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Key won't turn in ignition

SoCal94

New CEG'er
Joined
Aug 5, 2008
Messages
6
This morning, I got in my '00 CSVT, and when I inserted the key, it wouldn't turn. I took it out and reinserted it about 1000 times without any luck.

The car is a manual (like all CSVTs) and it normally doesn't matter if the car is in gear or neutral, clutch in or out, to turn the key. Of course the starter won't engage normally until the clutch is depressed, but in this case the key won't even turn.

I've never looked closely at the ignition lock cylinder until now, but there doesn't seem to be a sliding dust cover (or, it's jammed open). My key is original, but not particularly rounded - all the steps are clear and no one notch is worn more than any others. I've seen rounded Ford keys - this isn't bad at all.

I tried hitting the end of the key (it pushes in a millimeter or two) to jiggle the individual tumblers, putting pressure forward, backward, up and down as I tried to turn. I noticed that when the key is inserted, and the door is open, it does NOT make an electrical contact to make the door chime go unless I put a bit of pressure (any direction) on it, or try to turn it.

I tried spraying some silicone-based spray lube (dries clear/dry, not greasy) into the lock, and it's clearly a little smoother to put the key in, but it made no real difference - key still wouldn't turn.

I tried hitting the bottom and side of the column with my palm to dislodge any sticky lock cylinder tumblers. No real difference.

I tried the key one way, then removed it, flipped it over, and tried the other way (so, the passive chip in the key was tried both 'up' and 'down').

I noticed that my steering was NOT locked when I started all this. I turned the steering wheel, eventually it locked 90 degrees off (weird - it usually locks when the wheel is centered... today it's only locked 90 degrees off center and does NOT lock in the center position). I made sure to try turning the key with no pressure on the locked steering wheel, and while holding the wheel slightly left or right of the locked position to take the tension off the steering interlock (on some cars this makes a difference).

And then, after 20+ minutes of this, the key turned. Like butter. The car started normally. I turned it off, removed they key, started it again - worked 10 times in a row.

Then I stopped at Starbucks on the way to work (10 minutes away, 70 degree clear and sunny day, in case temperature, moisture or humidity play a role). When I got back to the car, the same thing happened. They key didn't work the first 100 times I tried it, and then magically worked like nothing at all was wrong.

I stopped for gas, and left the key IN the ignition, and when I turned the car off I didn't let the ignition turn back to 'off'; I just turned it far enough to stall the car and leave the ignition on 'on'. No problem starting the car and getting the rest of the way to work.

I've been searching all day online for these symptoms, and I've found numerous similar reported cases for the Focus and Escape, but very little on the Contour, and no definitive cause. A lot of people seem to have the problem where they can't turn the igntion back OFF, and they key is stuck in - one person even said that they couldn't remove their key (engine off) until they disconnected the battery, which reminded me of some other weird ignition symptoms that have been going on with this car over time...

(1) Since new, when inserting the key, it'll occasionally 'jam' part way in, like a powerful electromagnet has grabbed the key. When this happens you can't push the key the rest of the way in and I usually have to jiggle it while gently pulling it back out. It's random and when it happens the key is stuck good, but re-insertion of the key works normally and the car always started normally until now (9 years, 108k miles later).

(2) For the last couple weeks, I've had a strange problem with the key not turning (only happened a few times in dozens of start cycles). When this would happen, I'd insert the key, and not be able to turn it - similar to today's experience. But all I had to do was pull the key out, flip it over, and re-insert it and it'd turn and start on the first try.

What the heck is preventing the key from turning? Is there a real 'fix' for this, where a clearly broken part can be adjusted or replaced, or am I stuck replacing the entire ignition for the car (along with the other locks, probably)?

SoCal94
'00 CSVT, Silverfrost/Midnight Blue
 
Grab the top of the steering wheel with your left hand and try to tug it good one way or the other while turning the key.

Sometimes I can't turn my key, and this will allow it to turn.

You may have already tried this, if so, I apologize.

David Frank
 
Yeah, I have had cars where the steering would require some kind of jiggling or pulling to one side to get the key to turn sometimes. I tried that already.

UPDATE: In the last several days I've had it sort of stick twice out of a dozen times. Both times it stuck, a little jiggling got it to turn. When it turns it still turns like butter and it's very precise (not sloppy and worn out feeling).

At this point I am figuring it's jammed or worn out tumblers, and that the silicone dry lube spray I put in there helped things. I'll lube it up some more and see how it goes.

SoCal94
 
Ignition lock cylinder R&R from Autozone.


REMOVAL & INSTALLATION




Functional Lock Cylinder


See Figure 1
  1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
  2. Remove the upper and lower steering column covers.
  3. Turn the ignition lock to the accessory position.
  4. Insert a 0.125 (3.17mm) wire pin or small drift punch in the hole at the top of the cylinder housing and depress the retaining pin while pulling out the lock cylinder.


0900c152800a8e60.jpg


Fig. Fig. 1: Releasing the lock cylinder retaining pin

To Install:

  1. Turn the new lock cylinder to accessory position and while pressing the retaining pin in, insert the lock cylinder into the housing.
  2. Turn the key to the OFF position the release the retaining pin.
  3. Try the lock cylinder operation in all positions.
  4. Reinstall the steering column covers.
  5. Reconnect the negative battery cable.
Non-Functional Lock Cylinder

  1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
  2. Remove the upper and lower steering column covers.
  3. Insert a 0.125 (3.17mm) drill bit in the hole at the top of the cylinder housing and drill out the retaining pin.

Be careful not to drill into the lock cylinder housing.
  1. Pull out the lock cylinder.
  2. Clean out all the metal shavings and check the tube for damage. If damaged, the housing must be replaced.
To Install:

  1. Turn the new lock cylinder to accessory position and while pressing the retaining pin in, insert the lock cylinder into the housing.
  2. Turn the key to the OFF position the release the retaining pin.
  3. Try the lock cylinder operation in all positions.
  4. Reinstall the steering column covers.
  5. Reconnect the negative battery cable.

Ignition Switch R&R from Autozonelink.

REMOVAL & INSTALLATION



See Figures 1 and 2



0900c152800a8e5a.jpg


Fig. Fig. 1: Remove the three screws and remove the lower column cover




0900c152800a8e5b.jpg


Fig. Fig. 2: Ignition switch assembly

  1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
  2. Remove the 2 upper steering column cover screws and remove the cover.

It is not necessary to remove the steering wheel for this procedure.
  1. Remove the 3 lower steering column cover retaining screws and remove the cover.
  2. Disconnect the electrical harness connector at the ignition switch.
  3. Depress the locking tabs and remove the ignition switch.
To install:

  1. Place the new ignition switch into position and push into place making sure that the switch is held securely.
  2. Reconnect the electrical harness connector to the ignition switch.
  3. Reinstall the lower steering column cover and its retaining screws.
  4. Reinstall the upper steering column cover and its retaining screws.
  5. Reconnect the negative battery cable.
  6. Check for proper ignition switch operation.


ignitionlock ignitionswitch ignitionlockcylinder
 
Last edited:
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