Shared Knowledge
“Car Ignition Key Will Not Turn”
Updated: 4 Dec 2010
Summary: try some Lock Ease. I know, have to have a way to go get some but at local auto parts stores.
I have a 2000 BMW X5, so it
was almost 8 years old when the ignition key would not turn in the steering
column lock cylinder. No real warning: just bulky one day and then the next
totally frozen.
So:
- Jiggle steering wheel, left and right while trying to turn the ignition key. No change.
-
Get some WD-40,
3-in-1 oil and rub on key and insert key in and out many, many times. No
change. Did not have WD-40 or 3-in-1 with spray snorkel to try.
-
Call BMW dealer.
Something to try? Nope. Have it towed into shop.
-
Car in garage,
steering column locked, in park, so all 4 wheels locked tight. Would have to be
pulled out of garage, wheels scuffing the whole way before could be pulled up
onto flat bed tow truck.
-
Call local
locksmith. If car at their store, they could drill out lock. If I could get car
to their place of business, would not need lock drilled out.
-
Jiggle steering
wheel, left and right while trying to turn the ignition key. No change.
-
Sit and look at
car. Do not want to get it towed. Do not want to pay for cylinder replacement
at dealer.
-
As it has been
very cold, could lock be frozen, frozen? Moisture in there somehow and lock
cylinder pieces not moving like they should? Remember seeing lock deicer before
at auto parts store. Always have thought of it for use on exterior door locks
but maybe, perhaps?
-
Head to auto
parts store and although I do not find lock deicer, do find “Lock Ease”, which
is this spray can of graphite in some sort of liquid. Comes with a snorkel so I
can shoot it right into the lock cylinder and get way back in there.
-
Shoot the “Lock
Ease”. Sure is liquid. Put key in cylinder and try to turn. Nothing. Pull key
out and it is black and dripping. Wipe off key.
-
If a little did
not help, perhaps more? So spray again, pointing can upwards inside cylinder.
-
Sit in driver’s
seat, insert key into lock cylinder and begin jiggling steering wheel while
turning the key. Suddenly the key turns and car starts! Fluke? Or did spray
graphite really help?
-
Back car out of
garage and park it so towing would be easy if eventually required.
- Turn off car and
remove key. It black and oily and so wipe off.
-
Insert key and
try to turn in ignition cylinder. Bulky but it does turn.
-
More spray
graphite and then key in and out of cylinder and turning it to car start
position and then turning off car and removing key and cleaning it. Over and
over, key in, turn, start, engine stop, key out.
-
Appeared to be ok
but thought I would take to dealer to get new cylinder anyway. Started car on
first turn of key and drove to dealer. Parked such that if key decided to stop
working, they could tow it easily into one of their shop bays.
-
Turned off engine
and removed key. Inserted key and started car successfully 20 times. Go home.
-
Read on “Lock
Ease” can that “liquid carrier” for graphite would eventually evaporate leaving
only the graphite but every time I pulled the key out of the cylinder, black
and oily.
-
Start up engine,
set heater to 90 degrees and leave car running. Warm car would help
evaporation?
-
Engine heats
interior for 30 minutes. Stop engine, remove key, wipe clean. Reinsert key and
remove and oil gone. “Carrier” evaporated.
-
Turn key and
moves like it should.
So, no locksmith, no tow job, no cylinder replacement. Why did ignition cylinder freeze up? I do smoke cigarettes and thus some smoke tar could have built up on cylinder parts or normal airborne sticky got on cylinder parts. Don’t know, don’t care. Just know that “Lock Ease” seems to have solved my problem.
Update: 4 December 2010: