How to Determine How Much to Repair a Broken Car Lock? 

There are many different factors that come into play when you need to determine how much to repair a broken car lock. The overall cost can vary a lot depending on what parts need to be replaced and how complicated the repair job is. 

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The first step in figuring out how much to fix a broken car lock is to decide whether you can do it yourself or need professional help. If you can, try to do it yourself in order to save some money on the repair. If you can’t, though, you may need to hire a licensed auto locksmith in your area for an accurate repair estimate and an actual replacement of the lock. 

If you can, remove the interior door handle or door panel to get access to the locking mechanism. This will require a fair amount of disassembly on your part, but it will be well worth it once the job is complete. 

Once you have the interior door handle or door panel off, inspect any broken or missing hardware. This can include the metal rods that connect the lock to the handle or door panel. If they are disconnected or missing, it is likely that you need to fix them with specialized adhesives or replace them. 

You should also take a look at the bushings between rods and actuators to see if they need replacing as well. If they are worn or not lubricated properly, this can cause the entire assembly to move around when you push and pull on it. 

Another sign that you need to have your power door locks repaired is if you hear odd noises when the doors are locked or unlocked. These noises could indicate that the gears in the actuators are wearing down or that there are issues with the wiring of the lock. 

Lastly, be sure to check the door latch to ensure that it is not frozen in place. This can occur if the latch has been damaged by a collision or repeated slamming of the door. 

In most cases, a broken key stuck in a car lock can be easily pulled out using needle-nose pliers or special removal tools. However, if the top of the key is flush with the lock and you can’t get any leverage using these, it might be necessary to spray some oil-based lubricant into the lock to soften the tumblers and make it easier to remove the key. 

Once the key has been removed, spray an oil-based lubricant like WD-40 inside of the keyhole. This will make it easier to slide the key back and forth to loosen up the tumblers. You should also check to make sure the lock is not jammed, as this can be an indicator that something more serious is causing it to stop working.