Key Stuck In Ignition

[daffy]

Hi,

Has anyone come across this problem where the key won't come out? I wiggled the steering wheel, because this can make it hard to remove the key. This isn't the case this time. I drove the car a few feet and shut the engine off and could not remove the key. I left the key in the car for a few hours and went out and tried it again and with a little resistance it came out. I have another key I will try next time, but I doubt if that is the problem. Thanks Daffy :(

[SKperformance]

You need to clean the tumbler and the key of gunk.

[daffy]

Hi SKperformance,

I will try that thanks.

Daffy

[mphsatty]

Hi,

Has anyone come across this problem where the key won't come out? I wiggled the steering wheel, because this can make it hard to remove the key. This isn't the case this time. I drove the car a few feet and shut the engine off and could not remove the key. I left the key in the car for a few hours and went out and tried it again and with a little resistance it came out. I have another key I will try next time, but I doubt if that is the problem. Thanks Daffy :(

This fairly common problem is caused by the locking mechanism in the steering column not lining up exactly right. You can usually unstick things by returning the key to the "run" position, centering the steering wheel, then returning the switch to "off" and pulling the key out. Don't try to force either the key (it'll snap or bend) or the steering column (you could break something there, too). It may help to spray a little aerosol lubricant (such as WD-40) into the locking mechanism, but if the key is still "sticky," have your dealer look at it.

[daffy]

Hi,

It looks like it has something to do with the gear shift. When I wiggle the gear shift lever, the key comes out. I am guessing I will need to adjust something here.... Daffy

[sha4000]

yeah the gear is not all the way in park. this used to happen to me when i had the tranny rebuilt on my 91 and they didnt line up the shift correctly.

[VBdenny]

When you do get the key out make sure it is not bent. I bent one of the keys to my Nissan truck and didn't notice it except that I couldn't get it out. I thought I had problems but when I used my other key it worked fine. Only then did I look at the key and saw it had a slight bend.

[tinyrasckal626]

I own a 92 lexus es300 and i had a similar problem my key was stuck in the ignition and i looked again and it was stuck between unlock and acc and it would not click left or right anymore anybody having any sugestion to fixing this problem ?

[qha_vn]

I own a 92 lexus es300 and i had a similar problem my key was stuck in the ignition and i looked again and it was stuck between unlock and acc and it would not click left or right anymore anybody having any sugestion to fixing this problem ?

dont know if locking machenism is the same between ls and es, but in ls, if shift nob isnt in P i cant turn the key to off to remove it. there must be a "position P" signal sent from shift nob to ignition switch to tell it that tranny is in P and allow the key moving to off. this might be checked first

[chrisls400]

Hi,

Has anyone come across this problem where the key won't come out? I wiggled the steering wheel, because this can make it hard to remove the key. This isn't the case this time. I drove the car a few feet and shut the engine off and could not remove the key. I left the key in the car for a few hours and went out and tried it again and with a little resistance it came out. I have another key I will try next time, but I doubt if that is the problem. Thanks Daffy :(

hey daffy, same thing has happened to me a couple of times. at first i would turn the steering wheel but when that didn't work i figured out that my cell phone charger cord was not letting the shifter get all the way into park. once i moved that, all has been well. good luck!