My ignition won't turn? Help!

[SUS9]

I just discovered this forum searching for an answer to my problem.I have a 99 QX4 and my ignition will not turn at all. The steering wheel is locked and I can't get it to unlock. Is it my keys? I tried two sets, and can't get it. Unfortunatley the car is located about 20 minutes from my house. I just want to know if I should have it towed to a shop, or towed to my house if I can fix it.

Thanks in advance

[SUS9]

so I had it towed to a shop near my house. The guy there says the whole ignition lock assembly needs to be replaced. anyone else have experience replacing this? he wants to charge me $350+, i found the part online for $150. just don't know how hard it is to replace...Thanks-

[W O T]

Ummm, steering wheels can be unlocked for free, unless Im missing something, when yout urn your wheel witht he key out, it locks, to prevent power steering damage.

To fix, simply insert key and jimmy the wheel while turning the key, I do it almost every week, nothing hard and I definetely wouldnt be paying for something

Unless your trying to say your tumbler fell apart

[SUS9]

I wish it was only that. I'm aware of the locking steering wheel. this is different. the ignition will not turn at all no matter how much you jiggle/turn the wheel. I was reading that there was a recal on the ignition assembly lock on the 2000 qx4's, i'm wondering if mine is the same...I was thinking of having new keys made to see if that would do it, but i'm affraid that will just be a waste of money...

anyone?

[SUS9]

ok, suplementary question.How can you tell the production date of your car? All the parts I have found online give a production range of To:11-00-98. does that mean that the part is good for cars produced before nov. 1998?the mechanic told me that the part was so expensive because the car was made in june of 99 and uses a different part. a part that I can't seem to find on the net...

[leeyingseng]

hi there, today i got out of my car (pathfinder 2003) and 5 mins later i got back in and the key wudnt turn. steering was locked on. and no matter much i messed with it it wudnt turn. i tried everything. forced it in and out of park, moved the angle of the steering column, whispered sweet nothings into its shell like ears, but NOTHING!! it just would not turn. i called some guy, (theres quite alot of random guys that fix stuff here in dubai) and he came and had a look. he told me that some of the pins (of which there are usually about 8 to 12 in a nissan ignition) had come out of place. so i let him fix it. he took the thing apart. then he made it start by basically keeping my "chipped" key close to the steering column and hot-wiring it. so we drove to his shop (with no lights) and him and his bandits proceded to take the ignition unit out and into their shop. they were there for about 10 mins making grinding / knurling / chink chink noises, and he then came out with an ignition that turned beautifully. he gave me the pins that they had "replaced" and i went with the guy to the car to watch him fit it. he knew what he was doing. you know when you can just tell that. he was genuine . the only thing that is a doubt in my mind is this ........ have i been had? can a car ignition be THAT s*** that you would actually have to get right inside it and replace individual pins in the lock? or has this guy (who isnt the boss of the shop he works for) basically just made the ignition work by shaking and knocking the thing until the pins for the lock sat properly, and then got a bunch of pins from a scrap heap and showed me them as the "these are the ones we replaced" ......... i thank the guys for fixing my car....but i do have a good number of mouths to feed!!! i completely understand the "my key did not turn" scenario, but im interested to hear if i got completely shafted!!! (excuse the creative british terminology)

[caufield25]

This happened to me in my old Pathfinder. What i did was... when the wheel was locked, (in that very small amount of space that you can move the wheel) Hold the wheel so that it's in the middle of of the ltd. amount of space and when you are doing that, turn the key and it should work. This is hard to explain when i'm not face to face with you... But i hope i helped.

[W O T]

SO is that all it ended up being was a locked steering wheel and girly arm strength?

[dkilgore11]

I'm having the exact same problem. Parked 99.5 Pathfinder at shop for other service, they called later and said the key won't turn. I get there and the wheel is locked hard to the right with only a fraction of play clockwise - I didn't leave it that way. None of the mechs could get it free and neither can I. Now they just want me to go away, like they don't want try and fix it. Nissan says tow it in if jiggling the wheel trick doesn't work. Anyway, what happened with yours?