1st gen Auris tough to turn ignition lock/key

[brainii]

Hi friends,

turning the key to start the car has been more and more difficult, it goes in fine, trying to turn (steering wheel NOT locked) it seems to catch somewhere / resist, have to turn it back and forth a few times to get it to actually turn and start the car.

 

Did someone have this issue and what's the remedy?

I'm thinking to add some lube in the keyhole (probably DRY lube) to see if it will help.

[furtula]

I think it just needs some lubrication. I saw before people putting lube inside the barrel and it always fixed the problem.

As you wrote yourself, you need to pay attention the type you are putting.

 

[brainii]

well, I searched 2 large DIY shops for pure graphite powder, no luck, I sprayed some graphite containing oil in there, played around with the key etc, it now turns more easily, but still sort of gets stuck, is there a permanent solution?

[Notoyboy]

I would have thought dry lube would do?

Don't do what I did on an ignition key a few years ago, which was to try WD40.  Made it worse, maybe it washed out any remaining lubricant.  IIRC, I then tried a touch of light oil (3 in 1?), and it worked.  I think the secret if using light oil is to only apply it sparingly.

[Mooly]

Have you tried another key, and is the key you are using an original, and also does it look worn?

 

[flash22]

auto or manual ?. dont use graphite powder on locks made this side of the 1990's your just asking for problems, get a can of GT85 or Swarfega Duck Oil

Do not use WD40 (blue can) as it degreases and adds very little lube

If its a auto there may be a issue with the shifter interlock

 

edit. do have a bunch of keys with the ignition key ? a worn ignition is the likely culprit, pop it off the back of the barrel and see it the lock then turns freely

[brainii]

guys not that it matters but it's a 2007 manual auris. I have 2 keys, both are original, both do not look worn and both have exactly the same issue, I think it's the tumblers of the cylinder that are worn, I wonder how much toyota charges to change it...

[tavy]

Every time when I had a problem with ignition switch or door key barrel I solved with WD 40 and after this dries up injected some silicone oil or other thin oil with a syringe. Dry lube is useless.

[Mooly]

2 hours ago, brainii said:

guys not that it matters but it's a 2007 manual auris. I have 2 keys, both are original, both do not look worn and both have exactly the same issue, I think it's the tumblers of the cylinder that are worn, I wonder how much toyota charges to change it...

Based on what you say it does sound as though a new barrel is needed. I wouldn't like to even guess the cost because the biggest part of the job will be the labour.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Fix-your-stuck-Ford-ignition/

 

[brainii]

wow, what an instructable, I much prefer buying a new car to doing all that 🙂

 

[furtula]

16 minutes ago, brainii said:

wow, what an instructable, I much prefer buying a new car to doing all that 🙂

 

We're over complicating things.

Go to your local guy that cuts car keys, explain him the issue and ask for lube, spray, then think, wow, it was this simple, and report here how it solved the problem.

[brainii]

called local Toyota.

103 EUR for the cylinder + labor.

I will do nothing,except maybe try the syringe method, unless it stops working all together (I'm guessing several years from now).

 

 

thanks all for the replies

[yossarian247]

I would fix this asap one way or the other, hopefully lube will work. Sod's law dictates that if the barrel eventually fails and jams completely it will do so at the worst possible time..

I had a similar issue with the ignition barrel on a Citroen some years ago and thought I would live with it. Until one morning it decided to jam solid in the 'Motor' position. No way of stopping the engine or taking the key out. In the end I had to take one of the Battery leads off to stop the starter motor spinning, then stall the engine, and then drill the lock out to remove the barrel and key. Not what you want before work on a Monday morning!