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Old 02-13-2020, 08:09 AM   #1
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Could not get key in the slot

Yesterday was a typical N. Florida winters day so I decided it was a perfect top down kind of day. I went to start the car, but couldn't get the key into the ignition switch. Looking at it, I didn't see any obstruction. After several minutes and too many to count Sailor words, it finally went in and the car started normally. I took a drive, came home, shut it down and tried the key again. This time it was effortless, no Sailor words necessary.
- What would be a potential cause for the key not to be able to go into the ignition switch?

Thanks,

Fred in N. Florida

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Old 02-14-2020, 06:54 AM   #2
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I've had this happen when its cold and I try to turn the key and cant. When I pull it out it wont go back in. I'm guessing the tumblers don't go all the way back. I replaced the electronics on the ignition and it helped. Maybe some graphite?
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Old 04-03-2021, 04:46 AM   #3
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It seems that I have the same problem or at least a similar one.

I live in the Chicago area and each winter I move my beautiful 98' Boxster (w/90,000 miles) into a neighbors garage, place it on a battery maintainer and put its car cover on. The garage is attached but not really heated so it does get cold over the winter.

Just yesterday I took it out of it's "winter hybernation" and that's when I had the problem with the key....perhaps TWO problems.

1. The key went in and I started the car, tried to open the front and rear trunks but the levers where still locked. I shut off the car, pulled out the key. (by the way the keyfob's buttons did not work). THEN I tried to put the key back in the slot but it would not go in past the little slot cover "door". After repeated tries it DID go in and I started the car again and drove it out to my home a block away.

2. I always leave the radio on because it shuts of when I turn the car off & PULL OUT THE KEY (it stays on until the key is pulled out)......BUT this time the radio stayed on. I slide the key back in and out but the radio stayed on. HOWEVER. it was parked out in the sun with the top up and within 5 minutes the interior heated up. After that removing the key DID turn the radio off.

SO....I think I might have two issues possibly BOTH related to "COLD"....the key is difficult to insert AND the electronics switch is not working properly.

NOTE:.....I only use the car in the summer when temps are warmer and I NEVER have this problem ALL SUMMER LONG....only each year after winter storage.

Ideas?
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Old 04-04-2021, 06:35 AM   #4
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OK....never mind....as I wrote in another thread and good "flooding" of lock specific cleaner and lube seems to have done the job and now I also get a much more definitive steering wheel "clunk" sound which is good!.
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Old 04-04-2021, 10:12 AM   #5
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Wd40 dry lube will fix this. It's liquid ptfe and safe to use on electronics. It's great stuff, I had the se problem with my door and ignition tumblers when I first got the car, fixed them right up. You can also remove the tumblers and flush them with brake cleaner to remove old debris and then lube them. You'd be surprised how much gunk you'll get out of there.

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Old 04-05-2021, 05:46 AM   #6
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I used 3-in-1 Dry Lock Spray........spraying a ton of it and it made the difference. Now I can easily hear the steering wheel lock "clunk".....23 years of stuff in the lock I suppose. Even lint from pants pockets stuck to keys can accumulate after 23 years!
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Old 04-05-2021, 06:44 AM   #7
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I'm in NC where it still gets cold in the winter but nothing compared to our Northern brothers. I had the same issue several years ago and decided to remove the lock mechanism and do an external flush and lube. It helped tremendously and you would not believe the amount of crap and crude that comes out of that mechanism! When it gets below freezing it can still be difficult to turn sometimes but nothing like it was.
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Old 04-06-2021, 06:41 AM   #8
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Wish there was a tiny/miniature vacuum to suck the crap out. In my case I flooded it with lock cleaner/lube, then used canned air (computer air spray can) to blow into it and also used a vacuum hose and tried to hold it tight to the lock in the hopes of sucking out what I could.

Bottom line...it worked and the lock works great and so does the steering wheel lock. Maybe it was the spray cleaner, or the canned air or the vacuum, who knows??? ....but it appears to be "fixed".

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