White_KnightOZ

iTrader: (18)

Hey guys, i just went to start my car and the key will not turn at all, i have turned the steering wheel around and all that, but nothing is working! all i can do is stick the key in and the car beeps that annoying beep when you have the door open but wont turn! What do i do?!

senate6268

iTrader: (20)

Keep at it. If you're parked on a slight incline it makes turning the key a bit tricky at times. Keep turning the key back and forth while turning the steering wheel back and forth.

White_KnightOZ

iTrader: (18)

I am parked completely flat on my drive way, I have been turning the steering wheel back and forth and jiggling the key around and still nothing

OZ Rally

iTrader: (15)

That really sucks, can you pull the key out?

senate6268

iTrader: (20)

Keep trying, but also try to remove the key a tiny bit while you're turning it back and forth.

White_KnightOZ

iTrader: (18)

Ya the key goes in and out just fine, it just wont turn!

scorpionx13

your car disagrees with what you are about to go do then

White_KnightOZ

iTrader: (18)

So you know when your steering wheel is locked, and if you try to turn the car over the ignition won't budge unless you turn the steering wheel until it clicks, then the key will turn?

Well I have a little bit of movement in my steering wheel, maybe a few Inches right and left, but it makes no clicking noise allowing the ignition to turn. It's just locked in place.

blaze_125

iTrader: (8)

here's a stupid idea that might just work.
Jack the front of your car and make sure the wheels are not touching the ground.
Try turning your wheel and turning the key.

White_KnightOZ

iTrader: (18)

Just jacked up the front end after of stopped raining for a few minutes and the wheel is still locked. When the front end comes off the ground shouldn't it unlock the wheel? What the hell is going on with my car?! Hopefully I can find a friend with AAA out here soon

bcollinstex

iTrader: (1)

Is this a manual? It might be the clutch pressure switch. I know the old DSMs would occasionally have a problem starting and it was because that switch went out.

White_KnightOZ

iTrader: (18)

Ya it is manual, But if the clutch pressure switch was out the ignition and steering wheel should not have locked. You would still atleast be able to turn the radio and crap like that on if it had to do with the clutch. I have read about cars that have alarm systems locking the steering wheel as an anti-theft mechanism, but i don't have an alarm, just the stock keyless entry.

I tried calling a few shops around here, but half of them don't know wha it could be, and the other half guessed. One that made sense tho was the Cylinder that the key goes into, he said there are pins inside the ignition that if they come out of place your regular key wont work anymore cuz it doesn't read it right... and a new cylinder has to be ordered. $180 just for the installation.
But would the steering wheel have locked if this was the problem?

Some one go check on your car please, lock your steering wheel, does it only click and unlock when the key in inside the ignition ready to be turned?

03lances

iTrader: (14)

I have an 03 es, after shutting my car off if you turn the wheel till it locks then when you go to leave the wheel will remained locked until you turn the key to at least acc. The good news though is to change your lock cylinder doesnt take but maybe an hour or two max and is relativly simple I know for sure bc when I bought my car from the bank as a repo they had to have a key made as they did not get the original back from previous owners and so one of the first things I did was put a whole new lock cylinder in so someone in my small town did not have a key to my ignition!! . Better news for you is I still have my old lock cylinder in perfect working order just doesnt have an original key just a copy (big deal I know). I would prolly just sell it to you for like $50 shipped if you end up needing one. The only thing that might be a pain is the two bolts that hold your lock cylinder on the steering shaft have no heads on them!!! It is some kind of anti theft deal where when you install the lock cylinder the bolt heads snap off when torqued to the right amount. Let me know man.

diyrevo

is the key bent? try a spare key.
if it doesnt work..
try cleaning the lock cylinder with some electrical cleaner or an air duster or somethin.
if that doesnt work..
tap the face of the lock, sometimes the lock tumbler gets stuck

White_KnightOZ

iTrader: (18)

The key isn't bent at all, and my only spare key got lost in my last move. I sprayed wd-40 all in the lock cylinder this morning and let it settle in, tried it again and nothing still. I also tried hitting the key a few times once it was in the ignition, since my dads jeep kinda has the same problem at times, on the jeep if you hit it or bang the key a few times while it's in there, it'll work. But no luck for me.

03Lances: thank you for checking on that , so if the steering wheel stays locked until the key is turned to acc, I highly doubt the problem would have anything to do with the steering wheel lock itself. At this point I don't care if it is a copy of a key that starts it, as long as I can get it turned on and running again, wouldn't I be able to get it copied at a dealer with an original key again if I wanted one? I'll take it if you wanna give me your paypal. Cuz I have this feelig that's what it is. If not then I'll have an extra one I guess. How much did you pay from the dealer or whereevrr you got your new one?
Any tips on how to install or anything would be great too. Although I am sure it's pretty damn self explanitory.
Thanks alot to everyone for your help, and suggestions! I'll let you know if switching out the cylinder fixes the problem once I get it!