Hi guys, I have a friend that just bought a 1997 land Rover discovery.  (that was his first mistake!)  Anyhow, the key broke off. Half of the key is comfortable within the car, and the other half of the key is held by the person that tried to start the car. Does anyone have any ideas about how to extract a broken off key in a car???? Yep, it's a random question.
       Finally, a "light bulb" went off in my small brain:  "I should call dad!"
He told me to call a locksmith. Of course, I hadn't thought of that. Darn all of you parents, you're always wiser then I am!!!!!!!........ probably a good thing that I don't have my own kids!!
    Anyhow, if anyone has any ideas about this key thing, please let me know.
Love you all,
cheers,
bird

Jenny, just pull one of those bobby pins out of your hairdo, and try to gently fish the broken piece out of the lock. If any of the key is sticking out, you might be able to use super glue and slowly pull it out.

It depends on how much is in the ignition. If it's broken off deep in it could be very difficult to remove without pulling the ignition. If it's broken off near the end they can usually be gotten with a bit of perseverance and the the right tools. Assuming it's a standard type of key.

If it's a standard type of key a very small drill bit can be twisted in along one side and pulled to try and fish the key out. Use vise grips on the bit and preserver. It can take a while and you could break the bit. There is a special type of extractor that is made for this - it's kind of like a drill bit but much more flexible but you will need to get them through a locksmith supplier.

If this is one with the weird millings on the flat sides of the key it can be big problems - sometimes these keys get stuck in the ignition and there is no way to get them out and that's when they break. Usually when these type of keys get stuck it means a new switch.

>Usually when these type of keys get stuck it means a new switch.

For that matter, when the regular keys break it is often because the tumblers in the switch are failing and jamming, causeing people to turn the key harder untill it breaks off, so a new switch is probably going to be the case in either case....

The drill bit is a good trick, if the keyt isn't too tight, rapping on the collar of the ignition switch with something not too hard (plastic screwdriver handle) sometimes works, care is required tho, some collars are too wimpy to stand this without breaking, ...(beware clear plastic)

Be glad it is not a mercedes, you don't want to know what fun it is to drill out the ignition on a mercedes...

I'm glad it's not my car!!!   All the same, I'd like to help this fellow out.   I think he said the key was broken "way down" in the key hole (for lack of a better discription).  Anyhow, I'm not sure I can help him out. But, I told him I'd ask my "buddies" about it.
cheers, bird