Belle Tire has the worst customer service Woodhaven, Michigan

Small claims court works very well for this type of situation.

However, you need to establish that you have demanded that they pay for the repair and they have refused.

What you need to do;

1.  Get an estimate for the CORRECT repair or have the lock repair..  Normally, a good locksmith can remove the broken off portion of the key and the ignition switch will be fine.  Also include the cost of a REPLACEMENT KEY.

2.  Send this joint a certified, return receipt requested letter that demands that they pay the FULL AMOUNT to repair/restore you ignition lock and keys.  In the letter, give them 10 BUSINESS DAYS to remit the full amount to you.  Inform them in your letter that you will pursue judicial remedy if they do not make you whole.

3.  If they don't pay you, file a claim in small claims court.  After the court awards your claim, feel free to inform the entire world that you had to sue them to get them to make you whole.

-side note:  if they don't pay the JUDGMENT, you should go back to the clerk of the court to request an enforcement order-this is routine in the case of a deadbeat defendant.  In most U.S. jurisdictions, an enforcement order can be any or all of the following:

lien against real property,

levy against bank accounts (if you paid by check their bank account number will be on the reverse of the check. (a good reason to pay with a written check if you don't have a real credit card.)

levy against any business tax refunds,

levy against any other property of value;  machinery, tow vehicles, diagnostic/alignment equipment, etc.

Good luck.  You should prevail.

P.S.  If after they are served with a summons to small claims court, they contact you and offer you a settlement, do not forget to include your small claims court FILING FEE-once you file a suit, you're entitled to your court costs.

EVERYONE in the automotive service industry knows they have a certain amount of risk and liability, which is factored into the charges for service.

Now, unless there was something written on the invoice that specifically states "these things happen" or it has a "these things happen" clause stating they are not responsible if they break the key off in the ignition..then they must by all ethical standards, and the law, make good.

Granted, there is a good chance the key was on it's way out anyhow, and it was just bad luck or timing that it happened while they were working on your vehicle rather then to you, they still are required to make good. If they had noticed a problem with the key or the ignition cylinder prior to working on your vehicle, you should have been informed and told to sign a waver, or at the very least, orally warned.

I have restored cars that were over 40 years old and the original key was not broken. Yet you can buy a brand new Toyota and the accelerator could malfunction. No one knows when these things will happen, but generally the one behind the wheel is liable, unless the manufacturer can be implicated and held responsible.