Symptoms of a Faulty Ignition Cylinder

There is a small, but important part of your vehicle known as an ignition cylinder. They may also be referred to as ignition switches. These devices sit just to the right of your vehicle’s steering wheel and the part you can see is the round, key slot where you insert your car key. The rest of the ignition cylinder sits tucked within your car’s paneling and remains out-of-sight. Your ignition cylinder helps hold your key in place while you are driving. It also helps to get the car started once you insert the key into the cylinder’s slot.

Sometimes, ignition cylinders can break, wear down, or stopping functioning as they should. There are several main symptoms that may occur if there is a problem with your ignition cylinder. Know that if you are experiencing any of the problems listed below, it could be that your ignition cylinder is the source of the problem. While some of the symptoms may be indicative of larger issues, it is possible that a quick switch of your cylinder will alleviate any of the issues listed below.

Your Vehicle Will Not Start

Although this particular problem can be caused by other vehicle issues, such as a dead car battery, a faulty ignition cylinder may present itself in this way. It is possible that your vehicle may start at first, but then stall. Not being able to get the vehicle started and ready to drive can be concerning, but even an ignition cylinder that is slightly out of place or damaged can cause this problem. 

Although not being able to start your vehicle may also indicate that your car battery is dead, know that this is also a common symptom that vehicle driver’s will experience when their ignition cylinders wear out. Do not worry I this symptom suddenly hits you out of the blue. It is possible that your battery and other parts of your vehicle are just fine. Even though ignition cylinders are small, they are an important part of operating your vehicle. Next time you cannot get your vehicle started for some reason, consider that it may be your vehicle’s ignition cylinder, and not necessarily another vehicle component that is the source of the problem.