Key won't go into ignition or turn

I got home today only to leave again and I am finding that my key won't fit into the ignition. It will only go in half way. The ignition assembly seems to be pushed in a bit and I can see a small bit of space between the portion where the key goes and the housing outside of that. The key half way in won't turn the ignition and my wife has locked the steering wheel. Has anyone had this issue before? Is this something that a novie could dissassemble, jiggle a few piece and set right without having to go to the mechanic?

I'm not sure if this will help at all, but sight down the key and make sure that it is still straight.

My keys keep bending! The back door lock only uses half the key, so instead to putting the force on the head of the key, it goes towards bending the blade, right at the middle! If the key gets too bent, it no longer fits in the ignition. Try flipping the key upside down, too. That sometimes helps.

I might kill for a real OEM key blank... These Ace Hardware knockoffs suck.

Use the handle to open the back door not the key. The key whether OEM or not is not strong enough to pull the door open without losing integrity.

Try "jiggling" the steering wheel while inserting the key - if the steering wheel lock is forced to one side it could be cocking the ignition preventing insertion - usually this keeps the ignition from turning - haven't heard of it preventing the key from going all the way in. Your ignition lock or switch may be loose in the steering column, causing a slight shift of alignment.

-- John

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Originally Posted by mdwyer

I might kill for a real OEM key blank... These Ace Hardware knockoffs suck.

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Keep looking on ebay, I see em' on there every month or two...sorry for the TJ, now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Oh look...here's some now... http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Plastic-Head-K...QQcmdZViewItem

Oh, & by the way...please don't kill me, I don't want to spend the holidays dead.

Jiggling the key didn't work. The key goes in just enough so that you can hear the open door beep but not enough to fully turn the key. I just realized the vehicle is in park in a tight space in my garage and will have to be towed out- joy. I am having it towed to my mechanic this morning and will post an update on the issue for future reference.

OH NOES! Towed? You can replace an ignition block quite cheap and easy on your own. I have done quite a few in my other vehicles before (all ISUZUS.... hmm.... never thought of that) with ease and dealers carry them in stock for walk in/out purchase. I dont see how the VX would be much different than the last one I changed out in my old '97 Rodeo.

More than likely the key is all the way in and u might be assuming it isn't cause it will not turn when u put it in and it wont turn cause your steering wheel is locked,when u put the key in yank the steering wheel to the left and the right fairly hard while turning the key and this will unlock it but if it dont work u prolly do have another issue.:)

Yeah its deff. the locked steering wheel. Crazy to pay for it to be towed.

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Originally Posted by circmand

Use the handle to open the back door not the key. The key whether OEM or not is not strong enough to pull the door open without losing integrity.

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You misunderstand me. (And thanks a lot for that vote of confidence, there. :mad: And are you still beating your wife?) The key bends while turning it in the cylinder, not while pulling the door open.

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Originally Posted by Ldub

Keep looking on ebay, I see em' on there every month or two...

Oh look...here's some now... http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Plastic-Head-K...QQcmdZViewItem

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Those are still aftermarket keys, despite the plastic.

Anyway, I stand by my original comment. If the key's been torqued, it won't fit into the ignition keyway. If there's torque on the steering wheel lock, the key will go into the keyway, but it will be difficult --if not impossible-- to turn the key without turning the steering wheel away from the locking pin, first.

I am a bit embarrassed to tell you folks what happened today but here goes:
The tow truck came and the driver also tried the key, tried torqueing the steering wheel to no avail. The VX was stuck in a tight place in my garage so he had to "undo the linkage" to get it out of park and out of the garage. He then had to put wheels under the front wheel and a bracket assembly under the rear to tow it properly (This wasn't a flat bed tow truck). We get to the mechanic and he hops in the front seat, puts his weight on the steering wheel and turns the key in the ignition. I cussed. He inspected a little more and didn't seem to think the inner key mechanism was pushed in further than it should go but had nothing to compare it to. He also said he could look into but didn't recommend spending the money. He said vehicles with 100's of thousands of miles tend to have the problem I suspected but not one with under 100K. I still think the whole assembly is a little loose but I will wait for it to fail again before I make an issue of it. A few notes to address the comments in the thread:
- The key would not turn before my wife lock the steering wheel
- I think Willy was right in saying that the key was going in all the way and I was being suspicious. There was, however, what felt like a gummy resistance when I put the key in before the mechanic got it working.
- My insurance paid for the tow but I only have one more free one left
- I was afraid to put my weight on the wheel when turning the wheel- I've broken things by putting my weight on them. I did use a good deal of strenght though.


Thank you all for your input. It was very helpful during a stressful experience.

It sounds like you only have the one key since you've been speaking in the singular about it. The first thing I did when I got my VX was get two duplicate keys made. One hangs on the key rack in the house and the other is in one of those magnetic key containers that you put under the car somewhere. Did the same thing with my BMW key except the BMW key isn't duplicatable. It's a complicated looking thing only available from the dealer and expensive but the spare has helped when my regular key disappeared down behind the sofa cushion and took two days to find!

I bought those keys on ebay.. went to the locksmith down the street to get them cut.. he had 5 hanging on the wall..they arent oem..they just look oem.. black and all..but no isuzu emblem inside.. but for 5 bux.. I dont feel like I got robbed.. just tickled a bit

Ebay's where I got mine probably got them from the same Ebay dude but they work.

Glad to here ur back up and runnin.:bwgy:mine locks sometimes and i have to yank it left and right fairly quick and hard while trying to turn the key and it finally goes and i have had the same issue with other vehicles also.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/da...05-Photo_5.jpg

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Originally Posted by mdwyer

Those are still aftermarket keys, despite the plastic.

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By golly, you're right...guess I didn't look close enough, my bad.:sighwgray

This isn't related to the VehiCross but worthy of mention anyway.

My Wife's Eclipse came with 2 keys (one black and one grey). I always assumed they were the same until one day I locked the black one in the trunk (don't ask). I went to her work and got her key (the grey one).

The grey key would not open the trunk nor would it unlock the trunk release.

IT'S A VALET KEY!!!

Now I know.

Having a heck of a time with the key in my VX. I initially thought it was the shifter or solenoid or the other usual issues associated with the shifter/brake switch mechanism in general that were addressed on the multiple threads.

It takes me jiggling the key and turning the wheel for about 15 min to get the key to actually turn in the cylinder. Once it does I am good to go. I can shift etc.

Of note: tested the solenoid once the key is able to turn and it works fine. Brake lights work when peddle is depressed.

Anyone know how to actually replace the cylinder to get the white plastic piece on the top of the steering column to slide back and forth properly? Thinking that might be it.

Getting ready to drive to California (moving) and rather not be stuck on I-5 someplace once I turn the engine off. Crap...Any advice out there?