Locked Steering Wheel

Steven

Steven

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Couldn't find this exact issue in past threads, but my steering wheel is locked, and my key just won't turn the ignition barrel...any tips or tricks anyone has? Trying not to manhandle too much, but with quite a bit of elbow grease and jostling around, neither the ignition nor the steering wheel are budging. Very much feeling like Biff in Back to the Future, where only he knows how to start his car, except that I don't know how to start mine currently...
 
That's a strange one. Are your wheels turned or straight? I've seen it happen when wheels are turned and steering wheel locks as it try's to straighten itself when you take the key out. You may want to get the front wheels off the ground to release the load and then try to turn the steering wheel and the key at the same time.
 
Wheels are dead straight, which was part of the mystery to me, too. It's in the garage (thankful for that part, at least), but may be tough to get the front wheels off the ground with it pulled head in.
 
I got the wheel and ignition unlocked, but saga not over yet. I cycled through 3 different keys, and one finally just did it. All keys that I’ve been using over and over without issue previously, but perhaps narrowing down the issue as some keys seem to be playing better than others.
 
Probably something is wrong inside ignition lock retracting mechanism.
It is possible that when locking mechanism wasn't fully hidden - steering wheel movements damaged/bented the walls of the retracting mechanism & now it only work with force, because spring force is not enoough to hide it.
You need to disassemble the whole lock, check for damages & lube it.
 
Wladek said:
Probably something is wrong inside ignition lock retracting mechanism.
It is possible that when locking mechanism wasn't fully hidden - steering wheel movements damaged/bented the walls of the retracting mechanism & now it only work with force, because spring force is not enoough to hide it.
You need to disassemble the whole lock, check for damages & lube it.
Click to expand...

Having recently pulled the ignition switch, lock barrel and key all out of my car, you can see where if something gets a little out of whack then things can stick. The lock barrel might have gotten a bit out of kilter in the barrel housing and bound up... It's not hard to get it all apart, you just have to take your time and know what you are doing...
 
There is a taper on the edge of these keys, side to side and front to back. Any little change and they just wont work or will stick.
 
It also helps to turn the wheel a little bit in the direction (for me it's to the left) which will take some tension off the lock mechanism and free up the cylinder movement.
 
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