MX-3.com

washed car yesterday..stupid i know..locks froze outside..after ALOT of fightin to get in the car..now i cant get the ignition to turn?!!!!!!!!!
this is the first time this has happend..latley i have also been having problems shifting from park..the button in the shifter wont press, and i have to pop that little plastic cover and press the button with a safety pin in order to shift outa park..any ideas as i cant even start my car right now?!

Is the steering locked? If it is turn the wheels hard in the direction they're pointing while turning the key in the ignition it should pop free. If the steering isn't locked...I have no idea.

With the weather we been having.. I am surprised the water comming outa that hose didn't freeze once it came out!! But like I told you yesterday... silly silly boy, may have to put it in a garage and let it all thaw!

the steering wasnt locked,,until i screwed around trying to turn the key, now its locked..i am also able to move my shifter so i dont get it...just gona keep heatin up the key with a lighter i guess

oh and the water was freezing the second it hit the car

tmac4t4 wrote:oh and the water was freezing the second it hit the car

And yet you decided it was a good idea to continue?

never said it was smart
live and learn

Well, for the ignition, the 626 and Mx-3 did it, if your wheels were turned when you parked, the key wouldn't turn, just wiggle the wheel back and forth while trying to turn the key, i'll pop in.

The shifter won't move unless your in the ON position of the key, unless you do the unlock-thingy beside it.

The lesson here is you should of built a hugeass fire ring in orer to keep everything warm...

i got the key to turn! but im kind of confused, because now the problem isnt so much turning the key, its getting it back out and it doesnt appear my steering wheel is locking anymore? dont get it, its not like i washed the inside of my car

Stop slobbering on your keys. Spray a non conductive cleaner on to your ignition key. OK we can get stupid here and tell you to heat the key using a 9volt battery or grab a hair dryer and heat the SOB. Use the hair dryer to heat the ignition if you feel it could of gotten water in it then go and lick the battery as your punishment for getting it wet in the first place.

Danny, I know you like to tell people to lick batteries, but I truely believe a 9v is the only battery you can lick. How do you get your tongue on both terminals?

It's not the posts I want licked but that nice acidic coating on top avec white powdery crap.

Daninski wrote:It's not the posts I want licked but that nice acidic coating on top avec white powdery crap.

Multilingualism...Canada ROCKS!!!

Is the key a master key for your car? If it is, chances are you bent the key while trying it on frozen locks. Either try another key if you have one or try to get another one made. I tried to bend one back after the same thing happened and it broke, at least i had a spare though.