Key Stuck in Ignition

Shads · Post by **Shads** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 6:44 pm

Hi all,
Switched off the engine and the key will not rotate all the way back to the Lock 0 position. When looking closer it is nearer the ACC first position and no amount of gentle persuasion or WD 40 is helping the cause. It will happily switch to start, but no matter how many times this evening I have tried I cannae get the key out. The key looked in good condition and has not caused any problems prior to this incident. The steering lock is not engaged. Turning the key with all my might until it snaps in the ignition is not an option but I have exercised the key through the rest of the positions plenty during the past couple of hours.

Incidently, great lump of chain round the pedal and steering wheel plus my wee lad on double pocket money for guarding the bongo my deterrent.

tanner · Post by **tanner** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:09 pm

I think you need the gearshift to be in park ? Is it that simple ?

Post by **Ian** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:11 pm

Try repeat-pumping the foot brake and turning the key.

Shads · Post by **Shads** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:29 pm

The Gearshift was one of my first ideas, I kept driving it around just in case it was not engaging in Park, also tried Park and Handbrake on, all hopeless. just been outside again and tried the "pump brake while turning the key" theory, but no avail Ian, the key just wants to turn back to the same place. Thanks for the ideas though...any more?

David Edwards · Post by **David Edwards** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:59 pm

Similar thing happened to me in my space cruiser two vehicles ago, had to call a very nice rac man, don't ask me how but he got the key out in the end, it had bent slightly but enough to stick..The cause.. too many keys on the bunch constantly pulling downwards on the ignition key as it hung in the barrel. Learned my lesson though, only have about about 20 on it now.

You could always try one of the mobile locksmiths who advertise in yellow pages. good luck anyway. Happy motoring.

Shads · Post by **Shads** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 8:09 pm

Cheers David...I'm relieved that I'm parked up here and not in my home town of Penrhiwceiber, otherwise I don't think I'd have risked leaving it for sixty seconds. Not a great deal of keys on my fob, well none now. I'm still optomistic that I can get the key out at some point, just waiting for the temp to drop below zero as i type!

David Edwards · Post by **David Edwards** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 8:33 pm

Well you couldn't get further away, I go to ceiber regularly for two reasons, my missus was the vet in mount for years so we still do the odd visit and the other reason, I like to visit my hub caps now and again. Happy motoring

white van man · Post by **white van man** » Thu Oct 19, 2006 10:35 pm

take the column cowling off and you should see a metal cable with a round eye on/in it, if you move the gear lever in and out of park the end should move!!as you put it into park see which way its moving and give it a little bit of gentle persuasion in that direction to see if its a problem with the cable and not releasing properly so as to let you remove key,hope this helps

Shads · Post by **Shads** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 9:58 am

I took the cowling off. As well as the three screws holding on the lower cowling another screw fell from inside the plastic cover. As White Van Man states, there is a cable with a round eye - mine had become completely detatched from the mechanism which, when you select park, should allow the key to turn fully to the key removal position. I've put the cable back on to the mechanism, and fitted the guide plate and an earthing lead which all look like they were attached to the screw which had worked loose. The key now fits and removes fine. Thanks for the advice WVM.

The knock-on however, is the gear lever will go through any selection, including Park, without selecting the gear change button. It's got to be related, but I'm still scratching my head. When selecting Park it seems the cable eye really isn't moving much at all, but it's hard to work out if anything is getting jammed.