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Crenshaw Lock

Ignition Repair in Los Angeles · 24/7 mobile

Ignition Repair in Los Angeles

Crenshaw Lock Company provides mobile ignition repair in Los Angeles, fixing keys that won't turn and repairing or replacing worn ignition cylinders right where your car is parked. We work 24/7 across the city, from Leimert Park to Downtown. Call (323) 997-8867 to describe the problem and get a technician headed your way.

  • Mobile to your Los Angeles location
  • Available 24/7
  • Price quoted before we start
Call (323) 997-8867or tap to call — we answer 24/7
Key in a car ignition cylinder with the dashboard glowing
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An ignition that suddenly refuses to turn has a way of choosing the worst moment: a parking structure after a long day, a curb outside work in Koreatown, or your own driveway when you're already late. In most cases the trouble is mechanical and fixable. Worn wafers inside the cylinder, a key that has worn down over years of daily use, a steering wheel lock that has bound up, or debris and wear in the lock housing can all stop a key from rotating. A locksmith can often diagnose and fix these problems on the spot without towing the car anywhere.

Crenshaw Lock Company has been working in Los Angeles since 1987, and we are fully mobile. There's no storefront to drive to, which matters when the car won't start. We bring the tools and parts to you, look at the ignition and the key together, and explain what's actually wrong before any work begins. Sometimes that means a careful repair of the existing cylinder. Sometimes it means a new cylinder keyed to your existing door key, or a new key cut to match what's already in the column.

We'll also be straight with you about the limits. Some newer vehicles use push-button start or tightly integrated electronic ignition systems where the fault lies with a module rather than the mechanical lock. When that's the case, we'll tell you so honestly instead of guessing at a repair.

How it works in Los Angeles

  1. 1

    Tell us what's happening

    Call (323) 997-8867 and describe the symptoms: does the key go in but not turn, turn partway, stick, or spin freely? Let us know the year, make, and model, plus where the car is parked, whether that's a street in West Adams or a garage near Union Station. That helps us bring the right parts.

  2. 2

    On-site diagnosis

    At the vehicle, we check the key for wear, test whether the steering lock is binding, and inspect the cylinder itself. A worn key and a worn cylinder can look like the same problem, so we test both before recommending anything.

  3. 3

    Explain the options

    We lay out what we found and the choices: freeing a bound steering lock, servicing the existing cylinder, cutting a fresh key to the original code, or replacing the cylinder. You decide before we start work.

  4. 4

    Repair or replace the cylinder

    If the cylinder can be repaired, we service the internal wafers and clean out wear and debris. If it's beyond repair, we install a replacement cylinder and, where possible, key it to match your existing door and trunk keys so you aren't carrying extras.

  5. 5

    Key cutting and programming as needed

    If your key is worn or the new cylinder needs matching keys, we cut them on-site. For vehicles with transponder chips, we handle the programming the car requires so the engine will actually start, not just turn over.

  6. 6

    Test before we leave

    We run the ignition through every position several times, check the steering lock releases smoothly, and make sure the doors still work with your key. You don't pay for a job that hasn't been confirmed working.

Need ignition repair in Los Angeles?

24/7 Mobile Locksmith across Greater Los Angeles & Ventura County. We answer 24/7.

Call (323) 997-8867

What affects the price

  • Vehicle year, make, and model, since ignition designs and part availability vary widely between manufacturers
  • Whether the fix is a repair of the existing cylinder or a full replacement cylinder
  • Whether a transponder or chip key must be cut and programmed to the car's immobilizer
  • Whether the new cylinder is keyed to match your existing door and trunk locks
  • Time of day and day of week, since late-night and holiday calls are handled around the clock
  • Location and access, such as a tight parking structure versus an open driveway

Why Los Angeles chooses us

  • Serving Los Angeles since 1987, under the same owner and lead technician, David Shar
  • Fully mobile, so we come to the car wherever it's stuck rather than requiring a tow to a shop
  • Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including weekends and holidays
  • We test the key and the cylinder separately so you don't pay to replace parts that aren't the problem
  • Honest about when a problem is electronic rather than mechanical, and say so instead of guessing
  • Based near the 90008 area, with long familiarity with South LA streets and the wider city

Ignition Repair across Los Angeles

Our home base sits around Baldwin Hills and Leimert Park, so we know this part of Los Angeles well. A lot of the cars we see here are kept for years in the driveways of Craftsman and Spanish Colonial bungalows, or parked curbside along Crenshaw Blvd and Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. High mileage and many years of use are exactly what wear down ignition wafers and keys. We regularly work in ZIP codes like 90008, 90043, 90016, and 90018, covering View Park-Windsor Hills, the Crenshaw corridor, and West Adams.

Ignition trouble isn't limited to home, though. We get calls from the parking structure at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, from lots near Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, and from game-day parking around Exposition Park, USC, and the LA Memorial Coliseum in 90037 and 90007. Because we're mobile, the job happens where the car is, whether that's a garage deck or a side street off Slauson Ave.

We also cover the rest of the city, using the I-10, I-110, and I-405 to reach Koreatown (90006), Hollywood (90046 and 90027), and Downtown around Union Station and Walt Disney Concert Hall (90012). Dense apartment blocks and tight garages in those neighborhoods can make towing a hassle, which is one more reason an on-site ignition repair often makes sense.

Locked out or need a locksmith now?

24/7 Mobile Locksmith across Greater Los Angeles & Ventura County. We answer 24/7.

Call (323) 997-8867

Other Los Angeles locksmith services

See all of our Los Angeles services, or our citywide ignition repair page.

Ignition Repair in Los Angeles — FAQs

Why won't my key turn in the ignition?
The most common causes are a steering lock that's binding under pressure from the wheel, a worn key, or worn wafers inside the cylinder. Try gently turning the steering wheel while turning the key. If that doesn't work, call (323) 997-8867 and we can diagnose it at the car anywhere in Los Angeles.
Do I need to tow my car to get the ignition fixed?
Usually not. We're a fully mobile locksmith with no storefront, and we do ignition repair and cylinder replacement where the car is parked, whether that's your driveway in Leimert Park or a garage in Downtown.
Can you repair the ignition instead of replacing it?
Often, yes. If the wafers are worn or the cylinder is gummed up, servicing the existing cylinder or cutting a fresh key to the original code can solve it. If the cylinder is too damaged, we'll recommend a replacement and explain why.
Will a new ignition cylinder need a different key from my doors?
Not necessarily. On many vehicles we can key the replacement cylinder to match your existing door and trunk keys, so you keep using one key. We'll confirm what's possible for your make and model.
Do you work on cars with chip or transponder keys?
Yes. Many vehicles need the key programmed to the immobilizer before the engine will start. We cut and program keys for many makes on-site. For some push-button systems with an electronic fault, we'll tell you honestly if it's outside a locksmith's scope.
Are you available at night or on weekends in Los Angeles?
Yes, we work 24/7, including weekends and holidays. Whether you're stuck after an event at the Coliseum or late at night in Koreatown, call (323) 997-8867 and we'll get a technician on the way.
How much does ignition repair cost?
It depends on your vehicle, whether the cylinder can be repaired or must be replaced, whether a chip key needs programming, and the time of the call. Describe your situation when you call, and we'll explain the factors before any work begins.
My key turns but the car won't start. Can you help?
If the key turns freely but nothing happens, the issue may be a transponder key the car isn't recognizing, or something electrical like the battery or starter. We can check the key and ignition side and let you know if it's a mechanic's job instead.
DS

Reviewed by David Shar — Owner & Lead Technician

Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles & Ventura County since 1987.

Last updated 2026-10-12.

Call (323) 997-8867 · Open 24/7