Saturn SL2 2002

yeah- it's by design I think. I've had the car 4 yrs and reciently it was so hard to turn I thought the ignition was stuck too- but there's a trick to it it seems you have turn the streering wheel at the same time as the key and it works

Laz

There is a lock mechanism in the ignition column. After you last removed the key, by slightly turning the wheel the ignition will lock. This is a safety feature which has been in GM cars for years. To release the steering wheel lock, simply put your key in and turn the wheel again.

If this has suddenly become a problem, then there may be another culprit, bad ignition switch. This is usually caused by too many items on a keychain which can weigh down the key in the ignition, thus causing the cylinder to wear prematurely. To check the weight of your keychain, simply pinch your ignition key between your thumb and forefinger on the end of the key and hold it there. If the weight of the stuff on the keyring pivots the key down, you problably have too much on your keyring.

marx404