Common

My buddy turned the ignition off on his 2000 PSD - and we CANNOT get the key to turn in the ignition.

Ford dealer wants $500 just for the part - any quick fixes, we gotta get this thing home!

vzdude

$500!!!!????? What part? That is ludicrous. I'd call a locksmith first. Roadcall, after hours and all that , couldn't be over $500! Usually it is just a lock cylinder. Locksmith can fix it right up. You have to take the covers off the column and push the release with a pick. BUT!!.......the ign has to be in the on/crank position to get it out. I have had luck , once the covers are off, with putting the key in and grabing the res of the lock cylinder with a pair of channel locks and getting it to turn on enough to get it out. Not a whole lot of solid info, but I hope it helps!

turbo246

THIS HAPPENED ON MY DADS 2000 E350 a few years back, it was his work truck (provided through the company) so he started hittin the ignition and tapping it and just by messing with it he got it to free up. then it happened again and had to get towed, ford had to replace a part inside the ingition, THEY DIDNT have to replace the whole thing

snoyes

Just out of curiosity, you made sure the truck is in Park, right?

Common

Yeah, he almost ripped it off...

We got the ignition to turn by inserting the key into the ignition and tapping it with a hammer - then he thought he fixed it and shut it off to try again, now its locked up part 2.

vzdude

If you can get it to the on position again ( any tools? ) take the covers off the coulmn and pull the lock cylinder. like I said above, ou may have to use channel locks on the cylinder to get it to move. You have to push the little retainer with a small screwdriver or a pick and wiggle the lock cyl. out. then you can just use a screwdriver until you can get a locksmith to repair the cylinder.

1-2-3

Forget a locksmith. Napa will have one. Is it one key for the ignition and diffrent key for the doors doors still with Ford? Probably not. But if you replace the cylinder with a napa part, it will be diffrent from the door. I'd get it picked out, the order a replacement with the right key from a dealer.

Common

Thanks guys - I'll tell you the outcome tomorrow.

vzdude

If you order one from ANY dealer ( Ford, Chevy, Dodge ) they all have to be "keyed" by the dealer or a locksmith. Why not skip all the middle men , and just get it from a locksmith? the whole "buy one at NAPA" seems counter productive. What do you do with it when you get the right one? Throw away a $50 part? Heck...the last one I had done at the locksmith cost $30! Thats IF he can get it out.........I've done it, but there have been times I've heard they had to be drilled. Good luck!

Dockboy

If the wheel is locked hard it will cause this also. Make sure you grab the wheel and pull it off the lock stop.

AggieJustin

That's the most common cause I've seen for this. The wheels were turned and placing pressure against the ignition lock. If you can turn the steering either way, it frees up the key.

dj_souvlaki

well my method is a little distructive. get a slide hammer with a screw in the end and rip the cylinder out.

high bid

Not sure about current Fords but on older models there is a small hole on the bottom side of the ignition housing.....insert a paper clip into the hole to release the entier key cyclinder housing.....insert new housing and it should start. Not sure if the hole is there on a 2000 model to release the cyclinder.

D2 Cat

This is correct, however the key has to be in the cyl. to get it to release. I lost the key to an '84 F250 while it was parked in my driveway! I ended up drilling it out because to this day I have not found THAT key.

Common

Its pretty mangled - but it turns REAL hard.

Thanks for the tips guys!