Ignition switch replacement instructions. LINK; http://www.alldatadiy.com/alldata/AF...49788/81577305

The only electrically related things I could find are the park/rev fuse which supplies power to the park and reverse relays in the rear fuse block. The park relay shows as controlling the transmission shift lock control switch.

A feature I never could understand since this car was new is the Steering Wheel not locking at any time.

I vote for replacing the ignition switch Shawn.

I suspect you'll find this on a lot of newer vehicles. The steering wheel lock, as I understand it, was primarily for theft deterrent reasons. Now that you need to have the ignition on to get the transmission out of park, the same end result is essentially achieved. At the same time, there is less potential for a mechanical failure to cause the steering wheel to lock at inappropriate times. We recently took delivery of two new vehicles (2007 Gas Cutaway Express Van and a 2008 Diesel Cutaway Express Van). Neither of these have locking steering columns.

OK.....so i'm not exactly sure which relay it was that fixed it....however, in the rear fuse block I switched out any relay that said "ignition" in the name with a non-ignition related relay. It works now...so I don't know what it was but it was one of those relays.... Now I just have to figure out what circuit I put the bad relay on so I can replace it.

Thanks for all the help guys.

Well I'll be darned.....a relay that enables the key to turn to run. :?

I think it'* just a coincidence. Unless he can put the bad relay back in to confirm the key won't turn (and do this a few times), i still think it'* the cylinder. He said he could take the key out of the ignition in "neutral" which you shouldn't be able to do (and i can't do in my car).

I can pretty much guarantee you that its not a coincidence. I tried to turn the key a few hundred times. Came out tried to turn it again a few times today. Checked all the fuses in the underhood fuse box, tried to turn the key, no good. Checked the fuses and moved the relays in the fuse box under the back seat, and then it turned. For some reason I don't think its a coincidence. I have also driven the car a few times today since then and had absolutely no issues (and have had no issues with it in the past either).

The key never "clicked" to any position. I could turn it about halfway to acc, which just happened to be far enough to turn the radio on and disengage the shift lock. But because the key wasn't turned far enough to "click" it couldn't prevent it from turning off with the shifter in a gear other than park. In all honesty, I think the ignition cylinder just made contact with the accessory circuit sooner than its meant to allowing the shift lock to be released and the radio to be turned on without the key far enough on to do anything.

Did any of the relays feel warmer than normal?

I'm by no means doubting, just trying to understand how a relay controls the lock cylinder. If you have time, if you could put the bad relay back to confirm 100% that that is what the problem is, i think we all would appreciate it. (you don't have to, but if it'* quck and easy and you have time, why not?)