'99 Concorde ignition key won't turn

Hi! We've got a '99 Chrysler Concorde, worked normally this morning, now
the ignition key won't turn at all. The steering wheel is not locked (I
can turn it more than 1/2 turn to either side). The shift lever won't
move out of park with the key in or out. Putting the key in makes the
interior lights come on and the 'open door' chime goes off.

Searching the archives, I found the following possible things to do:

hit it with a hammer
spray WD-40 down it
make sure the battery cables are clean

I couldn't find much else. Any suggestions??

thanks very very much in advance for any clues

postscript wrote:
> Hi! We've got a '99 Chrysler Concorde, worked normally this morning, now
> the ignition key won't turn at all. The steering wheel is not locked (I
> can turn it more than 1/2 turn to either side). The shift lever won't
> move out of park with the key in or out. Putting the key in makes the
> interior lights come on and the 'open door' chime goes off.
>
> Searching the archives, I found the following possible things to do:
>
> hit it with a hammer
> spray WD-40 down it
> make sure the battery cables are clean
>
> I couldn't find much else. Any suggestions??
>
> thanks very very much in advance for any clues

Hmmm - there was a Safety Recall C45 on '99 300M/Intrepid/Concorde (also
1st gen LHS as well as 95-99 Cirrus, Startus, Breeze, and Sebring
convertible) that allowed the tranny to be moved out of park with the
key removed, and allowed the key to be removed with the tranny not in
park. Yours seems to be doing quite the opposite, but the
shifter/ignition interlock is involved in both. Have the dealer check
your VIN to see if the recall has been performed.

Other than that, perhaps a dealer tech can chime in, or do a search on
www.dodgeintrepid.net forums.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

there is a repair kit for the key cylinder and a new housing it's the same
one for the minivans but some techs want to replace the column but it's not
needed

Bill Punted wrote:

> postscript wrote:
> > Hi! We've got a '99 Chrysler Concorde, worked normally this morning, now
> > the ignition key won't turn at all. The steering wheel is not locked (I
> > can turn it more than 1/2 turn to either side). The shift lever won't
> > move out of park with the key in or out. Putting the key in makes the
> > interior lights come on and the 'open door' chime goes off.
> >
> > Searching the archives, I found the following possible things to do:
> >
> > hit it with a hammer
> > spray WD-40 down it
> > make sure the battery cables are clean
> >
> > I couldn't find much else. Any suggestions??
> >
> > thanks very very much in advance for any clues
>
> Hmmm - there was a Safety Recall C45 on '99 300M/Intrepid/Concorde (also
> 1st gen LHS as well as 95-99 Cirrus, Startus, Breeze, and Sebring
> convertible) that allowed the tranny to be moved out of park with the
> key removed, and allowed the key to be removed with the tranny not in
> park. Yours seems to be doing quite the opposite, but the
> shifter/ignition interlock is involved in both. Have the dealer check
> your VIN to see if the recall has been performed.
>
> Other than that, perhaps a dealer tech can chime in, or do a search on
> www.dodgeintrepid.net forums.
>
> Bill Putney
> (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
> address with the letter 'x')

Bill Putney wrote:

> postscript wrote:
>
>> Hi! We've got a '99 Chrysler Concorde, worked normally this morning,
>> now the ignition key won't turn at all. The steering wheel is not
>> locked (I can turn it more than 1/2 turn to either side). The shift
>> lever won't move out of park with the key in or out. Putting the key
>> in makes the interior lights come on and the 'open door' chime goes off.
>> Searching the archives, I found the following possible things to do:
>>
>> hit it with a hammer
>> spray WD-40 down it
>> make sure the battery cables are clean
>>
>> I couldn't find much else. Any suggestions??
>>
>> thanks very very much in advance for any clues
>
>
> Hmmm - there was a Safety Recall C45 on '99 300M/Intrepid/Concorde (also
> 1st gen LHS as well as 95-99 Cirrus, Startus, Breeze, and Sebring
> convertible) that allowed the tranny to be moved out of park with the
> key removed, and allowed the key to be removed with the tranny not in
> park. Yours seems to be doing quite the opposite, but the
> shifter/ignition interlock is involved in both. Have the dealer check
> your VIN to see if the recall has been performed.
>
> Other than that, perhaps a dealer tech can chime in, or do a search on
> www.dodgeintrepid.net forums.


I've been ignoring that recall because I WISH the stupid interlock would
fail (funny, none of my other cars have killed me, and I can shift 2 of
them into any gear without the key in the ignition :-) I hate "nanny"
features like interlocks, personally. The one I hate the MOST is the one
that makes you stand on the brake before shifting into gear on cars
newer than any of mine. But I digress.

Maybe I should have it done if the failure can cause a non-functional
ignition lock....

Steve wrote:
> Bill Putney wrote:
>
>> postscript wrote:
>>
>>> Hi! We've got a '99 Chrysler Concorde, worked normally this
morning,
>>> now the ignition key won't turn at all. The steering wheel is not
>>> locked (I can turn it more than 1/2 turn to either side). The
shift
>>> lever won't move out of park with the key in or out. Putting the
key
>>> in makes the interior lights come on and the 'open door' chime
goes
>>> off. Searching the archives, I found the following possible things
>>> to do:
>>>
>>> hit it with a hammer
>>> spray WD-40 down it
>>> make sure the battery cables are clean
>>>
>>> I couldn't find much else. Any suggestions??
>>>
>>> thanks very very much in advance for any clues
>>
>>
>> Hmmm - there was a Safety Recall C45 on '99 300M/Intrepid/Concorde
>> (also 1st gen LHS as well as 95-99 Cirrus, Startus, Breeze, and
>> Sebring convertible) that allowed the tranny to be moved out of
park
>> with the key removed, and allowed the key to be removed with the
>> tranny not in park. Yours seems to be doing quite the opposite,
but
>> the shifter/ignition interlock is involved in both. Have the
dealer
>> check your VIN to see if the recall has been performed.
>>
>> Other than that, perhaps a dealer tech can chime in, or do a search
>> on www.dodgeintrepid.net forums.
>
>
> I've been ignoring that recall because I WISH the stupid interlock
> would fail (funny, none of my other cars have killed me, and I can
> shift 2 of them into any gear without the key in the ignition :-) I
> hate "nanny" features like interlocks, personally. The one I hate
the
> MOST is the one that makes you stand on the brake before shifting
> into gear on cars newer than any of mine. But I digress.
>
> Maybe I should have it done if the failure can cause a
non-functional
> ignition lock....

Whacking the key in is a temporary fix,the key lock cylinder likely
needs replacing.
you could whack it then squirt WD in it,but it may not last long.

"postscript" > wrote in message
news
> Hi! We've got a '99 Chrysler Concorde, worked normally this morning, now
> the ignition key won't turn at all. The steering wheel is not locked (I
> can turn it more than 1/2 turn to either side). The shift lever won't
> move out of park with the key in or out. Putting the key in makes the
> interior lights come on and the 'open door' chime goes off.
>
> Searching the archives, I found the following possible things to do:
>
> hit it with a hammer
> spray WD-40 down it
> make sure the battery cables are clean
>
> I couldn't find much else. Any suggestions??
>
> thanks very very much in advance for any clues


Tap the key with a small hammer as you are turning it to start and it will
turn, The key cylinder and waffers are shot, the only fix is to replace the
cylinder and recode it to the key again.
Spraying a lubricant in it will not fix the problem.
And if you keep putting the repair off it will eventually not turn at all
leaving you stranded.

Bill P, Im surprised your forum hasnt discussed this problem already

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

"postscript" > wrote in message
news
> Hi! We've got a '99 Chrysler Concorde, worked normally this morning, now
> the ignition key won't turn at all. The steering wheel is not locked (I
> can turn it more than 1/2 turn to either side). The shift lever won't
> move out of park with the key in or out. Putting the key in makes the
> interior lights come on and the 'open door' chime goes off.
>
> Searching the archives, I found the following possible things to do:
>
> hit it with a hammer
> spray WD-40 down it
> make sure the battery cables are clean
>
> I couldn't find much else. Any suggestions??
>
> thanks very very much in advance for any clues


I just traded in my old Nissan p/u that would do the same thing. It was
always the fault of not putting the shift lever all the way into park.

maxpower wrote:

>
> Tap the key with a small hammer as you are turning it to start and it will
> turn, The key cylinder and waffers are shot, the only fix is to replace the
> cylinder and recode it to the key again.
> Spraying a lubricant in it will not fix the problem.
> And if you keep putting the repair off it will eventually not turn at all
> leaving you stranded.
>
> Bill P, Im surprised your forum hasnt discussed this problem already

They have - in spades. I just haven't followed that particular problem
(because I haven't experienced it).

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

postscript wrote:

> Hi! We've got a '99 Chrysler Concorde, worked normally this morning, now
> the ignition key won't turn at all. The steering wheel is not locked (I
> can turn it more than 1/2 turn to either side). The shift lever won't
> move out of park with the key in or out. Putting the key in makes the
> interior lights come on and the 'open door' chime goes off.

Were your parked on an incline when this happened? It happened to me once
('99 Intrepid). Apparently the car rolled back a fraction of an inch
despite me having the park brake on. The car rolling back slightly put
pressure on the transmission and/or the park pin so I couldn't take the car
out of Park. The solution was me pushing on the car slightly while a helper
turned the key one position.

Greg
--who hasn't gotten that shift interlock recall done either and shudders to
think what the dealer will screw up when it is done......