Hey guys,

So I was taking a motorcycle class the other day and after all day of riding the bike I go to turn my car on and my ignition gets stuck. The display doesn't light up at all and even my locks don't work so I have absolutely 0 electrical power. The key is stuck in the ignition and I can cycle it between halfway and where you twist the twist to start the car but I cannot get it back to its non-running position. After calling for a tow-truck, the tow truck operator tells me my battery is dead and uses his battery to jump the car.

Now when I finally get home and shut off my car I try to turn it on again, just to see if it works. The ignition is now fine but the steering wheel is completely stuck. I've tried shifting the car, pressing on the brake, turning the wheel, you name it and the wheel is frozen. It's got about a millimeter of motion and I can't start the car.

What is wrong here? Ignition switch? Lock cylinder? I'd really like to know where to start as my car is just sitting in my driveway as of now. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Sounds like you have a combination issues. I would suspect both the lock cylinder and the ignition switch. The ignition switch shouldn't be able to prohibit the motion of the key in the lock cylinder nor lock the steering wheel, but once in the proper position to run/start the truck, it should have been able to do so. That is unless the battery was flat dead at that time...

 

But the lock cylinder would be able to lock the ignition and steering wheel yes? So perhaps try changing that first as it is the cheaper part and see if it fixes the problem?

 

Kyle,
could it be a shift interlock problem?

 

The lock cylinder would be one place to start. It's only the labor if that doesn't solve the entire problem. If you are doing it yourself, that part won't matter.

I believe that the steering lock and shift prevention are mechanical in a '97... I could be wrong though. I haven't been into a steering column on the '95-'97 models.

 

KK.
Just wanted to run it by you

 

Well I had a friendly mechanic stop by and check it out. He said he's gonna have to change the lock cylinder, but because its stuck he can't just remove it (he'll have it drill into it and remove it that way). It'll cost me around $200 for the job and I think Im gonna tow it over there and just get it fixed as I need it fixed ASAP and I don't have the time to play around with it...



Does what he's saying sound right to you guys?

 

If the lock cylinder is frozen, then drilling it most likely is the only way to get it out.

I would try some penetrating oil first though to see if you can get it freed up.

 

Penetrating oil to free it up as Swart said, I used an electronics cleaner afterward to get all the penetrating oil out, then gave a more than ample spray of dry lube (graphite lube spray)... been fine for a year so far. I found a "wet" lubricant will collect dust and dirt pretty quickly and just gunk it up again.

 

I had the same problem a month ago....my key was the daily used one....this one was so "used" that at one moment the lock was stuck(so at once)....I pulled it out and used the "reserve" one ..... now perfect!

So maybe your key is ****ed up?