[mbtech208]

It doesn't happen all the time, but I'm sure it'll get worse over time. Sometimes the key doesn't want to come out of the ignition. I jiggle the shifter several times and it still doesn't come out, even after I cycle the key a few times. When its good and ready, it'll just come out. Any ideas?

[IntrepidBus IV]

Turn the steering wheel hard left or hard right while trying to remove the key.

[nataliendylan]

This has happened to me before once...but in my case the car was in park but wasn't all the way in park. I didnt realize it and finally double checked and my key came out. So, maybe that could be a possibility...or maybe not. ;)

[r0meo021]

another thing that can cause a problem with your ignition is TOO many keys or keychains. It weighs it down and puts a bind on the switch (wears it out faster), so put your car keys on one chain and house keys, keeychain, etc. on another.

[D76G12]

The key will lock/unlock/start the car but won't come out of the cylinder in the "lock" position?

[mbtech208]

That's right. The steering wheel is not hard up against the column lock either, it's just straight ahead, no pressure at all. Turning the wheel does not release the key. And it is firmly in park. The key just doesn't come out. I probably need a new ignition switch. One more thing to bring up at the dealer, along with the loose driver's seat and the clunk in the front end.

[D76G12]

Our '99 Voyager (75K miles) just went through something similar. Wife parked the van then couldn't get the key out. I tried it and couldn't get it out, either. But in our case, the whole cylinder was locked - couldn't start the van, couldn't even unlock the wheels. They had to drag it out of the parking bay onto the back of the tow-truck to take it to the dealer where they replaced the cylinder - it had broken a tooth or something ...

The tow-truck driver even tried it but I'm a pretty husky guy - the wheel wasn't locked against the stop as sometimes happens. I thought I was gonna' break something tugging on the wheel with her wiggling and pulling on the key but no dice ... :(

[mbtech208]

That had to have been interesting to see how they got it back off the tow truck.

[D76G12]

Wish I'd been there for that, too. The serviceman said he lowered the flat-bed and hopped his truck a little (popped the clutch) to get the front tires on the ground. After that, it came off easy. The driver dropped it off inside the garage but I was wondering how they got the thing into a bay? But I guess they just let it sit where he dropped it and worked on it, there - at least until the old cylinder was out.

[insane driver]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't there some sort of override switch that lets you shift out of park with the ignition still in the lock position? They could've just done that and pushed it. Or why not just disconnect the cable from the tranny and shift it via the lever in the tranny itself?

[TTrepid]

I am pretty sure that the recall announced recently may have something to do with this. The recall is for something to do with the shifter not staying in park and the cable going to the ignition switch. Maybe someone knows more about this. I have read in past posts where the key will not come out if the console is not in park. Sometimes its an adjustment. Hopefully, one of the site experts will chime in to either tell me i'm nuts or agree.

[kc9afc]

My problem is I turn the car off in drive or reverse. Pisses me off when I do it becuase you would think, after owning a car for a few years one would learn the proper shutdown procedure on an automatic trany...

[01Intrepid]

I had the same problem, and I did find out that it was b/c i wasn't putting it fully in park...... No problems so far......

[TTrepid]

Here's the post I saw about the recall:

http://www.dodgeintrepid.net/forums/...ghlight=recall

[mbtech208]

I have a column shifter, so that recall doesn't apply to my car.