Tried turning the car on and key goes in but won't budge and steering wheel is completely locked. I've got maybe ten degrees of turning.

I've searched. I promise.

I finished putting the dash back into the car today. Bolted the steering wheel on, connected the airbag and the other connecter into the spiral cable. Connected the battery, and now I can't start it.

I've used the bypass switch to move the car into neutral and back to park, pushed the shifter forward to make sure it was in park, tried turning the wheel back and forth, pushed against the lock in both directions, used the controls to move tilt the column up and down, in and out, rolled it back and forth in neutral to try and get some more turn out of the wheel, and pushed the key counterclockwise when inserting before trying to turn it on. Got that last one from a different forum. Sorry.

What else can I try? I don't have the radio and heater control unit plugged in, but I can't see the immobilizer going through those. I made sure to plug the cluster back into the harness when it was going together. Would puling the wheel back off and turning the spiral cable a revolution or two make a difference? Kind of at my wits end with this here.

Thanks

 

Far as I know there are no electronics involved in allowing or not they key to be inserted and turned. Did you try rocking the steering wheel back and forth while trying to turn the key? Sounds like you did but have to ask. Could check the spiral cable to be sure, there are instructions on it.

 

I did try moving it side to side. I've only got about two inches of travel from one lock to the other. Pulled the wheel back off and double checked the spiral cable was where it should be and still nothing.

 

Is something preventing the steering shaft from moving besides the ignition lock? I don't know what else can explain your problem unless the mechanism somehow is damaged. Are you using the correct key?

 

It could be possible your ignition lockshaft broke, the shaft is made of very weak cast aluminum and can break and has notches to not only start the car but free the steering wheel from steering wheel lock.

Ignition lock shaft (SC Chassis)

 

I don't see anything damaged? There's some parts that are rusty, for sure, but everything is stationary on the outside when i turn the wheel. I can see the steering shaft turn with the wheel through a tiny gap.

Edit because I missed it the first time: I've only got the one key for this car. Other car is a 4Runner with a very different key or the wife's newer Rav4 with just a fob so no chance of mixing them up.

Same as the steering column, I don't see anything broken from where I'm sitting. From what I've found I have to be able to turn the key to acc to pull the cylinder out though, yeah?

 

that rust is really bad especially on the ground cable in last picture. id get a new one from oriellys and see if it works, if it doesnt return it lol

 

Ok, so after ****ing with it again in the 100 degree temps of my garage I got irritated and smacked the back of the key with the butt of my screwdriver while it was in the ignition. something shifted and they key turns smooth as butter now. The gallon of Tri Flow lube I put in there over the last week might have something to do with it too. Go Figure. Going to be looking at replacing it in the near future just for the confidence.

As far as the rust, I was pretty surprised to see how bad it was, since there's barely even surface rust on the body. The clearcoat is pretty much gone on the top half of the car, so I know the previous owner didn't garage it at all. When it bothers me enough I'll go in and sand and paint it all up.

Thanks for the help everyone