Key won't turn in ignition?

[x3skier Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close x3skier]

Graphite Key Lube is WD-40?

No, Graphite Key Lube is powdered graphite that usually comes in a tube. WD-40 is a liquid spray of some "hush hush special oil based formula".

Cheers

[brother coony Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close brother coony]

I second 1950Bing recomend, swithch and keys do wear out, and just have to be replace,
time to call AAA

[TravelBug Member Find all posts View Profile Close TravelBug]

Happened to me recently. I ignored it until the car got stuck in gear a few weeks later! It was the shift solenoid.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Graphite key lube, eh? I will have to track some of that down. Thanks for the tip.

Herrick's Hardward will have it - they have EVERTHING....do u need me to pick it up?
I am home now.

[arlene22 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close arlene22]

LOL! I just got back from Herrick's. Yes, I got it there, but unfortunately, it didn't help . Still stuck. I have a mechanic coming by in the morning to take a look. I'm trying to avoid having to tow it all the way into Honda in Riverhead.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

LOL! I just got back from Herrick's. Yes, I got it there, but unfortunately, it didn't help . Still stuck. I have a mechanic coming by in the morning to take a look. I'm trying to avoid having to tow it all the way into Honda in Riverhead.

Such a headache - I hope it all works out by tomorrow.

[3kids4me Super Moderator and Super Mom Find all posts View Profile Close 3kids4me]

Arlene,

Did your car come with a valet key? If so, have you tried it? That wouldn't have a chip in it, I don't think....

P.S. Oh...I see this post is old. Did everything work out okay?

[funtime2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close funtime2]

I had a problem simular to this one time - only I could not turn the car off. Had to disconnect the battery cable. Pins in the ingition dropped down and the key would not turn off.
Hope you get your problem figured out.

[zdxlc9p6 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zdxlc9p6]

Arlene,
What was the cause of your problem?

[arlene22 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close arlene22]

No, the valet key didn't work. The car is still in the shop. They have to replace the "tumblers". I guess that is the mechanical part of the lock/ignition. Will cost $675 to fix (I keep telling myself to look on the bright side: it's 675 airline miles, right? ). Luckily, I did not have to have it towed all the way there, which would have been expensive. The AAA guy sprayed some more WD40 in the ignition, put the key in, and then basically beat the heck out of it with the end of a screwdriver. He must have gotten something to shift, because he got the key to turn and the car to start up. He warned me that once I took they key out it wouldn't work again, so I just drove straight there (he was right about that-- once I took the key out, it no longer worked). It should be ready for me to pick up by tomorrow.

[MargeS Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close MargeS]

I had a similar experience in a rented RV in Alaska 1993. We had it and all was working fine for the first 10 days. Then our first day in Denali Park, we stopped at the visitor center, then a small museum. When we came out, the key would not work. I tried every trick I could think of. At least 10 guys came by during the next half hour, and asked if they could try (you know, poor girl cannot figure out how to start a vehicle...). Ranger called the rental place back in Anchorage. It was Friday, and they could not get anyone out until Monday... Of course we were among the few lucky people to get a camping spot within the park, but now could not go to it! The rangers were great, looking out for us, and arranging for buses and transportation to rafting, etc to pick us up where we were stuck, in a parking lot.
On monday afternoon, the locksmith came out, wiggled a few things, and then proceeded to take a hammer and smash the ignition, stick a screwdriver into it, and had us drive to Anchorage (a few days later; part had to be ordered) where it could be replaced!
Gee, why didn't we think of that?!

Last summer on a balmy 98 degree sunny day in FL, I came out with $250 of groceries and my Buick Rendezvous did the same thing. AAA came, couldn't start it, towed it to the dealer (still under warranty). Dealer could find nothing wrong with it, and it never happened again... so far...

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

A quick substitute for graphite key lube is to mark the points and side of the key with "lead" from a soft (#1 or #2) pencil. Pencil "lead" is actually graphite.

[arlene22 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close arlene22]

Good tip! I hope I never need it again, though

[dale7 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dale7]

For people that keys or thing hanging with there ignition key are looking to having the same problem this was told to me many years ago that why I only have one key in the ignition key ring.

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Good tip! I hope I never need it again, though

Pencil lead can be used as a lubricant on many items other than keys - anyplace in which you graphite powder might be used. Works well on things such as squeaky door hinges or drawer slides that tend to stick. Because it isn't a fine powder it doesn't get deep into cracks and crevices as graphite does - so it sloughs out more easily and doesn't last as long. OTOH - you don't have to worry spilling it and having to deal with a difficult to clean up mess or a residcual slippery spot on a floor or counter. case of a spill