Greetings;
The mechanic who told you it is a common problem is the one to the vehicle to. It is a fairly common problem for the tilt column to loosen up over time; there are several screws deep in the column that commonly work loose gradually from pulling on the steering wheel. The time to repair this condition is when it is first noticed; if it is not corrected, then it can lead to breakage of any of the dozens of tiny special order parts elsewhere in the column.
In your case, it is possible that the column has juct come loose enough to biind up the ignition switch mechanism enough to prevent it from turning. It is also possible, however, that enough stress has been placed on other components to allow something to break. the only way to find out for sure is to disassemble the steering column for inspection.
There ARE several specialty tools that are essential to be able to disassemble the column without damaging any of the many delicate parts inside. These are a Steering wheel puller set, a lock plate depressor, and a pivot pin puller. These tools towill cost you somewhere between $100 and $150 depending on brand, and may be special order from an auto supply store.
I would suggest having the vehicle towed to the shop that you trust most for disassembly and repair. Almost any repair shop has run into this failure before and already invested in the specialty tools needed to disassemble the column for repair. I would suggest that you not attempt this particular repair at home if you have never disassembled a tilt steering column before; you will be amazed at the dozens of tiny delicate parts that are in the column; they must all be assembled and disassembled in a certain order, and if you have never seen them before identifying a damaged component might prove difficult. There are turn signal parts, electrical wiring, steering column lock components, ignition switch components, and other assorted parts all crammed into a 4 inch diameter tube along with the steering shaft and related parts. There are many things you can fix at home, but this is a particularly nasty repair to attempt without some amount of experience; frustrating at the very least.
I hope this is helpful to you; if so, an accept would be most apreciated! thanks!
