little glitch with my new nissan versa today...

[CTyankee]

but I was in a tear over it.

I put the key in the ignition and nothing. The key barely moved.

Of course, I turned the steering wheel to "unlock" it but it only moved slightly.

I tried the key again. No luck.

With my last nissan (altima) this used to work. It was a slight thing and it always just worked. But this time with my brand new Versa, it didn't.

I grumbled and tried again. And again. And again. hubby came out and tried. no dice.

this went on for a while. I called Nissan's Service Dept. Turn the steering wheel, they said. duh. I tried and tried.

OK, 45 minutes later I had called to arrange service on the car, called triple A to pick it up and take it there and came in to start lunch in the microwave.

Went out for last ditch try.

It started right up. OK, but...so I took the key out, waited a bit, tried again. It was fine.

Don't know about tomorrow but it was fine today.

What the hell, DUers who know about cars...

[Brother Buzz]

1. Was it cold? Frozen ignition? Stiff lubricant?

Next time you could try heating the key.

[CTyankee]

2. OK, it IS cold, but not that cold. Maybe I'll just put the key in my hand and warm it

up. I wish I had thought about that. It's such a good idea. Better than what the service guy at the dealership had to offer.

[Brother Buzz]

3. Risky business taking advice from a native Californian who doesn't do cold

[CTyankee]

4. Hey, if it works, it works. Its not like it costs a thousand bucks and nothing happens...

just asked hubby and he said it wasn't THAT cold. I just said well, it doesn't cost us anything to try!

[Brother Buzz]

5. Could be, someone had a sticky ignition in the past....

and shot some inappropriate lubricant into it, lubricant that got gummy over time. The not so cold, cold may have just exasperated the problem.

[CTyankee]

6. no, it was a brand new car I bought off the lot. I've had it since mid August and of course

no problems. Until now...hmm. It's been warmer than usual here in CT so I hadn't thought of the cold factor. Funny, I really was thinking "gee, isn't it great to have a NEW car cuz now I have one less thing to worry about...like, will the car start tomorrow morning?"

My neighbor, who is terribly superstitious would call that karma and say "I told you so."

[Brother Buzz]

7. I gave it my best shot

If I had a new car, I'd be at the dealer come Monday morning, seeking satisfaction.

[CTyankee]

8. Oh, I could go tomorrow but it's not that big a deal, is it?

I'm a bit too old to do that, altho I could. Tell me what you think is "satisfaction"?

However, if it happens again, I will. I am unfortunately in pretty awful shape, painwise, with shingles and it keeps me from doing much of anything except just the normal routine. I could go tomorrow as they are open pretty much all the weekend just to unload those 2015 cars, like mine. My saleswoman, unfortunately, is no longer with them. She is a friend of my husbands from when they bothworked together at the City and she'd be an ally.

[NV Whino]

11. Get it on record

Even if you can't currently pinpoint the problem, get it on record that there is a problem.

[CTyankee]

23. I sure will. I did the call to the Service Dept. but they seemed out of it, so I guess I have to

GO THERE and force them to SEE IT!

Haysus X, what is wrong with these people?

[elleng]

9. GOOD LUCK,

or should I say 'Break a leg!'

'Warm' here, and today key for my OLD toyo wagon, '93, from Dad, wouldn't turn, in the door 3 times! SOMETHING's in the air, yank!

[CTyankee]

10. Oh, good to know. My key only turned slightly but that is usually OK for starting.

Will try the warming in hand. Can't hurt...

[elleng]

12. As it was mid-40s here, and in the DOOR,

I'm concerned that a mechanism in the lock itself is in trouble. HOPE it won't be a big deal to have it repaired, if it continues. I don't lock the car when I'm home, just when out at grocery store, so we'll see.

I'm familiar with your 'issue,' when the steering wheel locks, and a jiggle usually releases it.

[CTyankee]

13. The first few jiggles didn't do it. It took some time back and forth from the house to try it.

But you have an older car. Wear and tear happens. What happened to me shouldn't have...brand new off the lot! It's the whole reason I got a new car -- one less thing to worry about. I have my first oil change in February (altho I don't drive it that much).

there's been lots of thefts from cars parked outdoors like ours that are left unlocked at night so we've been locking it. Even tho we don't have valuables in the car. And our section of New Haven is so peaceful and quiet...but we have a neighborhood alert system where neighbors post suspicious activity and actual thefts...it's great to have...

[elleng]

14. I'm WAY off the beaten path, NO worry about theft when I'm home,

but have gps and e-z pass in car, so do want to lock it when out and about.

Yes, yours should have started right up.

[CTyankee]

15. thanks, ellen. I too have ez pass (but no gps, I just mapquest stuff).

Don't blame you for keeping safe. It's always good. I just hate to be so worried...I need LESS not more...at my age!

[elleng]

16. DITTO so do I need less, yank!

[BlueCollar]

17. did you put your foot on the brake pedal?

Some cars have an interlock that prevents you from starting your car or putting it into gear if your foot isn't on the brake.

[CTyankee]

20. hmm, I don't recall. I did what I regularly do and it's by rote so not sure exactly...

this morning, car was out all night as usual in high 30s and hubby started the car easily when he went out for the Sunday papers he likes to get on Sundays...no problem...

[BlueCollar]

22. its worth a try

Try to turn the key without putting your foot on the pedal and then do the same with your foot on the pedal and see if there is a difference.

I once had an issue with my 92 Saturn. Wouldn't start. Turned out the floormat had crept up under the clutchpedal and wouldn't allow me to fully depress the clutch. Moved the mat down and never had the issue again.

Www.edmunds.com has some helpful forums.

[kentauros]

18. Cars seem to just know when we're ready to take them to the shop.

Kind of like pets with the vet. Suddenly, they get all "better" again

[TexasProgresive]

19. Normally this is a problem with the locked steering wheel

putting the switch in a bind. So moving the wheel one way or the other will free the switch. There is another item that locks as well as the steering wheel, the shift lever. You might try wiggling that as well. This seems to be a universal problem with many makes of cars and is really annoying. It is a case of inept design and engineering (rant over).

Medic on Nissan Club forum wrote: "I had this exact same problem. I took it to the dealer, and they greased the key rollers with lithium grease. I have not had a problem since."

My suggestion is to mention this to your dealer about greasing the key rollers. I'm not sure what that is referencing as I have never seen who the whole steering wheel lock business works. If it is caused by cold temperatures you really need this fixed as one day winter is coming back to Connecticut with a vengeance. Be safe.

Most of the other comments were about wheel jiggling.
http://www.nissanclub.com/forums/2002-2006-nissan-altima-discussion-2-5-3-5/144485-key-wont-turn-ignition.html

[CTyankee]

21. I will call my dealer's Service Dept. They ought to be very nice and accommodating to me

since I am a relatively new customer of theirs (actually I got my Altima from them, too back in 1998, so I am a double customer) and I even took out 3 months financing which I had to do in order to get the maximum trade in on my old car before I paid the whole balance cash. It worked out better that way (I ran the numbers). Now I just have to finalize the whole thing at the DMV which is annoying but I'll finish it up next week some time. Nothing is easy any more...