I'm looking at my shop manual, and it is telling me not to spray any lubricant directly into the key hole . . . is this a really bad thing to do?

It's SO cold out here, I'm afraid of cracking the plastic housing around the steering column?

Is there a quick fix to get me by until the warmer weather? I generally hate quick fixes, but with these temperatures, it's tough to do extensive repairs on a vehicle without a heated garage.