Ignition Cylinder Replacement Cost

Your car’s ignition cylinder is responsible for getting the car to start when you turn the key. It is also often connected to antitheft devices in the car, making it difficult for people to steal your vehicle. With repeated use, the cylinder can wear out and need replacing.

Ignition cylinders, also called ignition cylinder locks, can cost anywhere from $10-$700. More often than not, though, the cost will range between $70 and $250 for the parts and about $70 for the labor. It all depends on the kind of car and cylinder you have. Some of them are incredibly expensive, even if they don’t take much additional work to replace.

Ignition Cylinder Replacement Cost Comparison

Your Mechanic

Midas

Mr. Tire

NAPA

Walmart

Amazon

What Is Ignition Cylinder Replacement?

In most cars, replacing this cylinder is fairly straightforward. The mechanic can have it done in a few minutes. However, in cars with complex anti-theft devices, it will take a lot more work to disassemble everything and change out the cylinder. You probably know about the level of protection your car has on it against theft, and that may give you some indication of how long and how much money this process is going to take.

Benefits of Ignition Cylinder Replacement

The cylinder is vital to your car’s ignition and security. It keeps thieves from stealing the car or from hot-wiring the ignition. It also allows you to quickly and easily start your car. You will protect your vehicle from theft and ensure that it starts when you try to turn it on, by having the ignition cylinder changed out.

What Is Done during Ignition Cylinder Replacement?

The mechanic will need to assess the problem to ensure that it is the ignition cylinder that needs to be replaced and not something else that causes similar symptoms. Then he will open up the steering wheel and remove the old cylinder and replace it with a new one. In some cases, it may be necessary to take out airbags, the dashboard and other parts of the car to access the cylinder.

Then he can put everything back where it was and test out the cylinder in the garage. This isn’t a repair that needs a road test, in most cases. The mechanic will also test the anti-theft components to ensure that they are all operating as they should.

When to Get Ignition Cylinder Replacement

You don’t want to hesitate to get your ignition system fixed. Even something as small as a cylinder going bad can make it difficult or impossible start your car. That leaves you with a vehicle that you can’t drive anywhere. Because the cylinder is part of the anti-theft system in most vehicles, you also want to replace it as soon as it needs repair to prevent theft. Without that cylinder working as it should be, you can make it easier for thieves to steal your car.

Look for signs that it is time to replace this part of the ignition system. The most common sign is that it is difficult to start the car and that it takes several turns of the key to get the engine to turn on.

You can drive your car to the mechanic if you have this issue, and a tow may not be necessary, but you do not want to wait any longer than you have to to get it taken care of.

How to Save Money on Ignition Cylinder Replacement

If you have a simple ignition cylinder replacement job ahead do you, then you can save some money by doing the work yourself. Hoverer, if you have to take apart a lot of the car to get to that cylinder or you have a serious anti-theft device that’s highly sophisticated or expensive, then we suggest using mechanic for this replacement job.

You may be able to cut your costs in other ways, though, such as by comparing the cost of mechanics who can do the work for you. You can also source parts yourself, which may come in handy for the more expensive ignition cylinders. It’s often cheaper to buy the parts yourself and have the mechanic put them in for you.

Sample Ignition Cylinder Replacement Costs