This has happened twice in the past week or so. I get in the car and insert the key that I have always used into the ignition but it won't turn to start the car. Pull it out and insert it several times and it is as if I am using a totally incorrect key. Meanwhile the car is over 100 degrees from being in the Texas sunshine so it would be nice to be able to get it going! Utter a few choice words and it finally turns and starts.

I have a spare so I am going to switch off to that for a test and I was thinking of putting a bit of graphite made for locks into the keyhole in case I have some pins sticking. The key is straight and does not seem overly brassed from wear.

Just another day in Land Rover world!

 

graphite is good, if you don't have it in a tube, you can take an ordinary pencil and shave the graphite out into crumbs and put on the key and insert. Of course, could be an electrical connector acting up in the temperature extreme.

 

I get that very rarely, 1-2x a year but its a pain in the ***. I've had it happen in cold, mild and hot temps so I'm not sure. My usual method to correct it now is to give the shifter a good ring or two to away from then back towards Park, then the usual jiggle the wheel and key at the same time. That encorperates a few problems all in one swift move lol. I also lock the car with the keyfob, then unlock again and try again.

 

So do both of your keys do the same thing?
One thing you might try is air pressure blown into the tumblers sometime moves the warn key material so it will turn better.

 

x2 on blowing air. i alleviated a similar issue on one of my trucks with that silicone spray stuff and an air blower. it removed enough of the old fragmented junk, that now my worn key can be removed in any position, but it definitely, freed the tumblers.

 

Thanks, I blew it out with some canned air and added some graphite dust made for locks. Seems to work now just fine so the Land Rover Gods are happy.