Ford Fiesta lock won’t turn, help!

If you’re reading this, you’re may be in trouble, wishing you’d got the lock sorted out before now. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Most of us are busy rushing around and, if it still works, it’s good enough. If your Ford Fiesta lock has been getting tricky to turn, eventually it will stop all together. If that’s your problem, we may have the answer at the end of the article.

Ford Fiesta Lock or key?

Most people who call us believe the lock has failed. The problem shows up over a long period of time. At first it catches occasionally, not often, but enough so you know something’s wrong. Over time, owners learn a special trick with the key to get the lock to turn. However, eventually all the wiggling, jiggling and WD-40 in the world won’t turn the lock. 

The Ford Fiesta lock causes the key to wear much quicker than other Ford models. We’re guessing there’s something sharp in the lock, shaving the key, as you can see below.

The lock has parts inside that are moved up and down every time the key is put into the lock. These are call ‘levers’ or ‘tumblers’.

When the key and lock are new, the correct key moves every lever into the right position, so the lock turns. However, when the key blade becomes worn, it no longer moves these levers up and down enough. This is when the lock starts to play up.
Look at these screenshots from a Ford Custom Lock. This has a similar problem and you can read about it here

Worn car key damages Ford fiesta lock.

Sometimes, if the car’s driven until it won’t turn, the worn key may damage the inside of the lock. The levers that are supposed to move freely become burred and develop sharp edges. This in turn, stops them moving, so the problem gets worse.

Will a new key always fix the Ford Fiesta Lock problem?

We see one every month and have done over the last 2-3 years. Every time we’ve cut a fresh key blade, this has fixed the problem of the Ford Fiesta lock not turning. If the lock has some damage, then it will turn, but may feel horrible to use. It may be notchy or just tight.

If the lock is like this after replacing the key blade, then do the right thing and get a new lock for the car. You’ve been given a second chance, and you must sort it out before it fails again.

Why replace the Ford Fiesta Lock if it’s turning?

In most cases, when you get a new key blade, the lock will be perfect, and you’ll have no worries. However, if you do need a new lock, then you have the ‘chicken and egg’ problem.

Replacing Ford Fiesta Lock that won’t turn.

The problem is that to take the faulty lock out of the car, the lock needs to turn to position 1. This means that the lock is turns enough to take the steering lock off, but before the point that brings the lights on. We call this position one. However, if the lock is so worn out that it can’t be turned, even with a new key blade, you have trouble. The lock can’t be removed and then it needs drilling out and replacing, which isn’t much fun.

Can just anyone cut a new Ford Fiesta key blade for me?

This is really important. There are two ways to cut a Ford Fiesta key blade. The professional way is to look at the shape of the key and then work out the key number. What is a key number?

Once you have this number, it can be entered into a computer controlled key machine and reproduced. The key will be as from new, perfect in dimension. This is crucial because it eliminates most of the wear that’s causing the Ford Fiesta lock not to turn. Any good auto Locksmith will be able to do this, or even the Ford dealer. If you need to find a good quality Auto Locksmith, read our guide .

Getting a key blade copied

No, no, no. Don’t do it, no. When you go to a normal key cutting shop, they will trace cut the key, copying it from your worn key. This is stupid, and you’ll simply end up with a new key that’s worn down. It may work for a while, but wont last long. Get it done properly, find a professional.

We hope this has helped. This is a problem that can be fixed easily, and we’d love your comments if you have this problem or had it and got it sorted.