Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart Ignition Problems in Fort Worth: WIN Module, Stuck Keys and Worn Cylinders

A Chrysler 200 or Dodge Dart that will not start, will not release the key, or will not turn at all is showing one of three distinct faults — a worn lock cylinder, a failing wireless ignition node, or a key that has simply worn out — and telling them apart before buying parts is the difference between a modest repair and a wasted afternoon. All three are diagnosed where the car is parked in Fort Worth. Call or text 817-674-2304 and describe what the key does; that description does most of the sorting.

These two cars sit in an interesting era of Chrysler engineering. Depending on year and trim, the ignition might be a conventional cylinder you turn, a chunky FOBIK-style key that inserts and rotates, or a push-button system with no cylinder at all. Same symptom, three architectures.

Know Which System Your Car Has

Chrysler 200, first generation (2011–2014). Commonly uses the FOBIK — a fob-shaped key that inserts into a slot and rotates. Behind that slot is a wireless ignition node, an electronic module that reads the key and acts as the ignition switch. There is no traditional wafer cylinder in the usual sense, which is why "my ignition is bad" means something different on this car.

Chrysler 200, second generation (2015–2017). Moved toward push-button start with proximity entry across much of the range, though configurations vary by trim.

Dodge Dart (2013–2016). Sold with both arrangements depending on trim — a keyed ignition on base cars, keyless with push-button start higher up the range.

Your VIN settles it. It also determines the part number for any key involved, which is why we ask for it before dispatch rather than guessing on arrival.

The Three Faults, and How They Feel Different

Symptom	Most likely fault	Notes
Key or FOBIK will not rotate at all	Cylinder or ignition node binding	Do not force it
Rotates but nothing happens electrically	Ignition node / switch circuit	Cluster may go dark or misbehave
Key will not come back out	Cylinder or shift-interlock fault	Common on aging keyed cars
Intermittent no-start, dash flickers	Failing ignition node	Classic wireless-ignition-node pattern
Cranks, fires, dies after one second	Immobilizer rejecting the key	Security, not ignition
One key works, the other never does	The failed key lost its registration	Cheapest fault on this list
Key snapped off in the slot	Broken key extraction	See below — stop immediately

The fourth row is worth dwelling on. A wireless ignition node that is on its way out often produces intermittent symptoms first: the car starts fine most mornings, then one afternoon the dash lights flicker and it refuses, then it works again. Intermittent electrical faults tempt people into replacing batteries and starters. The pattern — not the individual failure — is the diagnostic clue, so keep notes on when it happens.

If your symptom is the fifth row, cranks-and-dies, that is the immobilizer rather than the ignition; our module programming page covers that path.

If the Key Broke Off, Stop

A key snapped in the ignition or a door lock is a specific job with a specific set of tools, and every minute of improvisation makes it worse.

Do not try to fish it out with tweezers, a paperclip, superglue, or a magnet. Tweezers push the fragment deeper. Superglue bonds the fragment to the wafers and converts a fifteen-minute extraction into a cylinder replacement. Magnets do not work on brass and nickel-silver key blanks.

Leave it alone and call. Our broken key extraction guide walks through the process in detail — but the summary is that a professional extraction usually saves the cylinder, and an amateur one usually does not.

Why These Ignitions Wear

On the keyed versions, the same three forces apply that wear any lock cylinder:

Keyring weight. Every ounce hanging off the ignition key pulls on the cylinder for every mile you drive. On cars in this age range, that is often 100,000-plus miles of leverage. Carrying the ignition key by itself is free and it works.

Key wear. Brass drags across wafers thousands of times. Copies made from copies drift further out of specification each generation — a key cut from an already-worn key starts life out of tolerance.

Age and heat. A North Texas car spends summers in parking lots at temperatures that are hard on plastics, lubricants and electronic modules alike. Cars of this vintage have had a decade of it.

On the FOBIK and push-button versions, wear looks different: the failure is electronic rather than mechanical, and it tends to show up as intermittence rather than stiffness.

What the Repair Looks Like

Diagnosis — 15 to 25 minutes. Determine which of the three faults is present. On electronic ignition systems this includes a diagnostic connection to read stored codes and watch live data during a start attempt.

Worn key — 10 to 15 minutes. A fresh key cut from the factory key code by VIN, not copied from the worn one, plus programming if it carries a chip. This is the cheapest good outcome on the list and it is more common than people expect.

Cylinder service or replacement — 45 to 90 minutes. Column shroud off, cylinder out, rekeyed to your existing key where possible so you are not left carrying two keys for one car.

Ignition node or switch work — quoted after diagnosis. Depending on the fault and the model year, replacement may require programming the new unit to the vehicle, and some procedures on newer vehicles depend on manufacturer-authorized access. We verify your VIN before dispatch and tell you on the phone if your car is one of those.

Verification — 10 minutes. All key positions, key release, accessory functions, steering unlock, then codes cleared and re-read.

What the Key Side Costs

Ignition repair is quoted after diagnosis, because the three faults are three different jobs. Key pricing is published — these are the typical Fort Worth ranges from our car key replacement cost page.

Key type	Typical Fort Worth range
Basic mechanical key (older vehicles)	$50 – $100
Standard transponder chip key	$130 – $220
Remote head key	$160 – $260
Flip key	$170 – $290
Smart proximity fob (push-to-start)	$220 – $450
All-keys-lost surcharge	+$50 – $200

Typical ranges, not a guaranteed quote. Brand-specific detail for the rest of the lineup is on our Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge key replacement page.

The Cheapest Move on an Aging Chrysler or Dodge

If your car is in this generation and currently has one working key, get a second one made before the ignition starts acting up.

Here is why that ordering matters specifically for these cars: when an ignition fault appears, the first diagnostic question is "does your other key behave the same way?" Without a second key, that question cannot be answered, and the diagnosis takes longer and costs more. A spare is both insurance and a diagnostic tool.

The economics are covered in our spare car key guide, but the short version is that a key added during a visit that is already happening costs the key alone.

Why We Verify Ownership Before Touching the Column

Ignition work changes which keys can start a vehicle. That makes verification non-negotiable.

Texas licenses locksmith companies and individual technicians through the Texas Department of Public Safety Private Security Program, authorized under Chapter 1702 of the Texas Occupations Code. Separately, the manufacturer data needed for key codes and immobilizer access is released through the National Automotive Service Task Force's Vehicle Security Professional registry under its Secure Data Release Model.

Per NASTF's Secure Data Release Model, access to key programming and immobilizer functions is granted only after business validation, criminal background checks, confirmation of professional standing, and documented proof of the vehicle owner's authority — with transactions monitored for unusual activity. — NASTF VSP Registry (SDRM)

Founded in 2008, the registry now includes more than 9,000 NASTF participants; credentialing requires business registration documents, a driver's license, a locksmith license, and a background check, with a typical approval window of three to ten days. Trade certification runs through ALOA, the Associated Locksmiths of America.

If you bought the car privately and the title is still in process, bring the signed title or bill of sale with the prior registration — the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles requires titling in the buyer's name within 30 days of the sale date, and that paperwork satisfies the check.

The standard behind the hardware

FMVSS 114, the theft-protection and rollaway-prevention standard administered by NHTSA, requires a vehicle's starting system to prevent engine activation and prevent steering or forward self-mobility when the key is removed (NHTSA, FMVSS No. 114). That is the reason the ignition and steering lock are interlocked in the first place.

It works: the National Insurance Crime Bureau reports U.S. vehicle thefts fell 23.2% from 2024 to 2025 — from 850,708 to 659,880 — based on reports entered into the FBI-managed National Crime Information Center database.

On pricing, the Federal Trade Commission's advertising guidance treats advertised prices that are not genuinely available as deceptive — which is why diagnostic work here is quoted as a diagnosis, with the repair priced once the fault is actually known.

Serving Fort Worth and Tarrant County

These calls come from all over — apartment lots on the east side, driveways in Wedgwood and Meadowbrook, the near south, downtown garages, Alliance and the far north — plus Arlington, Keller, North Richland Hills, Hurst, Bedford, Euless, and Haltom City. Full coverage on our service areas page.

A car that will not start is treated as a priority call rather than scheduled work, and after-hours dispatch runs through our 24-hour locksmith line. If the key is locked inside rather than broken, locked keys in car is the faster, cheaper call.

Frequently Asked Questions

My Chrysler 200 key won't turn. Is the ignition bad?

Maybe, but check the key first. If your spare turns normally and the daily key does not, the key is worn and a fresh cut from the factory code fixes it. If neither key turns, or if the car uses a FOBIK that inserts and rotates, attention moves to the cylinder or the wireless ignition node.

What is a wireless ignition node?

On several Chrysler-group vehicles of this era, it is the electronic module behind the key slot that reads the key and performs the ignition switch function. When it fails it tends to produce intermittent no-starts and dash flicker rather than a clean, repeatable failure.

My Dodge Dart key is stuck in the ignition. Can I pull harder?

No. Force turns a cylinder repair into a broken key extraction. It is typically a cylinder or shift-interlock fault, both diagnosable and repairable on-site.

Can this be fixed where the car is parked?

Yes for key cutting, cylinder service, cylinder replacement, and extraction. Electronic ignition module work depends on the specific fault and model year, and we verify by VIN before dispatch.

How much does it cost?

Ignition repair is quoted after diagnosis because the possible faults are genuinely different jobs. Key pricing is published: $130 – $220 for a standard transponder key, $160 – $260 for a remote head key, and $220 – $450 for a smart proximity fob.

The car cranks and then dies after a second. Same problem?

No — that is the immobilizer rejecting the key credential rather than an ignition fault. It is a security programming job and it usually comes with an immobilizer or key-shaped warning light on the cluster.

Should I replace the ignition with a used part from a salvage yard?

For electronic ignition modules, generally not. Modules on these systems are matched to the vehicle and typically require programming, and a used unit may not be usable at all. Get the diagnosis before buying anything.

Will a new cylinder mean a new key?

Not necessarily. Where the repair allows, the replacement cylinder is rekeyed to your existing key so one key still runs the whole car. Ask when booking.

Get It Diagnosed Before You Buy Parts

The expensive path through this problem is the one where a battery, a starter and an ignition switch all get replaced before anyone reads a code. The cheap path starts with fifteen minutes of diagnosis and, surprisingly often, ends with a freshly cut key.

Call or text 817-674-2304 with your year, model, VIN, and exactly what the key and dash do. Mobile service across Fort Worth and Tarrant County.

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Article written by the Fortworthlocksmithexperts Automotive Locksmith Team. For mobile automotive locksmith service throughout Fort Worth and Tarrant County, contact us at 817-674-2304.