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Key get's stuck in ignition often!

6K views 13 replies 11 participants last post by  jakeoooooo 
#1 ·
I know there have been threads about this before, and I did search. But you can't search for Key, so I did a search for stuck and got 7 pages. None of which had this thread.

So I ask, how do I get the Key out and how do I stop this from happenning again? It's been happenning for the past week, but it's becoming harder and harder to get the key out. It took me 10 min today.

The only way I can get it out is moving it from off to on to off position repeatedly.

It won't go all the way back to the accessory position unless I can get the key out. It just stops in off position and won't come out.
 
#2 ·
Is it really cold when you're trying to remove the key?

I'm wondering if something in the lock cylinder is jamming or sticking.
 
#4 ·
Try bumping your steering wheel lightly when attempting to pull out the key. It seems that there is something to the steering wheel assembly and the lock. Sometimes my LHS will do that and I have to smack the steering wheel lightly around the 9 o'clock position to get it unstuck.
 
#6 ·
There’s a shift interlock cable that won’t let you put the car in gear unless the key is turned on, but it also will not let you turn the key off if it thinks the gear selector is still in gear. Could be out of adjustment slightly.

When it gets stuck, will it let you turn the key all the way to the off position? Or, not quite?
 
#8 ·
More than likely, your tumblers are starting to go bad. I suggest that you get the tumblers (and possibly the lock cylinder) replaced ASAP. The same thing happened to me about half a year ago, and in the end, my key ended up becoming jammed in the ignition without me being able to turn the key, nor remove it. I ended up breaking the key off (on accident, of course.) The ignition cylinder is really easy to take off once you remove the cover from around the steering shaft. I think all you have to do is push a button on the bottom with the key in the cylinder, and it just slides right out. Can't remember for certain. Mine tore up on a Saturday night, with no dealerships open who carried the cylinder, so all I did was remove the old cylinder and I could start my car with a screwdriver. I had a locksmith cut some new tumblers for me so that I could continue to use the same key for the ignition and door and trunk locks. Total cost was about $35. Good luck replacing it, but you shouldn't need it.
 
#9 ·
Thanks guy's, I'll try those things out the next time it happens


It doesn't feel like it's stopping as early as it would then if the car was in gear and I was trying to take out the key.

That was my 1st thought when I couldn't get it out, so I played around with the shifter with no effect.

And yes, it's very cold out. -29°C with the windchill, and theres always wind

Basically, a homeless dude slept in his car one night and got frost bite on his feet. And it's cold enough that if I leave my cell phone in the car, it doesn't turn on.
 
#11 ·
DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT USE THE GRAPHITE STUFF. THIS STUFF JAMMED UP MY LOCK THIS PAST FALL AND WHEN I HAD A LOCKSMITH POP IT OPEN AND CLEAN IT THAT **** HAD IT ALL GUMMED UP. I GUESS A LITTLE WOULD BE OK, BUT NOT TOO MUCH OR ELSE YOU'LL END UP REPLACING IT ALL!
 
#12 ·
cd93 said:
Have you checked the button on the selector for the transmission? In this weather I have to pull it out unless the car is completely warmed up...
I'll second this! During months of cold weather the button on my gear shift lever often doesn't pop completely out when I put the car in park. I have to take off my gloves and pull it out fully on occasion to get my keys out.
 
#13 ·
Ignition lock problems frustrated me as well. But after reading about the gear selector thing here, it's no longer a big deal.

Black94ES - your selector is on the console, right? Can you get the lock cylinder to turn all the way to the off position, or only far enough just to turn off the motor (even through the ignition light on the dash is still lighted)?
 
#14 · (Edited)
I had that problem. I got a silicone spray lubricant with the little tube you attach to the spray head. I pumped a good dose in the cylinder and it has been great for two years without a repeat of the problem. I also had the problem with the tranny button getting stuck and shot some in there. Again, a good long term fix. Not sure if that was the greatest thing to do, but it worked!
 
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