Our oldest son was parking the car in the driveway, with standard uphill driveway slope, and he allowed the car to roll back first and then putting it into park and then putting on the brake. Teenagers. After which we tried to start the car but the steering ignition key will not turn, we tried tapping with hammer, turning the wheel, which will only allow and 1" turn radius in either direction, and the gear will not come out of park. The ignition column or cylnder shaft looks to be no longer centered as I remember it. Do you think the shaft may be damaged or the tumblers locked in place somehow? Has anyone had this particular type of problem? Any suggestiosn or ideas would be most grateful. Thanks in advance.

p.s. The key slides in and out of the ignition key with no problems just as it always has. Also it works fine on all the doors and trunk.

Michael.
1994 C280

 

Sounds like money to me.[X(]

 

If you have not tried this already, one suggestion:
take the pressure of the shift cable and transmission parking awl inside the transmission, by:
--since you are parked slightly uphill, have a couple folks push from rear bumper and rock car forward and relieve any parking pressure on the transmission, while someone inside the car, attempts to cycle the key switch while lightlyt applying a small amount of brake pedal, enough to allow the transmission to come out of park and into neutral.
--or, place another car in behind yours and do the same as above, but by gently pushing against your car.

this may work to relieve any combined locking pressure on the switch and shift lever.

Bill Mercer

 

Bill,

That was a great idea! And is very logical, and should do the trick! I learned something as well. My hat's off to you!

 

Hi,
I hope Bills suggestion works! BUT

.......I can't see why it should with the circumstances you have described. If it is the Parking paul that is jammed OK but it appears that your Ignition key won't turn. I don't see a linkage between the two components. The days of a mechanical linkage between these parts is long gone.....However there is always something new to learn!

You do not state what type of vehicle etc we are talking about, so I make the assumption that this vehicle is from the days of mechanical steering column locks.

If the steering column is locked this is due to a physical bolt shot into a recess in the steering coumn. You state that you have "relieved the pressure" on this bolt by turning the steering coumn as much as it will turn whilst trying to turn the key. If this doesn't work then it suggests that something is wrong with the mechanism that fires the bolt. This can be electrical or mechanical dependent upon installation.

Try moving the steering wheel once again whilst trying to turn the key. If this doesn't work I suspect that you are going to have to get a garage to remove the steering lock.

The apparent misalignment of the steering wheel suggests that there is pressure being applied to the steering column lock bolt from the tyres. Jacking the front end could just help but its a long shot.

If relieving the pressure doesn't help I don't think that your problem is anything to do with the parking technique of your teenage son. (I have one as well!)

Just for clarity can I confirm that we are not talking about a problem where you can't move the automatic gear selector out of PARK? That is an entirely different problem.

Good Luck.

Stuart