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Key gets stuck in ignition

47K views 18 replies 12 participants last post by  Quarryhunslet 
G
#1 ·
Hi all,

My other half has said the key has started to get stuck in the ignition over the past few days when trying to take the key out and it's happened to me now as well. After some fiddling with starting the engine again and putting the car into gear and then park again then it will release. I'll get it booked into the dealer but does anyone know what it could be?

Thanks,
Mike.
 
G
#5 ·
J155 said:
Hello,

I am also experiencing this problem. Can you tell me if the issue was rectified by lubrication please. Is this something that is covered by Vauxhall under warranty?
They first tried a little lubrication into the key barrel without removing it to see if it would sort it, as they couldn't fit us in straight away for a full diagnostic. It worked for a couple of weeks but it started jamming again. I booked a proper appointment then and they removed the key barrel to lubricate it all properly a week ago so fingers crossed that has sorted it. I'll update in another few weeks and let you know. I would have thought a replacement would be covered by warranty.
 
G
#7 ·
Hi all,

Just to update on this one - Vauxhall technical came back to say that the gear lever (mine is an auto) needed replacing as the switch inside it wasn't working correctly to release the key from the barrel. It's been perfect since *touch wood*!
 
#8 ·
I had the same issue but managed to resolve the issue without taking it to a mechanic I have an automatic. Thanks to a YouTube video can't post the link because I'm on my phone and watched it using an app. The button on the gear lever doesn't lock in place for it to release the key from the key barrel, it's a feature in automatic cars. So I got a WD40 sprayed in the button but not to much. Just try to work it in with a couple more sprays. Put the gear in reverse "R" press the button and put it in park "P" with a little bit of a shove but not too hard.

Hope this helps 😊
 
#10 ·
To update after picking the car up I used the car to do a number of short journeys and had no problem but when I got home on the last trip it stuck.
The following day I bought a new car which hopefully I pick up tomorrow providing this problem does`nt kill the deal. What I thought was the best car I have owned has turned into a nightmare owing to bad service. I was a loyal Vauxhall customer but never again.
 
#11 ·
I have the same problem with my 2016 Astra Turbo 1.4 automatic. I have taken it to a local garage twice, but both times it was releasing the key when I arrived and so they couldn't do anything. WD40 into the ignitions has helped a couple of times but the problem keeps reoccurring. The garage is talking about replacing the barrel and gear stick which will cost over £1000. My car is not long out of warranty, with hindsight I should have extended this. I would appreciate any help with this issue. I will try WD40 into the gear stick button as suggested although that seems to be working fine. I spoke to a Vauxhall dealer who assured me they had never heard of this problem, yet the local ex Vauxhall dealership I spoke to said it was a common problem with Astras which they resolved as mentioned above at a significant cost.
 
#12 ·
I have been having this issue and I think I have cracked it!

There's a mechanism that triggers when the gear-selector is moved out of Park and a solenoid in the ignition barrel locks the key in place. When the selector is moved back into Park, this mechanism disengages and the solenoid releases the key...or at least it would do if all was well!

After pulling up the gear-selector surround and gaiter I managed to identify the mechanism that triggers the key lock / unlock solenoid.

When the gear-selector is pushed forward and locked into Park a button is pressed, which in turn activates a solenoid in the ignition barrel that unlocks the key. If the selector is not in Park then the button is released and the ignition barrel lock is engaged.

However I found that there was some "play" in the selector so, even though the selector was in Park (the transmission lock engaged, the digital display in the dashboard showed "P" and the "P" symbol next to the selector lit up), it was not sitting forward enough to activate the release.

If this happens to you (can't turn key back to the "off" position and it wont come out), put the car in Park and then push the selector forward. If it needs adjusting / has too much play, you should hear the "click" of the switch but then the selector "springs" back and the switch disengages when you stop pushing on it. If you do this with the ignition on, you will also be able to hear the click of the solenoid in the barrel too if the circuit is working.

To release your key do the following:

1. Make sure the ignition is on (the engine doesn't need to be running, just turn the key until the dashboard lights up) and the selector is in Park
2. Push the selector forward until you hear the click
3. While holding the selector in this forward position, you should be able to fully rotate the key to the "off" position and withdraw it as normal.

If you try the above with the ignition at position 1 (steering lock released but dashboard doesn't light up) this won't work as the electrics wont be energised and they need to be for this to work.

To fix the fault I had to access the cable adjuster, which is easy enough. In front of the selector there should be a small cubby-hole. The rubber mat in this just lifts out and then the base needs to be (gently!) prised up at the front then pulled towards you to draw it out of the console. Be careful when doing this so as not to damage the clips at the front or the guide lugs at the back - you should be able to do this by hand, without tools. Once this is out the way, you should see the cable and the adjuster lock (a yellow plastic clip on the adjuster)

DISCLAIMER - I was unable to prise off the lock fully so I don't know if it is supposed to come off completely or just lift up a little to allow adjustment. I didn't want to force it in case I made things very much worse!

Anyway, after some faffing around I managed to get the cable to tweak up enough to pull the selector forward so that the release switch was pressed. I then pushed the lock back down and put everything back and now it works fine and it still selects the gears properly. It only took a TINY bit of adjustment to take up the slack so don't go mad and ALWAYS check that you can still select all the gears before putting everything back together.

Just as an aside, I was also trying to get the knob to come off (hurr-hurr) for better access but it was stuck fast. However this may have also pulled the selector assembly back into the right location but either way the problem has now been sorted.

If you're not comfortable with adjusting the cable yourself then by all means ask a pro but be sure to point out the issue as I've seen entire new selector mechanisms and replacement lock barrels suggested as a fix, which can be expensive, unnecessary and might not even fix the problem!

Hope this all helps!
 
#18 ·
Hi all, retreving an all thread here sorry. But I am finding the same problem. I can't for the life of me find what this user is talking about. Is there any pictures, please? Of the yellow clip. I found the cable but there is no yellow clip on mine, i dont even know if I am looking at the right thing. However, I do know that my gear stick has to much play back and forth on park so i know it needs tighting.
 
#13 ·
Good info, thanks for posting..

I have just noticed a noise from the steering column / ignition when my lever is in park and I press the trigger to release it to move away.

It's quite a loud click that definitely didn't used to be there, so that would be the solenoid then from what you've seen?
 
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