Car Troubleshooting: What to Do If Your Key Doesn’t Turn in Ignition
So you’re sitting in your car, ready to go. You put your key in the ignition and nada. Nothing. The key won’t turn. You think you might be losing your mind. What’s going on here? Let’s troubleshoot this fairly common problem with your car. Fortunately, the solution is usually pretty simple. It could be the battery in your car is dead. Some cars have highly specialized electrical systems and the key won’t even turn if there’s no juice. It’s also possible your steering column is locked in a position that applies pressure to the ignition switch, which prevents it from turning. The trick with this is to gently turn the key while you wiggle the steering wheel back and forth. Another common reason is your transmission isn’t in park or neutral. Many cars have safety features on them that prevent the car from being started if you aren’t in neutral or park.