Hello, I've had a recent issue with the key which is hard to get in : when I try to insert the key, it's really hard, I need to wiggle it quite a bit before it goes in. When I remove the key, there is no "click" like it's supposed to do, so there's something that clearly does not work. And afterwards, I can't lock the steering, it spins freely (well, with some muscle, but it doesn't lock). I'm pretty sure those 3 symptoms are interlinked.

Yesterday I pulled the ignition barrel, located the part that prevents the key from going in (a white part that slides in and out), but that part seems to move freely and the spring inside the barrel is working.
I didn't look really hard on the other side on the steering column, but nothing seemed out of place, and the matching mechanism did slide in and out when I pushed it (albeit with significant force).
I didn't think to closely at the steering column at the time because I was convinced it was a barrel issue and putting some grease on it would solve it. It did not.

I search online and can't find really anyone with the same issue and a solution on a first-gen (2nd gens seem really different on that regard).

Does anyone have a clue what I should look for, if it's a known issue, and more importantly if it looks like a steering column or ignition barrel issue?

I'd hate to replace either part and still have the issue.

For now I'm just ramming the key inside each time, but something will break if I continue doing that...