My 90 renix xj is stuck at work because the key wont turn in the ignition cylinder. The steering wheel is locked also. I disconnected the lever along the column, put it into neutral and it still would not turn. I have searched this issue and I am having trouble figuring out if its a bad cylinder or a bad ignition switch. Is there a way to tell without taking it apart? I think its the cylinder or the key because they are both worn. I am planning to take out the cylinder after work. If the ign. switch is bad will it start w/ the screw driver and no cylinder? Also, does anyone have any idea which cylinder retainer I have (torx, phillips, spring half moon)? Or, any other ideas for getting my jeep home?? Thanks everyone-

 

is it automatic try pushing forward on shifter while turning key ,also try wiggling steering wheel back and forth while turning key

 

I tried all of that. That worked up untill yesterday. Now I have a blister on my finger from trying the key so many times.

 

I took out the cylinder in my work parking lot. It works great with a screwdriver now! It was like 150 degrees in the xj and the steering column internals burnt my fingers, but it felt good to get it out of there!

 

I've experienced it a couple of times, always where there was nobody to help, usually when it was pouring rain or freezing outside! My local Jeep dealership told me that by tapping the key, not hard, but smartly with a hammer (or suitable object) while it is in the lock cylinder, the key would start turning freely again. I also learned that the problem is not in the lock cylinder itself, but in the mechanism inside the steering column that actually locks the steering/tranny and replacing the lock cylinder does not cure the problem. The last time this happened to me I flooded the area with a Teflon spray (after I got the key to work again) and it has not recurred.

 

I used wd40 worked ever since

 

I had this happen on my 99 a while back. I did a bit of research at that time and found that Jeep installed lock cylinders across a number of years that would wear and fail where the key would not turn. Fortunately it was stuck in the drive way.

I also have AAA and because the car was disabled I was able to get an AAA associated lock smith to come out and replace the cylinder with an upgraded version at a really great price, around $50. This was normally around a $175 job without the AAA discount. It would have been a lot more if I had done the hit the key trick to get it to turn and had it re stick again. The lock smith said the hit the key trick only works once.

No issues since.

 

rain and 90 plus degree temp for me on this one

 

I just push on the brakes and mine usually unlocks.

 

My turn, in my 2000 Classic I just had this problem, I will try the hammer trick, if that works, where do I "flood the area" with WD40. My vehicle is parked in a local restaurant's parking lot I need an answer pretty quickly.
Not raining but chilly.

 

Well I did the hammer trick, blue jeep is back home. Now what? I was reading in my Haynes manual, that I bought when I had my '95 SE. on the page where it talks about the ignition lock cylinder, it is mentioned that in '97 and later models, a tamper proof torx screw is used, well that doesn't help a lot, anybody know what size of a tamper proof torx is used? It looks like the removal and replacement of the cylinder easier than in earlier models