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Permanent and Cheap Fix for the Dreaded Steering Lock (Key will not turn in the ignition)

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Twice in the last 12 months I've been stranded in my 2007 L322 TDV8, both times due to the key not turning in the barrel. At the time I assumed the key was at fault, or maybe the ignition barrel, but actually the fault lies with the steering lock. You may hear some clicks from the dash/steering column when it tries to unlock - some people refer to it as the "three dreaded clicks". Firstly, a quick overview on how it is meant to work. Pre-2008 cars have a motorised steering lock, with a Kuhnke solenoid with inbuilt hall sensor . Behind the traditional "ignition barrel" is a transponder which reads the key (to disarm the immobiliser), a sensor to pick up when the key is inserted along with a locking pin (another solenoid), and finally a switch to actually turn on the ignition and crank the engine. When the key is inserted, a signal is sent from the key-in sensor to the steering lock ECU. This small module is located within a security sealed aluminium casing on