can't get my keys out!!!!! help!!!!

Comments

• jgmilberg Member Posts: 872

  May 2002

  It sounds like a bad ignition switch to me. The shifting problem could be a bad shifter cable or a bad brake pedal release mechanism. You have to push in the brake pedal to get the car out of gear. It has been a safety feature on all of GM's cars and trucks since the late 80's, so make sure you push the pedal down when you try to shift. The theft sys light will come on when you turn the ign off, so that part is normal and it shuts off bout 30 sec after you close the door. Another thing to check on is to see if there is a lever near the ign switch if there is push/pull while turning the key. Some cars have that lever on it, but it's usually only on manual transmission cars. If worst comes to worst call a lock smith out to get the keys out.

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• jpryba Member Posts: 201

  May 2002

  Well, I hope this will be a simple fix for you. In my case, the key in my 96 Grand Am gets stuck once in a while when I put the car in park and try to turn the car off. The car will shut off fine, but the key will get stuck. I had a heck of a time getting it out the first few times until the Pontiac dealer I bought my (out of warranty) Grand Am from showed me a little secret. On the bottom of the steering column there is a very small panel that, if removed, will give you access to a little button/pin that you can press whenever the key gets stuck. I haven't replaced the panel since, as on a regular basis during warm weather the key will get stuck when I put the car into park and try to turn it off. In your case, though, I'm not sure if pressing the little button will allow you to shift out of park, but you can give it a try. Of course, please make sure you are pressing the brake as you press this little button (I would suggest sitting down normally and using your left hand to get at the button and then use the right hand to operate the shifter as you press the brake pedal with your foot). You will probably want to get this checked out by a dealer sometime, as in my case my car never has a problem with getting out of park. However, this will at least fix the problem with the key getting stuck.

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• 87ranger2 Member Posts: 13

  May 2002

  I believe the way that the shift interlock works is that current flow to the brakelights is sensed & this releases the shift lock. Are the brake lights working??

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• csandste Member Posts: 1,866

  May 2002

  last time I was going to tow it in since I couldn't get it out of park. Tech told me to put it into neutral then start it there. Once you do that, you can generally move the lever any place.
  
  1. Turn ignition to on--don't start.
  2. Move shift to neutral
  3. Start car.
  4. Shift will work normally.

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• jgmilberg Member Posts: 872

  May 2002

  What you are describing is NOT the ignition switch it is the Shift Interrupt Switch, if the trans in in any other gear besides Park or Neutral the car won't start. It is a safety switch to keep you from starting the car in gear. It is a common problem with these cars and the recall is in place to fix it. Too much current is going through both the ign and SIS switches cooking the contacts and leaving you stranded. The fix is basically a relay that is hooked right to the battery, and then the switch only controls the relay, not directly turning over the starter.

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• csandste Member Posts: 1,866

  May 2002

  for flaming ignitions.
  
  The tech said that it might be the ignition switch (which they'd replace free) or the neutral safety switch. They'd do the ignition switch first and if that took care of it there'd be no charge. Apparently that was it because they fixed it for free. Either that or the problem was non-reoccuring and is just waiting to happen again. This happened once before and I'm sure it was the ignition switch that was fixed. That was my fault because I was hanging too many keys off of it. Let me know if the neutral safety switch is the same thing as the shift interrupt switch, or if it's another part altogether.
  
  I've had the neutral safety switch go out on an 87 Nova and it was in the area of the transmission. This malfunction (at least the first one which was repaired) was in the ignition switch. Like I said, caused by too many keys.

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• jgmilberg Member Posts: 872

  May 2002

  Was it the switch or the key cylinder? The switch is an electrical switch behind the key cylinder. You cant kill the switch with too many keys, only the key cylinder. The key cylinder has a little rectangle button on the back that hooks to the switch and turns it. Hanging too many keys from the ring will cause the cylinders pins to wear out and start jamming up the cylinder.
  
  The neutral safety switch is the same as the starter interrupt switch, it goes on the trans under the shift lever.
  
  Did you have a problem getting the car out of park or just a problem turning the key? If you had a switch meltown that would cause you to not be able to turn the key, but if you couldn't get it out of gear that is an unrelated issue.

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• csandste Member Posts: 1,866

  May 2002

  this was two weeks after having the switch repaired on recall. Apparently the key cylinder was intermittently failing and I thought the recall fixed it. In 75K I've had the recalled switch and two different key cylinders go. I don't know if this is a Cavalier weakness or I'm just running a streak of bad luck.

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