Sorry for the necro post but I found little very specific info on this problem so I thought that I would share my story (which is not done might I add but may be helpful/hopeful to some listeners).
One day I told my room mate they could borrow my car so that they can go get another battery for their insanely old honda hatch something. I rode my honda ruckus to work. (our household having alot of honda is just coincidence lol)
I got a text from her stating "how do you start yr car?"
huh
we talked over the phone and it seems like the steering column was locked and the key was not budging. This has happened before and I told her how to manuveur the wheel to "unlock" the ignition. No go. HUH.... well... I had to scoot from the coffee shop I was at to begin my shift at the cafe I work at. ha.
Later that night after playing a little nintendo switch to unwind for work, I go downstairs to move my car because the next day is street cleaning day.
Oops! I forgot the steering was locked!
NO matter I'll just mmmmmmEH! nope .... no go at all. moved the steering in the direction it would go for that small bit and the key just would not budge.
tried some of the tricks I read online: keyed the car into neutrel to move it back and forth. put back in park. try again nope.... Raised the car.... nope.
Street cleaning is tommorow!!!!! !@$#!#$^@%@#$&$#
So from my own intuition (later to be confirmed by a mechanic friend) the ignition switch has mechanically failed.
This part (frustratingly) is a relatively easy part to replace if you don't mind carrying two sets of keys. EXCEPT this is Honda with the double edged sword of the immobilization chip or wevs (feel free to correct me in any terminology, its hella chill). Yr car needs to "talk" to yr OG chip that is in yr OG key.
So I put a note on my car pleading to please not give me a ticket.
That worked!
So I get my mechanic friend to come by to do what would take me 5 hours in 15 minutes.
I prepped it all by removing the steering column top and bottom covers etc....
So he chiseled away the break away steering column bolts as you may have seen on that famous internet website entitled "utoob" .... undid the ignition switch coil shindig from the plastic ignition starter switch and let it all hang out and Wallah!
Insert Key into ignition
use small flat head screw driver to toggle the ignition starter (careful now! it's plastic!) to START THE CAR and move the steering wheel.
what do I owe you for this house call?
"well now this buys you some time to move yr car for street cleaning till you can afford the time and money to order the part and drive it to My shop. I'll make it so yr original key works"
Great! Done deal!
Now. Is my 2004 Honda Element 4WD a DX LX or EX? woof