In this article, I describe the steps that I took to repair the ignition switch in my Honda Accord that wouldn’t turn. They key in the ignition, just would not rotate! So frustrating! Anyway, I got it fixed, and here’s how:
Here is a list of other Honda vehicles that this repair applies to:
- Honda Accord
- Honda Element
- Honda Civic
- Honda Cross Tour
- Honda Fit
- Honda Insight
- Honda Odyssey
If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to read all the details, the easiest fix is to replace the lock cylinder assembly! Okay, now for the details….
If you have an ignition that just clicks or gives an electrical buzzing sound, check out the fix to this common problem.
Just need to re-program a new key? Check out How to Program a Honda Key.
Diagnosing a Key that Won’t Turn in the Ignition
The ignition switch on my 2004 Honda Accord developed a problem. The key simply would not turn in the ignition! I was finally able to get it to turn one day after I jammed one of the keys into the ignition to get it to turn. But unfortunately, after that, the key would not turn in the ignition!
Ignition Won’t Turn – Steering Wheel Lock
Just for clarification, this was not a steering wheel lock issue, where the key won’t turn if the steering wheel is locked. The steering wheel was free, but the key just would not turn.
As a note to others who may be experiencing this problem. One thing that can happen is that if the key is out of the ignition, and you turn the steering wheel, at some point the steering wheel will ‘lock’ in place. This is a safety feature of some sort. The problem is that if the wheels are turned all the way in one direction, or if the wheels are butted up against something (like a curb), then it can be very difficult to release the locking mechanism, even with the key is in the ignition. The usual solution to this is to wiggle the steering wheel while trying to turn the key. If the wheels are jammed, you may need to wiggle pretty hard!
But for purposes of clarification, this was not my problem!
Ignition Won’t Turn – Stuck Lock Wafers
Occasionally I could get the ignition with the key in it to turn, after jamming the key into the slot and simultaneously turning it. I tried multiple keys, but no key worked every time, and usually the key would go in fine, but not be able to actually turn the ignition in order to start the car!
It turns out, one of the wafers in the lock cylinder was sticking up and catching on something, causing the lock assembly not to turn.
The solution was that I took apart the lock cylinder and removed all but the last key wafer. This fixed the problem, and it is working every time now!
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After searching for a solution for a long time, it seems to be a common problem, so I hope this post can help someone out.
Honda Ignition Switch Locked Up
If you don’t want to mess around with removing wafers, and disassembling the lock, you can just replace the whole thing. They actually sell the entire genuine Honda assembly (35100-SDA-A71) on Amazon, here’s the link:
2004 Honda Accord Ignition Switch (35100-SDA-A71)
The easiest and most economical option is to simply replace the lock cylinder. This is the same assemble for the Honda Accord, Element, Civic, CrossTour, Fit, Insight, and Odyssey. Here is the link for the lock cylinder and 2 replacement keys to go with it:
Honda Lock Cylinder Replacement (with 2 keys)
And if you just need a new set of key blanks, these are the ones you need:
Honda Accord Key Blanks (qty 2)
Then follow this guide to program your keys:How to Program a Honda Key.
Transponder “Chip”
There is one thing to be aware of, and that is when you replace the factory key with a different one, you will need to salvage the old immobilizer chip or reprogram the transponder chip in the key. The dealership will want about $150-$200 for this service (hint: call around to different dealerships, I’ve heard some will do this for as little as $35).
That being said, you have options here.
- You can just carry the old key around with you on your keychain.
- You can attach the old key somewhere under the steering column so that it is always there.
- Or you can salvage the transponder chip from the old key by removing it and putting it inside your new key (the replacement keys have a compartment to hold the chip). Another method.
I just removed the bad lock wafers from the lock cylinder. If you want to try what I did, read on…
I include pictures that I took showing the repair so hopefully it will be helpful to you.
How to Free a Stuck Ignition Switch – Step by Step
- Remove the negative battery terminal, so airbags do not accidentally inflate, and wait about 10 minutes.
- Remove the plastic housing around the steering column. You have to remove about 3 screws, then pry the two plastic halves open with a screwdriver.
- Unplug all the electrical plugs, there are 3…
- Remove 3 gold screws.
- Remove 2 large screws with no heads… These ones are a bit tricky. The 2 screws on top have to be removed with a hammer and chisel….
- Angle a chisel or large flat-bladed screwdriver, so that it is digging into the screw-head, then tap the end of the chisel or screwdriver with a hammer to slowly turn the screw.
- Note: The screws turn counterclockwise to remove. {Not visible in this photo, already removed…} I have read somewhere that these screws have reverse threads, but that was not the case for this vehicle (2004 Accord), so you might want to watch for this on yours.
Remove plastic covers, 4 screws or so…
This next part is tricky, you have to get this tiny “hollow dowel pin” out in order to remove the lock cylinder assembly. Once this pin is out, then the cylinder will slide out.
I had to drill out this pin to get the ignition cylinder out. Choose a small drill bit, small enough to fit into the center of the dowel pin. Drill into the pin (it has a hollow core), then it will adhere to the drill bit, and you can pull it out. It will come out pretty easily using this method.
Note: DO NOT BREAK off the drill bit while doing this! It is easy to do! I can tell you that from personal experience!
Slide the lock cylinder out. Then remove the worn wafers. These were the issue for me. One or more of them was sticking up, just slightly, enough that the cylinder couldn’t turn.
Remember to remove the tiny springs as well. I wasn’t sure exactly which wafer was the problem, so I took them all out, except I left the last wafer in (the one furthest from the plastic part of the key) … This way the key won’t fall out while you’re driving.
You want to be careful about the grease you use for the lock cylinder. If you go with something too heavy, like a silicone-based grease it will harden and make the key gummy. You also don’t want to go with something too light like WD-40, that will dry everything out. This is some good lithium grease for this job.
Use a lithium grease; others can either dry out or gum up.
Put it back together and reinstall…
Now the key turns every time! What a relief this was for me!
I hope this obscure post can be helpful for you, if you find yourself in a similar situation! Looking back, another solution would have been to replace the lock cylinder for under $20. That would have been an easy and relatively inexpensive solution, but it was a great learning opportunity!
Anyway, I hope this post helps someone.
For more information on Honda Accord maintenance, check out these articles:
Maintenance Articles on Honda Accords
Practical Mechanic 
Thank you so much for posting this. I took the whole ignition assembly to a locksmith, and he told me that it was “shot” and that he would destroy the housing trying to get the lock cylinder out. given the high costs of purchasing an assembly and reprogramming for a new key, I searched for another way. Thankfully I came across your article. I was a little nervous about trying to drill the pin out, plus it was difficult for me to see. I saw another video where they drilled in from the side right under the key slot and worked the pin out from the side with a small flat screwdriver. I didn’t want to try that either because I was afraid of damaging something. What I did do, was get a razor blade and put it into the gap between the cylinder and housing assembly. There is not much room there, but just enough for a razor blade. I worked the pin out little by little from the side until it came out! I think what I am going to do for a permanent fix is order the lock cylinder from Amazon and see if the locksmith can re-key it to our original key, so the immobilizer still works.
2000 Honda Accord
First thanks for your posting, though not exactly for my car, but your posting gave me some ideas on fixing my car.
My fix variation:
I did not remove the whole ignition assembly.
Removed just enough to gain access to the hollow dowel pin holding the lock cylinder.
Due to the horrible tight space, I could not use any drill or other, instead, I put a “very tiny bit” of strong glue on to a tiny drill bit, and shoved it into the dowel. The glue sets in 30 seconds, and cures in 30 minutes. The aforementioned was a gamble, if it didn’t work, then I would have lot’s more work disassembling the whole ignition assembly.
30 minutes later, grabbed the drill bit, pulled and the dowel came out and the cylinder assembly came right out.
Removed all the wafers & springs and cleaned all, including cylinder, using sewing machine oil.
Inspected all wafers and separated the badly worn wafers, total of 3 or 4 bad wafers.
Through trial and error, replaced good wafers and springs back into the cylinder.
Reassembled/reinstalled all, it works.
Guess I could have bought new wafers, and or take the cylinder to a locksmith, but I wasn’t inclined to wait for wafer delivery or pay lot’s of money, or not have transportation for a few days.
In retrospect, my ignition cylinder failure occurred all of a sudden, not a gradual noticeable failure. It will fail again, so the first sign of failure in the future, I’ll probably buy and install a new cylinder ahead time, prior to complete failure.
As a locksmith, Please DON’T do this. Just call a locksmith to rebuild the cylinder and make new keys. This is a design flaw. The key wears the wafers, and the wafers wear the key. If you drive the rig to most shops they’ll do it there. Or if you pull the cylinder and bring it in, they can replace the wafers. Removing the wafers reduces the security of the lock and you could just jam about any key in there and get it to turn with a bit of a wiggle.
I removed the bad wafers from the cylinder and the key will now turn the cylinder in the barrel. But when I slide the cylinder and barrel back into the receptacle on the steering column, the key no longer turns. Almost like the steering lock is preventing the key from turning even if I release pressure by turning the wheel a little. Any ideas?
Dear Frustrated,
Sounds like an annoying problem!?! Is there a separate “steering lock” lever or button that has to be pressed to unlock the steering? Another thing to try is if the wheel is locked, then pull the steering wheel down in the direction it is locked (use both hands and pull hard, this can be difficult if your car is against a curb) , insert your key into the ignition and try turning it.
One other thing I’ve seen, is pull the key out a fraction of an inch and wiggle to see if it will turn.
I’ll let you know if I think of any thing else to try,
Good luck,
Rich
There’s no other switch to unlock the steering wheel. Is there a way to unlock it without the key? I feel like I’ve tried every combination of jiggling the key and moving the steering wheel. Someone else said be sure you put the cylinder back in the way you took it out, but I’m pretty sure it only goes in one way. You can’t put it back upside down. I’ve seen other people complain about this exact problem after removing the bad wafers, but never with any follow up. Thanks for the suggestions.
I did this, but now car wont start. It just cranks over but doesnt start. And no flashing green key light.
Hi Nick, I’m sorry to hear that the car cranks but won’t start. The problem addressed here is when the key won’t turn at all in the ignition. If the key turns, and the starter engages, this suggests that a different problem may be at play. One possibility is that the key lost its immobilizer code. If the immobilizer doesn’t recognize the key, it will shut off the fuel delivery system. Do you have another key you could try, or a remote start? If so, try one of those. Also remove any other key that could possibly interfere. If multiple keys don’t work, it may be a problem with the immobilizer control unit receiver. In that case, you may need to have the keys/ECU reprogrammed. One other thought, double-check that all the wires got reconnected tight inside the steering column when you put it back together.
Good luck!
Rich
Make sure you plug everything back in. the immobilizer ring may be damaged, or disconnected. Replacement of the immo requires re-syncing the unit with a dealer tool usually.
This solution ROCKS! My car is working after 2 hours of work!
Good Day Richard.
I just wanted to give a huge thanks to you and your step by step write up.
I performed this procedure on my neighbours 2007 Honda Element. It worked flawlessly and took a total of 1.5 hours to complete. Took out 2 wafers and now it’s like new again.
Hi Baber,
Excellent! I’m glad you found this helpful; makes my day!
Have a good one,
Richard
Hi Richard, a locksmith helped me do this exact same thing on our 2007 Honda Civic.
Just a question re removing the wafers, if you remove all of them except the one at the very end (to prevent the key from falling out), Won’t this mean that any other similarly shaped key (i.e. key for another Honda Civic) can actually be used to start your car?
Hi Gian, yes, there is a higher likelihood that a similar key could then start your vehicle, so that is something to keep in mind. Of course, the door locks would not be affected, so you still have security in that sense.
Thanks, Richard
I punch out the pin in the key cylinder with a small flat head screw driver so I could re-use the pin,removed all the wafers an springs except the last one,chisel the bolts back in on the steering column, it works,thankyou,same me a lot of money
So glad I could help! Have a great week!
Be careful when drilling out the pin. I broke a drill bit off in the pin. I was able to break off part of the casing to complete the disassembly. I removed about half of the wafers, and the car works again.
Thanks for the instructions!
Oh wow, good point, and thanks for the tip! Glad it’s working now!
Hi MW, I’m not sure if you’ll ever see this, but on the chance that you do, what part of the casing did you break off to complete the disassembly? I also got a drill bit broken inside the pin, and I think I may have to follow the same route you did. Did you drill into the side of where the pin is? Thank you.
I broke a drill bit off in the middle of the pin. I had to break off part of the lock cylinder housing to get the pin out and disassemble the lock. It was a pain. Be careful with that step.
In the end it worked, though.
Thanks for the instructions!
Thank you Richard. I did this on my Daughter’s 2007 Honda Accord. This worked perfectly and probably saved me $800 or more between replacing the ignition switch, reprogramming it, and the towing to the dealer to get all or this done. I had some lithium grease on hand so all said and done I spent about eight bucks buying some Dremel cutoff wheels and two bolts. I did take a couple hours but knowing what I know now I could probably do it in half the time or less.
Some tips.
To get the small phillips screws that are behind the steering wheel out use a phillps drill bit taped into a 1/4 inch wrench with some electrical tape.
With the theft proof rounded head bolts I used a Dremel with a cutoff wheel to notch them, then put a screwdriver into one side of the notch and hit it with a hammer to turn the screw counterclockwise. I tried to notch them and remove them with a screwdriver but that was a no go as they likely have a bit of loctite on them from the factory. A few good hits on one side of the notch to spin them and they loosened up. I replaced them with some normal screws that I purchased from the local hardware store for less than a dollar. You can purchase the anti theft bolts from the local dealership but I certainly wasn’t going to put those back in. The original ones I didn’t want to reuse even though I might have been able to.
To get the pin out holding the ignition into the assembly I ended up drilling into it with a 1/16 inch drill bit until the bit grabbed into it then I pulled the bit out straight. I had to do this several times (about ten or so) before the pin actually came out. I did have to use a drill to get it to bite as spinning the bit slowly while in a pair of vise grips didn’t work. I didn’t get it out until after I stopped being gentle with it. Instead of replacing the beat up pin I cut a small piece of ground wire from some 12-2 electrical wire and it fit in their nicely. I was looking for a nail to cut as a replacement pin but the wire worked well. The cover you unscrewed to get to it holds the pin in place even though it was in there fairly well.
There is a second pin that needs to be removed to get the lock cylinder to slide out and expose the tumbler pins. That one I tapped with a hammer and piece of wood dowel that I had here to bump it to flush. I was then able to push it through the rest of the way with the back of the proper sized drill bit for the hole. Once the second pin was out it would slide apart and expose the pins. The springs will stick in the mechanism as they hide in there a bit so make sure you get them all out. I cleaned everything up and applied some new lithium grease to get everything to spin smoothly.
The hardest part was fighting with the anti theft screws and getting the first pin out. Both of those steps were about equally challenging but certainly doable.
Putting it back together was easy and took about ten minutes at most. It works perfectly now.
David, I’m so glad to hear your report that everything is working again! It totally makes it worth for me! Thanks for including the tips, those will surely be helpful for others who are faced with the necessity of performing this repair!
Have a good one,
Richard
Hi there thank you. My question is this Do we need to put all the wafers back or howe do this?
We took them all out to include springs one was stuck and we tried putting the wafers back they keep falling. Please Help.
You don’t need to put all the wafers back in. I only put the last one back in, just to hold the key. If you leave them all out, the key will not stay in when you are driving!
I would recommend getting at least one back in, including it’s springs. Then hold it carefully while you put it back together. Once you slide this tumbler assembly back into the sleeve, that is what will hold the wafers in place.
Sounds like you are almost there, you can do it, good luck!
Thanks for posting this. My ignition cylinder still works, but the driver’s door cylinder has jammed (I used it a lot before replacing the power lock actuator). Looking at the design of the key, I just knew it was going to be a nightmare someday. I miss the reed-tumber locks from my parent’s Opel that touched the key on both sides and didn’t require springs.
Thanks, I’m glad it was helpful! I know what you mean, the keys seem unnecessarily complex, making replacing them not so straightforward… As a result, I’ve been using the “valet key” for the last several years, as the normal key has gone missing!