Ignition barrel

PobodY

Moderators
Staff member
I've had a quick look, but unfortunately every search just gives me stuff about the ignition system (and "key" is too short a search term).

Basically my problem is that my wife keeps saying that her key is stuck in the ignition and she can't turn it to start the car. A good solution you might think? No. If she can't drive the car I have to drive her everywhere and drop her at work etc... or she'll want another car.

Her solution is that I should buy a new ignition barrel for the car, but I thought before I do that I should check to see if this is a known problem (and if there is a known fix for it).

She has the original Nissan key and I have a cut copy; I've never had any serious problems getting it to turn (other than when the steering lock has engaged and you need to give the wheel a bit of a tug to release it). However, the wife has called out Green Flag twice now to get them to start the car and refuses to drive it because she says she can't be sure she'll ever get it to start again. - My feeling is that it's down to her, but I can't say that or she'll kill me!

So peoples, what's the advice: Can I take the barrel out and grease it up? Is there a little bit of plastic that often breaks? Can I re-key a new one to the old keys (it's not a huge issue as the locks open with the alarm and the boot doesn't open with any of the keys I've got either)? Is it and expensive part or a real beatch of a job?

I have to do something or she'll take to smashing the steering column until the key turns... and that method didn't work on the SatNav when she said it was lying to her.
 

antopulsar

New Member
I have to do something or she'll take to smashing the steering column until the key turns... and that method didn't work on the SatNav when she said it was lying to her.
sorry bud cant help but your other half sounds just like mine lol apart from my sat nav is somewhere in nottingham on a motorway. "bitch"
 

geoff pine

Well-Known Member
Easy fix this





















take the keys of her and tell her to get the bus :lol::lol: or swop the keys over hers may just be more worn than yours .
 
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stumo

Active Member
Antopulsar and Pobody, your splitarses sound like mentalists....i guess that's obvious, they're women :der:
 

gtirjoey

Member
keys can wear out mate, sounds like this is whats happened
swap keys with her and see if it happens to you;-)
 

vss irvine

Well-Known Member
its probably the 'tumblers' in the barrel that are worn, theyre made of brass iirc.

not really an easy fix, ive had this problem on my sunny sr. ended up changing the barrel.

but before you do that, i would get another copy of your key made, as the original key could be worn aswell.

worn key and worn tumblers mean no worky!
 

antgtir

New Member
Barrel looks a pain in the aris to remove (never completed this exercise but analysed). It looked to me like you would have to drill it out of the housing in order to release the barrel out of the housing.

Not sure whether the "key people" are able to replace the brass tumblers or whether its a start again job?

P.s. Remind me never to get on your mrs nerves lol.

Good luck,

Ant.
 

fubar andy

Moderator & N/W Rep
Staff member
Basically my problem is that my wife keeps saying that her key is stuck in the ignition and she can't turn it to start the car. A good solution you might think? No. If she can't drive the car I have to drive her everywhere and drop her at work etc... or she'll want another car.

Are you having the same problem?

If not then I would say it’s an issue with her.

Get her to show you what she's doing (wrong) and see if you can diagnose the problem, it would be cheaper and save anymore hassle.
 

stumo

Active Member
Are you having the same problem?

If not then I would say it’s an issue with her.

Get her to show you what she's doing (wrong) and see if you can diagnose the problem, it would be cheaper and save anymore hassle.
it could be the key Andy although you're probibly right, the issue will be with the woman!:lol::lol::lol:
 

PobodY

Moderators
Staff member
She says that she has the same problem with my key. I think it's mainly her technique, but she was told by the nice man from Green Flag that the barrel is worn (and that it's common in Nissans) so I have to do something to show that I've fixed the problem and she can try again.
 

PobodY

Moderators
Staff member
take the keys of her and tell her to get the bus :lol::lol: or swop the keys over hers may just be more worn than yours .
I tried that, but the bus service from here is completely shite... and she works about 5 minutes down the road from me so it's easier for her to take the car once I'm at work.

Antopulsar and Pobody, your splitarses sound like mentalists....i guess that's obvious, they're women :der:
I wouldn't go that far... I think maybe she is stronger than she realises and doesn't have much patience. She is more likely to try to force the key and snap it (or the ignition barrel) than sit there and try wiggling the steering wheel as she turns the key. I think that's mainly the problem, but as I said she's been told that it's a dodgy ignition barrel so now I need to fix it before she does any real damage.

its probably the 'tumblers' in the barrel that are worn, theyre made of brass iirc.

not really an easy fix, ive had this problem on my sunny sr. ended up changing the barrel.

but before you do that, i would get another copy of your key made, as the original key could be worn aswell.

worn key and worn tumblers mean no worky!
I think this is the closest explanation. She says she has the same problem with my key, but it is newer. The ignition barrel is now almost 20 years old, so add the two together and you get something that needs a bit of care rather than brute force to work.

I'll try a new key first (that means a pre-PM warning for someone), but I think I'm gonna have to cut/drill those shear bolts to replace the barrel before she believes that I've really fixed it. - If it wasn't for those shear bolts, it doesn't look too hard.

Half the problem is that she used to get the key stuck in our Skyline, which was automatic and had that funny thing where you have to remember to put it in park (which she never did)... then put your foot hard on the brake to start it. She discovered that if you gave the car a shunt it would free the ignition lock, so now she tries that method on the Pulsar... and for obvious reasons it doesn't work.
 

stumo

Active Member
I tried that, but the bus service from here is completely shite... and she works about 5 minutes down the road from me so it's easier for her to take the car once I'm at work.

I wouldn't go that far... I think maybe she is stronger than she realises and doesn't have much patience. She is more likely to try to force the key and snap it (or the ignition barrel) than sit there and try wiggling the steering wheel as she turns the key. I think that's mainly the problem, but as I said she's been told that it's a dodgy ignition barrel so now I need to fix it before she does any real damage.

I think this is the closest explanation. She says she has the same problem with my key, but it is newer. The ignition barrel is now almost 20 years old, so add the two together and you get something that needs a bit of care rather than brute force to work.

I'll try a new key first (that means a pre-PM warning for someone), but I think I'm gonna have to cut/drill those shear bolts to replace the barrel before she believes that I've really fixed it. - If it wasn't for those shear bolts, it doesn't look too hard.

Half the problem is that she used to get the key stuck in our Skyline, which was automatic and had that funny thing where you have to remember to put it in park (which she never did)... then put your foot hard on the brake to start it. She discovered that if you gave the car a shunt it would free the ignition lock, so now she tries that method on the Pulsar... and for obvious reasons it doesn't work.
That still makes her sound like a mentalist!:der::der:

You need to teach her the correct way to remove the key and also starting the car.:roll:
 

vss irvine

Well-Known Member
you dont have to drill the shear bolts, if you use a centre punch to knock the head round, you can normally get them to turn.

the 4 or 5 we have removed have been fairly slack.
 
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