Originally Posted by drhrsh

James, the symptom is a sticky key, that is you go to turn the key to start the car and it doesn't turn. Then you turn the steering wheel this way and that and finally after 10 attempts the key turns and your car starts! Others have thought it was just the tumblers, and/or lubrication of them. The real problem is in the steering lock mechanism housed inside the assembly I removed. Apparently a plastic cam inside wears down preventing the locking pin from retracting. The modification suggested by others eliminates the steering lock, so when the car is turned off and key is removed you can still turn the steering wheel. I decided to just replace the unit with a new one.