My steering wheel is locked and the key wont turn. I've tried turning the steering wheel left and right while gently turning the key in the ignition. Any ideas whats causing this?

Try your spare key to see if it helps any. Make sure the steering wheel is not hard locked while turning the ignition. Try gently moving the steering wheel while trying to turn the ignition. Sometimes a spray of wd-40 in the cylinder will help

APPLY BRAKE AND MAKE SURE STEERING WHEEL IS CENTERED. IF IT IS PARKED SO THERE IS PRESSURE ON THE FRONT WHEELS AND HOLDING THE STEERING WHEEL HARD RIGHT OR LEFT IT WILL MAKE THE KEY VERY HARD TO TURN.

Try turning your steering wheel, some of the cars has a safety lock that will lock your tumblers in your ignition and the steering wheel which acts as an anti-theft systems. I would try turning your steering wheel to the left and right as much as you can which will not be much. Yes, I realize it seems a bit goofy, but I had vehicle that would not let go my key, but turning the steering wheel to the left and right and at the same time attempting to turn the ignition to the neutral position to get the key out was the only way to retrieve my key. It keeps people from putting the vehicle into Neutral and pushing your car away without the key.

Try wiggling steering wheel right and left while turning key.

see this steps and fix it. God bless you
If the key won't turn in the ignition, it could be for a couple of reasons: Often this happens when the steering is locked by the ignition lock with the front wheels turned aside (e.g. when parking on a hill) or when one of the front wheels is pushed against something (e.g. curb stone). In this case, try turning the steering wheel left and right while gently jiggling the ignition key - this might help to release the steering lock.
Another possibility is that there is a problem with the ignition lock or the key itself. This happens; the key and the lock mechanism wear over time. Try to use a spare key. If nothing works, your local dealer is the best place to call.

If the steering wheel was in a hard turn when the ignition was turned off and the key was pulled, maybe it's just in a bind. Put the key in the ignition and pull the steering wheel hard to the left, then to the right while trying to turn the ignition.

hi if the problem is that the lock has locked and wont free when you try and turn the ignition on then what you should try is turning the steering wheel from left to right as hard as you can whilst you try turning the key, the problem is usually that the lock is under pressure from the tyres trying to turn the steering wheel so with this pressure on the lock the key just wont turn so you need to try and release this pressure so that the key will turn and unlock the lock.

so hold the steering wheel tight and turn it left using a bit of pressure whilst you keep trying to turn the key dont hold the key in the same possition as this wont free the lock keep turning the key on and off so that it resets and this should then allow the lock to free and you should be able to start your car, if turning the steering wheel left dont work then try right and repeat with the key on and off until the lock is off and the steering is free.

now it is going to be tight so you will need some force to turn the steering wheel as the force from the tyres will be quite alot so you will need to use force to work the steering wheel left and right whilst turning the key.

now if this still dont work then this will either mean you have a problem with the key or the actual ignition barrel has got a fault if this is the case then your going to need to get a new igniton barrel, the part the key goes into before the lock will free itself, all you need to do to remove the barrel is to remove the cover from the steering wheel surround and then you will see how the barrel comes out of its surround but dont do this until you have a new lock in case you forget how you got it apart.

the chances are the lock is just stuck and working the steering wheel left then right as far as you can will free it up if it dont then you can also try jacking the 2 front wheels off the floor like put the car on stands then try turning the steering left and right to unlock the ignition doing it this way releases the pressure from the tyres and should make it easier to unlock the steering.

let me know how you get on or if you need further assistance ok

"Jiggle" your steering wheel to the left and right while trying to turn the key forward.

In hope that you have the right key, put him in, try to turn the steering wheel a little bit at the same time you try to unlock the ignition.Sometimes it's possible that you've used your steering wheel as help wile getting out of the car. At this case, maybe the wheel lock snaps in, but the wheels are under pressure from the ground. Now you want to unlock your car at it seams that the key wont turn. The wheels get pressure from the ground, so the whole steering is under pressure and your steering wheel pressed against the locker block. If you try to turn the locked steering wheel, you'll see that it turns appr. 1" to one side. This is the needed space to unlock with the key. I hope that works in your case.

hi from uk please try this ? with key removed try gently turning steerwheel to the right if you feel a slight spring in steering ? hold on the spring and insert key it should work and release lockand turn ign on ? if steering is springing on left ? try as above the same method not unusual for steer lock to prevent turning key as the steering even in straight position ? the necessity to gently release load on lock is req'd to allow key to turn/unlock the steering lock from the steering column practice doing the above each time you fit key to unlock steering and tuning ign on to start hope this helps