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Hi, thank you very much to this forum. I have a '99 Plymouth Breeze and had the same issue as described by other posts. The key simply would not turn. The first time I wiggled the steering wheel and it started. However, the second time around I wiggled the wheel and nothing happened. I thought I would have to get a tow and throw down a bit of money for a new ignition cylinder.

Then I tried the rubber mallet trick and I was saved! I tapped 3-4 times and nothing happened. Then I tapped 3 more times, with a harder strike and PRESTO, the key turned and the car started. It doesn't lock every time, only once in a while... but I will be keeping the mallet with me in my glove box for sure. I don't know how long this will work before I get stranded, but I'll test my luck with the mallet trick.

Thanks for your tips people!  

After 2 days of wrangling with stuck ignition cylinder, I found this post..
The Mallet Trick works!!!!
Thank you!!! Three days before Christmas and this trick saved me hundreds of dollars.
Put the key in the ignition, hit the end of the key a few times at medium strength, as if trying to drive key further into the slot. Don't give up, after a few tries over the course of an hour it worked. Thanks Again Everyone!!

Merry Christmas.  

HA HA HA... Woke up this morning and was getting ready to pick up my daughter from school, when low and behold my key wouldn't turn in the ignition. went on line, and actually went out to the garage with hair dryer in tow.  DIDN'T WORK.  

So I tried violently turning the steering wheel - NOPE.

Called the Dodge dealership - explained that I had a 1999 Dodge Neon that wouldn't start because the key wouldn't turn in the ignition. Number one suggestion... put key in ignition, take rubber soled shoe or heavy book and give the end of the key a couple of firm taps.  Book in hand, I tried it and it worked!  Never thought that a hard back copy of "Midnight in the garden of good and evil" would come in so handy.

Incidently - I contacted a local locksmith that I trust and he said he'd work on it for around $65.00 plus tax.

So - we'll see how everything turns out... thank you forum!!! If you don't have a mallet - a book will do.  

I have a 2000 Plymouth Grand Voyager that despite >160k miles has not given us much trouble through the years (there was the steering column recall a couple of years back but that was it).
Yesterday morning, I got all packed up and ready to take my son to a soccer tournament when the key wouldn't turn in the ignition.  I tried the usual tricks: turn the steering wheel, push the brake, put the car in neutral (which I wasn't able to do, this works for a similar problem in some Nissans).
My wife picked us up and we were late to the first game.
When I got home and found this thread and did the mallet trick successfully (it took me two light taps) I was fuming. If this is a known and chronic problem with Chrysler vehicles (Dodge, Chrysler, Plymouth), why haven't they had a recall to correct the issue?  Not everyone will have a computer at their side and know what to search for w/r/t this problem, and not everyone will trust themselves to hit the key with a mallet while it is in the ignition (I was a little wary, until I got to the 3rd page of this thread and saw that it has worked for all, except the guy that broke his key while it was still in the ignition).
Has anyone contacted Chrysler regarding this issue?
It's just ridiculous that a mallet fixes a known car problem in the 21st century, it's like the TVs from the 70's.

- Roman  

As everyone can see from this long thread, there is a problem with the Chrysler ignition switches going back years and years.

So for those that do not know, amazingkeys.com has the switches for $49.99 each and they will match them up to your old keys so that you will not need to buy new keys and you will not have to program new keys.  This is a big *** saver.

Amazingkeys.com will also ship the switch overnight if you need it fast.

The rubber hammer trick will work for a while and then it will stop working again.  

1999 Plymouth Voyager just experienced the same issue. After tapping the key a few times i was able to free it and start the car. Unfortunately  this cost me a vacation day from work as it was better to take a day off than be late. I don't want this to happen again and wonder how many times the tapping resolution will work before it no longer turns. Guess i will need to spend the couple hundred to have the key cylinder replaced. This old car is starting to become a money pit.    

here is the part... and a video on how to do it...
and some text from the other thread...

https://www.dormanproducts.com/documents4rb/2009ss/2900041_IgnitionCylinders.pdf  


this is even better....   a video from dorman...  on how to remove the lock and rekey it to your key...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTad_jUyTuA

dorman products are available at almost every parts store in the country...   be sure to write down the part number... 924-703  

when you call the parts store looking for one.. say.. i need a dorman 924-703.....   that is how professional mechanics ask for parts...    gets through all the what year is it for...      oh  thats a dealer item...  crud...

be sure to check the PDF file above..  to make sure that your car fits this switch...


its not hard to fix


people have also taken it apart.....  pulled the tumblers from the lock and filed them and put them back...

one could also just remove them all....   put it back together...  chances of your car getting stolen when somebody tries it without a key in the ignition is slim.... i would not do this if i had kids who rode in the car...