Hi,

I own a 2000 Chevy Blazer and I am having a strange issue with the ignition. All of the sudden, out of the blue, the ignition won't turn. I drove the car yesterday and it was fine but I got in it to go somewhere today and it wouldn't turn at all. The steering wheel is locked in place and it will not shift at all. Everything seems to be frozen in place. Any suggestions would be very welcome!

-andrewrj

 

I would suggest shaking the wheel while trying to turn the key.Possibly hitting the ignition case. It sounds like a tumbler has slipped out of place or froze.Its more common than most people think.Tho you need to turn the ignition to replace the lock(i think) it sounds like the key ignition itself is bad.Unless electric system has somthing to do with the problem witch i dont think it does.I would price out the ignition and find out how to replace it.

 

Did you happen to turn the ignition to the lock position while the wheels were turned? If there is any pressure on the ignition cylinder from the wheels being turned it will be hard or next to impossible to turn. You will have to turn the steering wheel back in the same direction that the wheels are turned to release the pressure from the switch and then it will turn.

The second problem could be a sticky tumbler in the ignition itself. You can try spraying some WD-40 inside the ignition where the key goes with the long red straw and then work the key back and forth a little and tap the head of the key gently with a pair of pliers. It might take a few minutes but it will eventually turn. Don't try to force the ignition to turn with the pliers or you will break the key and have a whole new issue on your hands.

 

you could try jacking up the front end to release some pressure on the tires.
or you could pull the bolt holding the steering shaft to the gearbox and slide it back and then you wont have any pressure on the steering. just mark the shaft before removal to align it for re assembly. just a thought if you use wd-40 dont use too much as the 2000 might have the security sensor in the column and the wd-40 is flammable and the sensor is electronic ka boom

 

Hi,I am having the same problem and I left my car in a lot at 6 a.m. while traveling. A friend is trying to move it. The steering wheel is locked too. The blazer was fine when I left it and it is the same key I have always used. They are trying to get it out of the lot before the police tow it. It has been two days now.

 

Lopester,

This problem is not as complicated as it may seem. I had a lock smith come over, lube up the cylinder, knock on the key so that it got shoved harder into the ignition, and it turned. The ultimate problem is with your tumblers and you will need to buy a new cylinder in order to prevent this from ever happening again. From what I understand, wear and tear over the years disables ignition cylinders and the keys that go with them and they need to be replaced.

So, if you haven't already fixed the problem or sent the car off to a mechanic, just try giving the key a good smack with a screwdriver so that it is shoved a bit farther into the cylinder. Then go buy a new one. They are fairly easy to replace once you get the cylinder moving.

 

Hi, I'm new here and having the same problem. I have a 2002 S-10 Blazer and just out of the blue the key will not turn. It goes in and out easily. The steering wheel is locked and I can't get the shifter out of "Park". I've disassembled things far enough to be able to remove the lock cylinder and replace it, but in order to get it out easily it has to rotate to the acc or run position (don't remember which). If I can't get it to rotate I guess I'll have to drill it out or something. There is a mechanical cable feeding into the cylinder housing. Looks like it has to do with the shifter or brake, maybe? Could that be locking things up, or does the key position lock the shifter through that cable? I'll try the tapping on the key method, but I don't know what else to do if that doesn't work. It's already been squirted with lubricant and jiggled and pulled on quite a bit. I hadn't tried the tapping though. Any other suggestions?

 

Here's what worked for me:

1. Spray dry graphite lubricant in the keyhole.
2. Aim it toward the top of the hole inside.
3. Use a pair of pliers and tap a few times on top of the the plastic housing above the key entry-way.

Bingo! The key turned smoothly!

My guess is that one or two of the (upper) top tumblers got stuck and locked up the switch. Spraying the graphite at an upward angle and then tapping on the housing was enough to get them to fall into the proper position. As a former locksmith, I can say that you probably don't need to replace the lock. The dry graphite will probably take care of the problem until it's time to junk the car.

 

Same problem here with '97 Blazer. Currently replacing the ignition lock cylinder. What a pain in the @$$. I had to go rent (auto parts loan) a steering wheel puller, torque wrench, and lock shield puller. However, now that I have the unit out, I am trying to get the cylinder out. I will try the WD-40 tip since my tumbler is locked. My steering wheel is also locked and that made it very difficult to get the whole wheel off in my opinion. Not so much difficult...just very, very annoying with the use of some strong words from catching my hair on everything possible haha! I'm crossing my fingers this works......and that I can put it all back together again correctly!




WOOHOO!!!! WD-40 and hitting the key a few times got it to turn!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!

 

If it's just a slight jam, another trick is to try turning the wheel hard in either direction before turning the key. Mine seems to jam up like this every once in a while and can be a pain in the **** from time to time