Automotive Forums

We have 2001 Town and Country and my wife was stuck at home with the same problem. A tap with the hammer worked like a charm. I will see if this problem is covered under our extended warranty! Thanks for the helpful info. Pieter. PS This came up as the 1st site under Google. Google is your friend!  

What a lifesaver this thread is!  I was stuck in a restaurant parking lot on a cold Friday night with my wife and my 1 yr old son when our 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport did this exact thing.  Key would go into the ignition, but would not turn.  Caught a ride back to my home where I Googled the appropriate info, and lo and behold, I learned the rubber mallet trick.  Worked great!  Thank you so much.  It also works with the palm of your hand if you don't have a mallet.  The key turns fine now, but I'd have been stuck without this forum.  

I have a 2002 Chrysler T&C and have had the same problem.  I bought the ingnition switch mechanism which consists of the cylinder body w/o the tumblers, the outer cylinder sleeve, 2 springs, 2 pins, and a packet of white grease.  All for the convenient price of $111 after tax!!!  I just finished changing out the old one without a single problem.  

- Tools required are a #2 phillips screwdriver and a T15 or T20 torx driver (can't remember which one I used, may have been both).  
- You do have to insert the key and use a screwdriver to get the old cylinder assembly out of the column.
- Twist the cylinder body inside the cylinder sleeve until you can remove the cylinder body.  You'll have to push one of the spring loaded pins into the cylinder sleeve to be able to turn the cylinder body to the correct orientation before it can be removed.  Play with the new one to see how the 2 go together.  
- Next you want to carefully remove each tumbler and tiny spring and put them into the new cylinder body in the exact same spot.  This is important because your key won't work unless you get them all in the correct positions.  I put grease in each tumbler slot before installing them but some may advise against this.  I'm not too concerned about "dirt" but I did make sure to not use too much grease.
- I highly recommend greasing the cylinder body detent surface. (You'll understand why when you read the last paragraph below.)
- Insert the key to get all the tumblers to pull into the cylinder body so that it can be installed into the sleeve.  Don't forget to put the 2 springs / pins in before inserting cylinder body.  I greased those pins too. (The key didn't just slide right in on the first try.  I had to jiggle while inserting and removing the key a few times then it smoothed out nicely.)
- With the key still inserted, install the assembly into the column.
- Put all the covers / screws back in place.

For those wondering about the electronic key sensor, it's not part of the cylinder itself, it's a separate module that has a plastic ring around the end where the key is inserted into the cylinder.  You do not have to disconnect anything electrical.  I suggest disconnecting the battery if you're concerned about shorting any wires (I left the power connected).  

The new cylinder works really well.  It's a noticeable difference.  As for what's wrong with the old one, it looks like the 2 spring loaded pins wear the cylinder body to where the pins more or less get stuck in the detents for the off position.  The cylinder body and sleeve both appear to be zinc cast or something similar so it's no wonder this happens.  The surface on the cylinder body where the detents are should be another material so that this doesn't happen so quickly.  

jeromiep:
I have a 2002 Chrysler T&C and have had the same problem.  I bought the ingnition switch mechanism which consists of the cylinder body w/o the tumblers, the outer cylinder sleeve, 2 springs, 2 pins, and a packet of white grease.  All for the convenient price of $111 after tax!!!  I just finished changing out the old one without a single problem.  <br><br>- Tools required are a #2 phillips screwdriver and a T15 or T20 torx driver (can't remember which one I used, may have been both).  <br>- You do have to insert the key and use a screwdriver to get the old cylinder assembly out of the column.<br>- Twist the cylinder body inside the cylinder sleeve until you can remove the cylinder body.  You'll have to push one of the spring loaded pins into the cylinder sleeve to be able to turn the cylinder body to the correct orientation before it can be removed.  Play with the new one to see how the 2 go together.  <br>- Next you want to carefully remove each tumbler and tiny spring and put them into the new cylinder body in the exact same spot.  This is important because your key won't work unless you get them all in the correct positions.  I put grease in each tumbler slot before installing them but some may advise against this.  I'm not too concerned about "dirt" but I did make sure to not use too much grease.<br>- I highly recommend greasing the cylinder body detent surface. (You'll understand why when you read the last paragraph below.)<br>- Insert the key to get all the tumblers to pull into the cylinder body so that it can be installed into the sleeve.  Don't forget to put the 2 springs / pins in before inserting cylinder body.  I greased those pins too. (The key didn't just slide right in on the first try.  I had to jiggle while inserting and removing the key a few times then it smoothed out nicely.)<br>- With the key still inserted, install the assembly into the column.<br>- Put all the covers / screws back in place.<br><br>For those wondering about the electronic key sensor, it's not part of the cylinder itself, it's a separate module that has a plastic ring around the end where the key is inserted into the cylinder.  You do not have to disconnect anything electrical.  I suggest disconnecting the battery if you're concerned about shorting any wires (I left the power connected).  <br><br>The new cylinder works really well.  It's a noticeable difference.  As for what's wrong with the old one, it looks like the 2 spring loaded pins wear the cylinder body to where the pins more or less get stuck in the detents for the off position.  The cylinder body and sleeve both appear to be zinc cast or something similar so it's no wonder this happens.  The surface on the cylinder body where the detents are should be another material so that this doesn't happen so quickly.

jeromiep,
  How long was your repair work?  My skill level in medium (I can replace sparkplugs and water pumps) but I can't spend more than two hours onthe work.  

I spent about an hour working on it.  I think I spent more time going to the dealer to get the part.  I would say my skill level's medium too.  

I just had the same thing happen with my 2001 Grand Caravan.  It's at the Dodge dealership right and they are replacing the tumbler\ignition.

I have the extended warranty through Dodge but they just told me this was not covered - $330.

I see a few posts saying this happened after their warranty expired but has anyone had this covered under warranty?

Thanks  

hi guys , day before new years eve , put key in my jeep grand cherokee and it would not turn . phoned locksmith and garage but they could not do anything until jan 3rd . as i have to return to work on 2nd jan things were bad .i found this site with google and tried the mallet trick . gave it one tap and still nothing . tried again and the key turned . thank you guys very much you have saved my bacon . happy new year to all , vlad  bayman  

Thank you also for the information.  I have a 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan SE.  This thing is has every option you could want so you would think they would have but enough effort into making sure the key would turn.  About 2 months ago we started noticing the problem but we've always been able to eventually get it to start...not this morning.  I tried and tried and tried, nothing.  I called the dealership and they said they have had two vans towed to them this past week for the same problem and they ended up replacing the tumblers in the ignition.  Found out it would be a nice $300 fee for that.  I tried the WD-40 and hammer thing and it worked to get me going.  Thanks for the information and lets all wave bye bye to my $300!  Glad I spent so much money on the van.

Jake  

I want to thank all who posted here. Over the past year my 2000 Intrepid did this three times; key would not turn in the ignition. Each time some jiggling of the wheel etc. and a minute or so later it turned fine. Today, nothing helped. Nothing I tried would permit the key to turn. This forum and the suggestions here saved my bacon, for now. The mallet trick worked. I put in the key, tapped the end firmly three or four times and it turned, car started. I turned it off and it would not turn. Twice more I repeated this, each time the mallet trick worked. I guess I'll have to take it in to the dealer; so it goes. Again, thanks to all who contributed to this thread.  

Chris,

Many thanks for you posting your problem and the solution to get a lot of folks out of a bind in pinch. My best friend has a 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan that had the key get stuck in the on position, she called me and explained the problem and I was able to find your post. She tried and on the third wack with a light weight hammer her problem was resolved. She found out that if she left the key in the ignition that it would not frezze up, so she is just using the electornic lock to secure the van until we can replace the ignition cylinder lock. Thanks Again!  

I have a 98 Plymouth Voyager.  I cannot turn the ignitition key.  Same symptons that are described earlier in this discussion.  I will attempt the rubber mallet action prescribed.  Thank you for your input....

Awesome!  Thank you for your advice.  3 Whacks and the car started.  I had been trying to start the car for 3 hours and after reading this web site and using the rubber mallet it worked immediately.

Thanks again  

Huge thanks to the posters on this forum! You've saved me a night of stress.

I have an '02 Dodge Ram conversion van and this just happened to me tonight. I thought I was going to have to have the thing towed tomorrow morning but then it occurred to me to Google it and I found this forum. A few taps on the key and it turned right away.

I'm extremely disappointed, though. This van, which we bought less than a year ago, with only 38k miles on it, was my dream vehicle. I had no idea there were known issues such as this one. Now I'm going to wonder every time I get in it, is the key going to turn? And, if it doesn't, will the tapping work or is it going to completely give up the ghost on me and leave me stranded? I just had the entire gas tank replaced six weeks ago because I hit a (small) object on the highway which bounced up and punctured the gas tank. Now I find out all this. Most upsetting!  

98 Dodge Grand Caravan 70k miles

I started to have the dreaded stuck key problem, solved by hammer blows, etc. I was going to follow some of the above advice and change out the ignition switch as per a few posts ago, but I found that there was a MUCH EASIER FIX (at least for my year).

The problem (again at least on my year) is not with the ignition switch which is very costly and takes some labor time. It is further upstream. It is with the ignition cylinder and tumblers which connect into the ignition switch. Basically a metal body that the key fits into and turns the mechanism inside which in turn moves a tab on the bottom which hooks intot he ignition switch and moves it. You can go to your local Autozone (online: autozone.com) (or discount parts seller) and buy an "ignition cylinder w/ key and tumblers."

It costs ONLY $12.99 and solves this problem. Labor about 15 min.

The down side is that you have to use a different key than the doors for the ignition now, but the repair costs so little and involves no complex installation skills and can be done with a screwdriver. The part even comes with instructions. All you have to do is remove the plastic under the steering wheel with a Phillips screwdriver. Take a flat head and push in the locking tab in the cylinder. Turn the key and pull out the cylinder with a little wiggling and the key as a pull. Pop in the new cylinder and you are all set. I would recommend putting grease around the course of the pins on the cylinder. When you remove the old one, you'll see how with time a channel is etched into the soft metal and causes the pins to get stuck and not want to come out. This repair can be done in <15 min. No exaggeration.

Don't go to the dealer for parts or labor. Mostly every Autozone carries this part because it is poorly designed. Don't buy the whole ignition switch! Again, not sure if this will work for vehicles newer than 1998.

Good luck!  

Another satisfied customer of the hammer tap solution!  Thanks to the original poster with the rubber mallet band-aid.  I had to abandon my 2000 T&C minivan at dusk on Christmas Eve.  After that I came home I found this forum and was able to retreive my vehicle with the rubber mallet (saved a tow charge).  I have since had the ignition cylinder replaced ~$200.
   Now the key turns but occasionally the starter does not engage.  It is an intermittent problem for now, just how the ignition problem started.  My next solution will be the $12.99 ignitions cylinder at Autozone.
 My next car will NOT be a Chrysler.  

Just a great thank you!  My nephew called me to google "how to turn on a Chysler tnc when key won't turn".  Read this site.  Told them to hit the key (can't say how they hit it), but I suggested they use a shoe.  Hurray! turned on.