Tell me more ×
Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for mechanics and DIY enthusiast owners of cars, trucks, and motorcycles. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 3 down vote favorite

The keys are stuck in the ignition in this vehicle, even when the car is in park. What can be done to fix this, so the keys can come out again? Thanks!

share|improve this question
Have you tried jiggling the starter switch, to make sure it's in the locked position? – Iszi May 8 '11 at 3:59
It seems to be related to the gear shifter, the system doesn't seem to register it being in park somehow... – PearsonArtPhoto May 8 '11 at 5:25
1  
Can you get the keys out with it in neutral then? – jzd May 8 '11 at 11:54
So, are you saying the switch won't come back to the locked position at all? If so, I'd try @jzd's suggestion - see if you can do it in neutral. Also, make regular use of your parking brake until the root cause is resolved. – Iszi May 8 '11 at 15:14

2 Answers

up vote 3 down vote accepted

As suggested by jzd in a comment, try removing the key when in Neutral rather than Park.
If trying while in Park, try to ensure you are in Park and the car knows that it's in Park. Does anything else usually happen when Park is engaged? A dashlight or something else to indicate that the car knows it is in Park.
Another thing to try is giving the steering wheel a bit of jiggle, sometimes the steering lock can 'jam' keys, although usually this is more of a problem when inserting keys and starting rather then removing.

share|improve this answer
up vote 1 down vote

This happened to me as well. There is a little bezel ring around the push button on the shifter. Pull it out slightly and the key will come out.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.