vanfajo Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 THe key wont turn in the ignition....I've tried wiggling the wheel while turning...spraying a touch of lubricant inside it...rocking the car to make sure its in park...overrideing the auto transmission lock and shifting out of park and back into park...nothing works. Its a 2000 legacy OB. Happened once before about a year ago, I got lucky and it freed up after sitting for an hour. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Do you have a second key you can try? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanfajo Posted February 5, 2006 Author Share Posted February 5, 2006 Do you have a second key you try? Yea, that one didn't work either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 I am sure you tried stomping on the brake to in case it has an interlock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanfajo Posted February 6, 2006 Author Share Posted February 6, 2006 I am sure you tried stomping on the brake to in case it has an interlock. I've pressed the brake firmly a few times...haven't really stomped on it. I'll give it a try. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 The key ont turn meaning that when you put the key in, you can not roatate the cylinder in any position? make 100% sure the car is in park. Look in your owners manual on how to overide the brake interlock, and take the car out of park, then put it back in park again. Also try wiggling the stering wheel, sometimes the wheel wil bind against the lock mechanisim in the cylinder, and keep you from turning the key. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanfajo Posted February 6, 2006 Author Share Posted February 6, 2006 I've taken it out of park (using that technique) and then put it back into park...still nothing. I'm beginning to think one of the tumblers is broken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 be sure the steering wheel isn't sticking in the lock possition. if the steering wheel is locked (can't turn it much), then this is most likely the issue. yank the steering wheel very hard while trying to turn the key. try it multiple times right and left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanfajo Posted February 6, 2006 Author Share Posted February 6, 2006 yea, I've been trying that. The wheel is locked to the right, so I cant really turn it that way but I have been turning it to the left and attempting to turn the key. Is there a way to unlock the steering wheel to give me a range of motion in both directions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 if it's locked then i bet it's just jammed. turn it hard hard hard right while turning the key. not that the wheel will move any where, you're not trying to move it, just put enough pressure on it that the key will disengage it fully. if it would "move" the key would likely turn. i would try again to pull it hard right (very hard) and hard left (very hard) while trying to turn the key. not with the intention of moving the steering wheel, but applying lots of pressure while turning the key to disengage whatever mechanism locks the steering wheel. i don't know of anyway to disengage it without disassembling the steering column, but i do believe it'll come out with enough force applied and turning the key at the right time. eventually while your exerting force in one direction the key will turn and loosen the steering wheel. there is no point in trying to get freedom of movement from the steering wheel since that is what is causing your key to be "stuck". freeing the wheel essentially means freeing the key at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanfajo Posted February 6, 2006 Author Share Posted February 6, 2006 thanks, I'll try that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanfajo Posted February 6, 2006 Author Share Posted February 6, 2006 I got it, thanks for everybody's help! I was on my "giving up after this attempt" attempt and I really "put some back into it" and it turned free! I've tried it a number of times since and it works but still seems to be touchy. If I gently put pressure on the key and then back off and do it again, it seems to work. Do I need a new key? MAybe they teeth are worn a little? Regardless, I'm back on the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 glad you figured it out, i was betting that was the problem. definitely avoid getting the steering wheel locked. don't turn it when the car is off. try a new key, maybe that one has issues. shouldn't be warn. the ones i've had that are warn work great. they'll work in more than one of my subaru's and i can pull them out with the car running then put it back in. the dealer should have a key code for the car (ask them to look it up, if they say they can't they're lying and go elsewhere). they can cut a new key from the code. that may help, but i'm not too positive of that unless yours has been damaged in some way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMattyD Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Here's an idea that may have worked: Try jacking up the front of the car. Most of the times when I have had trouble with the steering wheel lock, it is when I have turned off the car, removed the key, then inadvertently turned the steering wheel until it clicks. The reason it takes so much force to turn the wheel past the locking point to loosen it is because there is resistance from the wheels being fixed in position on the ground. If you lift the front of the car, the tires release from the ground and are suspended freely, taking the back pressure off the steering wheel and allowing it to unlock more easily. Granted, this takes more time and effort than just using brute force on the steering wheel, but if you are not the type of person with the strength to put enough force on the wheel to unlock it (sometimes it takes a lot because the power steering is off) this might be a solution. My wife had this locking problem in her Caravan last week, and I had to come out to the car and yank on the steering wheel to unlock it for her. (She is currently pregnant and in no physical shape to manhandle the steering wheel.) Matt D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 I got it, thanks for everybody's help! I was on my "giving up after this attempt" attempt and I really "put some back into it" and it turned free! I've tried it a number of times since and it works but still seems to be touchy. If I gently put pressure on the key and then back off and do it again, it seems to work. Do I need a new key? MAybe they teeth are worn a little? Regardless, I'm back on the road. If you try a new key, do NOT use a key copied from the old one. Go to subaru and have them make two using whatever magic they do to make a key. If you copy the old key, you may copy the same wear. nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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