so my key wouldnt turn the ignition after i got got gas tonight...

[scheistermeiste]

so i drive to the gas station (its colder than a witches titty outside) tonight to get some marshmellos gas and cigarettes. when i get to the gas station they dont have marshmellos so i settle for peanuts.i pay and all and walk outside and pump gas/freeze my balls off. i get back in the car, put key in, key wont turn... turn the wheel to see if its locked. it wasnt locked but now it is. key still wont turn. turn wheel turn key, key wont turn. stop tring curse call friend to tell him funny story of how key wont turn. get off phone, try to turn key, key wont turn, giggle key, key still wont turn. take key out, put key in, guess what! key wont turn... take key out laugh at it, freeze for 5 more min, put key in, giggle key, key turns half way. turn wheel key finally fricken turns all the way.

i think its a broken pin in the ignition, am i right?

edit: but on the plus side, since ive been driving it more the horrible grinding/cruntching noise when i start the car has gone away!

[seaboltman]

Maybe your key is just soo worn that its not doing what it needs to do?

And those griding noises going away just mean that whatever was griding, broke so things arent touching any more

*edit*

i would suggest trying another key if you have one lying around first.

[scheistermeiste]

well this is a new key made directly from the pins in the lock... i got it when i misplaced my original key for a few weeks.

[Zero10]

Sounds like there is some moisture in the lock. The first big ridge on the key sets one of the pins most of the way out, then the pin doesn't return because it's sort of wedged in there with a tiny bit of ice (or dust or something). So you have 1 pin that's right across the shear line.
I would try some lock de-icer/lube on it first. If the key was cut for the pins, it may be a smidge too tall, which would really fight against you in a situation like this.

That's my guess =)

[singpilot]

A poster in Calgary would certainly know about a frozen lock!

Try reversing the key next time. Turn it to the other side, mine works better one direction than the other.

[scheistermeiste]

thried that a few times

[Zero10]

LOL, of course I know about frozen locks.
The first winter I had my 944, I had 4 days I couldn't get into it period, despite lock de-icer and everything, and almost every single other day below -20 or so, I had extreme difficulty opening the doors/unlocking the doors. However, the ignition never gave me any grief, lucky for me.

Reversing the key sometimes works on worn-out locks, had to do it on my subaru all the time =)

[bryanthompson]

It happens to me eery once in a while... Jiggling the steering wheel and rocking it up and down a bit helps. I swear, you could start my car with a nail file.

[Zero10]

One time when I wasn't terribly with it in the morning, I went out to my car, opened the door, started the car, went to lock the door to go inside to let it warm up, and noticed I still had my plastic-head key in my hand (i usually leave it in the ignition, and use my cheap-o copy as my spare, for locking doors and such), so I check my other pocket, there's my cheap-o copy.... I open the door, look in the ignition, there's my key to my subaru.... not good...
The locks on these cars seem to wear abnormally fast.

[scheistermeiste]

yeah, just to make sure i wasnt hallucinating or anything i tried my rx7 keys, but they didnt work.

[misty]

Did you try turning the key????
:-)
Misty

[scheistermeiste]

Originally posted by scheistermeiste
... turn the wheel to see if its locked. it wasnt locked but now it is. key still wont turn. turn wheel turn key, key wont turn. ...

nope frwilk that wasnt it!

[latunluvr]

I'm having a similar problem. I put the key in and mine will turn to the point just before the accessory position where the radio comes on. The steering wheel unlocks, but the ignition turns to a certain point and then stops. I'm stuck at what to do other than pull the ignition and replace it. Anyone know how to fix it?