Folks,

Every once in a while, my wife has trouble with starting her Honda Fit ('09 Sport Auto, <10K mi). She'll put the key in the ignition, and it won't rotate.

She called me this evening to help her, and it took me several tries to get the key moving in the ignition.

There's no trouble inserting the key fully.

The trouble is rotating the key once inserted. I tried things like playing with the shift (automatic), rocking the car, etc, before it finally worked.

Suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

Something like this usually happens when the steering wheel is locked.

When she gets out of the car, does her hip/leg push on the steering wheel, causing it to turn?

Once it locks, you can't turn the key. The steering wheel usually wants to turn back towards 'center' (straight front wheels)... if you turn it away from center just slightly, you can usually then turn the key.

 

^^ Ditto. That's the first thing that came to my mind when reading the topic name.

Try rotating the steering wheel to the left about an inch or so and try to rotate the key.

 

+1 on the steering wheel lock. Just turn the steering wheel slightly while turning the key.

 

OP. Try using a different key. Or take the key to a locksmith and ask them if the key is worn down or not.

Same issue. My ignition wont turn anymore i had to tow it to the locksmith they told me immediately that it is my key that busted up the cylinder. So i got a new clone key and all is good.

DO IT NOW before your cylinder goes kaput and leaves you stranded like it did to me!

 

Mine has done the same thing once or twice. It happened in my last Ford too. I've been able to get them to unlock by rocky the car slightly.

 

I vote for turning the steering wheel left and right while turning the key.