car is a 2003 accord lx v6 auto, 153,000 miles

problem :
the key won't turn in the ignition ?, so can't start the car.

any help or info you can give me so i can figure out whats causing this would be appreciated, cause i want to avoid taking to a shop, when it could easily be a simple little thing, such as needing a new key or cleaning out the ignition keyhole or something ? also i work as a delivery driver using this car, so i need to fix it soon as possible cause i'm missing out on money and shifts i have for tomorrow and the days after that.

earlier in the week, the plastic around the little screw on both of my key fobs cracked from overtightening the screw, they still held together, but the metal key part wobbled back and forth in it, but i was able to use them to start the car fine.

yesterday i put some epoxy glue on the backside of the keyfobs around the screw hole to strengthen where the cracks where, and i put some around the hole the key comes out of, but i did'nt cover any of the parts inside, i just carefully applied it with a plastic knife.

lastnight i drove the car, and went to a couple stores, turning off car and starting it up again with no problem, then i went to a car wash stall and turned the car off, and i was going to work on a few things, i squirted some dry powder graphite lube in the door lock cylinder, and then some into the ignition key cylinder hole, cause thats what i've used in the past on my other cars, which were 90 or 91 models, and its meant for that type of thing, but i don't know if it is good to use on newer cars like this one?

after doing that, i put the key in the igntion and it did'nt turn ?,
the lights come on dash and beeped, but cant turn key to start the car ???, it was in park and steering wheel was'nt locked

right away i thought it was cause i put the graphite lube in it, so i sprayed the key with rubbing alcohol, and stuck it in the ignition in and out a few times, rubbing off graphite from the key, to clean out the graphite in there, but the key still would'nt turn?

i got a ride home and got the other key fob i had, and got back , tried using that key but still would'nt let me turn that key either !!!!,

i bought compressed air in a can at cvs and tried blowing into the ignition hole to clean out any debris or graphite coating the contact points inside there, but it did'nt help at all,
at that point, i've already been there for 3 hours, and it was 12:45 am, and i did'nt know what else to do, and just wanted to go home, so i called a tow truck and got it towed, even know it was only 10 minutes from my house, it cost $80

these are some things i think might of caused the problem :

either the graphite lube coated some type of contact points in the ignition hole ?

or epoxy glue from the key got inside the ignition hole, preventing the key from making contact properly to let it turn and start ?,

or i messed the key fobs up putting epoxy glue on them ?,

or the rubbing alcohol did something to the inside that affects something ?

or the ignition cylinder went bad, maybe from using it more than usual, messing with the broken key fobs, sticking it in hard or in and out too much, etc....

 

Is the steering wheel stuck? Sometimes if you are on a hill, the pressure from the tire locks the steering wheel to one side or another and prevents you from turning the key.
Try turning the steering wheel to one side and turn the key while turning the steering wheel at the same time. If you can move the steering wheel to one side or another by about an inch, then this is not the problem.

If you let the epoxy harden before you used the key (like at least 30 minutes), then you are OK there. If not, look at the entry of the cylinder and see if you see a layer of epoxy at the entrance. I doubt this is the problem especially since the other key didn't work either.

As for graphite... graphite is graphite. I doubt that is the problem. Even if it prevented an electrical contact from working, the pins in the cylinder are mechanical and you should still be able to run the key.

I am suspecting something got in the cylinder. even if the key goes in, but is 1/50th of an inch too short, then the key won't turn. The fact that the other key doesn't turn either says the cylinder is likely the problem, or one of the pins in there isn't moving, or something got in there and prevents the key from going in all the way. Be gentle, but try pushing the key in a bit harder and turn, or try turning the key while pulling back out a bit ( just 1/16th of an inch).

Rubbing alcohol isn't likely to be the problem because you already had a problem before using it.

Bottom line, I would try using compressed air and spray the keyhole out real good, then give the keys a try. Wiggle the keys, turn the keys while pushing it in or pulling it out a bit.

 

the steering wheel was'nt locked when i originally had the problem of the key not turning, and i talked to my friend who is a mechanic on the phone, and he said to turn the steering wheel, and i did, but then doing that did lock the steering wheel, so it was cocked to one side, so that probably did'nt help, but after it was locked, i tried turning it to left and to the right while trying to turn the key and stuff, and i could'nt get it to do anything.

some of the epoxy glue i used was also on some of the metal key part, and i wonder if some of the epoxy rubbed off the key and got on the inside of the ignition cyliner ?, causing it to not make contact when the keys in it or something ?, and maybe when i squirted that dry graphite lube into it, that just coated the epoxy pieces, making the glue thicker ?

 

Can you take a close up picture of your key and post it here? If there was just a little bit and just where the metal meets the plastic, then I think you are OK (IF you let the epoxy harden). Look at the entry of the keyhole. Do you see any epoxy or other gunk there?

 

i could of swore i already replied with an update since what i did last, ..........but i guess i did'nt yet?, so i will now

the last thing i said is i was going to try some things, i went out and just inserted a little bristle pipe cleaner in the ignition key hole, and pushed it in and out a few times, and twisted it around and stuff, and alot of black graphite stuff came off onto it, and i wiped it off, and while doing that, it seemed to move something inside or reposition something in there ?, felt like it pulled something inside it more outward ???, can't explain really, but then i put the key in and it went in it deeper, and then i was able to turn it and start the car and did it a couple times in a row just to make sure, not sure if it was just cause i cleaned it more ? or that i moved something inside it ??? that was moved earlier ? and moved it back into position ?

then i drove to honda dealer, and i paid to have a new keyfob and programmed and everything, it cost $64.55 for new keyfob, and $70 to program, total was like $160, but its important to have a good new keyfob, so i just did it, even know i realise i could of took these other routes and screwed with it myself and stuff or took the immobilizer and remote from the old one and put in the new one, etc.., but i just did'nt know if those parts from the old one were even good?, so i just felt better getting all new and having it done right from them.

they also looked at the ignition key cylinder and said it seemed ok to them, and had no problems when trying to start it and turn the key, so its been fine since then. so i guess it was a combination of broken key fobs ? and something moved in the ign. cylinder ? plus maybe dirty or coated inside from graphite too ?