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Old 07-27-2010, 11:43 PM
chetwesley's Avatar
chetwesley chetwesley is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 745
Key won't turn in ignition, is this the dreaded bad tumbler?

I have been reading some threads on this, but I am confused.

I have occasionally had a problem where the key won't turn in the ignition, but if I just wiggled the steering wheel, the ignition would unlock as well as the steering wheel lock. I actually didn't worry too much about this because our other, much newer car has a similar thing where you just have to wiggle the wheel to get the lock disengaged.

Today I was about to leave to go somewhere in my car and found it more difficult than usual to get the wheel/ignition unlocked. After a little wiggling of the wheel while turning the key I got it to turn, but I thought, "hey maybe it is just my worn out copy key." So I took the key out of the ignition, wiggled the wheel to lock it again, and put in my newer dealership key (which I've had for about 1 year, but don't usually use because the rubber guard fell off of it).

Oh how I wish I hadn't done that.

Since then I have not been able to get it to turn again. I tried both keys, a lot of wiggling and turning, squirted some alcohol in there (I read that metal bits can jam it up). Nothing.

I've read about attaching a sander to a key and vibrating it loose, but don't have a sander and don't quite understand the technique.

I also read that the tumbler can have problems according to the angle the car is parked at. I am parked on a slight sideways slant, so I tried jacking up one side to level it out, also didn't help.

I should note that I only seem to remember having this problem when parked in my driveway, which is dirt and uneven.

Also read the diesel giant tutorial on grinding down some pin or something, but I think I need to take out the instrument cluster and look in there to really understand what he's talking about because I can't figure it out by reaching up in there.

Any suggestions on what to try from here are much appreciated.
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1979 240D w/4 Speed Manual, Light Blue Estimated 225-275K Miles - "Lil' Chugs"
Sold but fondly remembered: 1981 300TD Turbo Tan 235K miles, 1983 300SD Astral Silver 224K miles

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