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