Key problem -help please!!

[Benaywood]

Hi, It's been a while since I have sought advice from the elders, (or quite likely youngers)... My last power steering problem was just a hose issue and a quick £60 fix so hoping this is simple...  My key does not work, it lets me in, moves the steering wheel in to position and the little red light flashes but then nothing.. I can't turn the key.  I've tried my spares and still no joy.

Is this what a key Battery failing feels like (I thought it would turn but the immobiliser would kick in), or is it something to do with the ignition barrel?  Hoping it's a cheap fix, my mechanic says the car may not be long for this world and I want to enjoy a few more months before I need to make a decision 😢...

As always any help is greatly appreciated.

Ben

[Benaywood]

It was the steering lock!  What a doughnut. More amateur requests this time next week.. At least I can travel first class to my meeting tomorrow now and not nick my wife's Golf for the journey..

[LenT]

1 hour ago, Benaywood said:

It was the steering lock!  What a doughnut. More amateur requests this time next week.. 

Don’t beat yourself up about it, Ben.

Most of us have been caught out by an uncooperative steering lock at some time or another. It’s not clear what the actual problem was, but it was apparently resolved fairly easily.  So put it down to experience.

I’ve just invested in a Milenco steering wheel lock.  A hefty bit of kit, but it takes some getting used to.  Well, it warns you that sometimes the key doesn’t fully enter the lock - in which case it won’t release.  It then tells you what to do.

But knowing all that didn’t help when it actually happened to me - and I had visions of calling a locksmith to break into a lock specifically designed to be very difficult to break into!

Stay calm and the problem goes away.