ignition . Specially annoying, having a stuck ignition cylinder will prevent you from starting and therefore from employing your car. We will so do everything we can to help you fix this problem as soon as possible. To get this done, first, we will describe to you what the ignition of your car is used for, then in a second time, why the ignition barrel of your Citroen C3 Picasso is stuck? And, to conclude, how to unblock the key stuck in your Citroen C3 Picasso ignition.

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What’s the intent of my Citroen C3 Picasso’s ignition lock?

The ignition lock of your Citroen C3 Picasso is a secureness element. Its goal is to protect your car from theft attempts. It is placed on the steering column of your car, invented in 1931 by Abram Neiman. Its goal is to prevent your Citroen C3 Picasso from starting by blocking the steering and the steering lock if it does not recognize your car key. It is closely linked to the starter switch which will incorporate the key lock and an electric switch. There is a tendency to confuse the starter switch and the neiman, and when we talk about blocked neiman we quite often make reference to a key that does not turn or does not turn well in the cylinder of the lock of your car.

Why is the key stuck in your Citroen C3 Picasso ignition?

Now it’s time to describe to you why the key is stuck in your Citroen C3 Picasso ignition cylinder . Now that we’ve described what the ignition is, it’s time to identify why it’s stuck. If it is the steering wheel of your Citroen C3 Picasso that is blocked, do not hesitate to browse our article on this subject. A neiman is not a wearing component that you replace repeatedly but time has an influence on it and it can occur that you have to replace it due to regular wear and tear. Here are the different reasons of a ignition that locks on Citroen C3 Picasso :

  • Regular wear and tear on the ignition barrel of your Citroen C3 Picasso : As we explained earlier, over time, the components of the neiman can become seized up, or become packed with dust or small particles from the outside that will prevent it from working effectively. In this case, you should experience difficulty inserting and turning the key before it locks completely.
  • An element of the ignition of your Citroen C3 Picasso that fails: In the same logic, an element of the neiman can fail. As we revealed in introduction, when we mention the neiman we often include, the cylinder, the lock and the starter switch, if one of these parts is faulty, the neiman will not let the key turn in the cylinder of the lock
  • Someone forced too much on the ignition barrel of your Citroen C3 Picasso: Finally, last opportunity, and it’s more or less obvious, if someone forced too much on the neiman in unlocking the steering wheel of your car before, he may have twisted internal components and thus broken the neiman of it.

How do I unlock the key stuck in my Citroen C3 Picasso ignition barrel?

We now move on to the solutions available to you for dealing with a key stuck in your Citroen C3 Picasso ignition . Depending to the origin of your problem the solutions will not be similar, discover them down below:

  • Ignition barrel blocked due to a twisted key: If your key is twisted, it is logical that your neiman will not unblock. Try gently with a mallet to straighten your key, if you can’t do it, use the copy of your key.
  • Ignition cylinder If the neiman of your Citroen C3 Picasso is clogged due to impurities : Use a WD40 type degreaser and let it work for a few minutes, it should unblock the neiman of your Citroen C3 Picasso.
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  • If your key is stuck in your ignition due to a faulty element: If finally it is due to an internal element that your ignition lock is no longer unblocked you will unfortunately have to replace the whole block (electronic switch, lock cylinder, neiman), we suggest you to go to a specialist who will as well have to give you a new key to start your Citroen C3 Picasso.

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In the event that you have any further questions about the Citroen C3 Picasso, do not hesitate to consult our Citroen C3 Picasso category.