Key Stuck in Ignition

On Fri, 22 Apr 2005 14:35:45 -0400, Steven wrote:

 > Hello
 >
 > I was wondering how much it would cost (parts) to replace the neutral start
 > switch on my 94 Celica GTS. My car doesn't know that it's in park, so it
 > won't release my key from the ignition until my battery is drained. Do you
 > think it's the switch? Is there a more practical way to solve this problem?
 > Advice is appreciated.
 >
 > Thanks for your help
There is also a relay involved there. You could bypass the switch/relay
setup and the key would be removable always.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Key Stuck in Ignition 

Sometimes the cable that connects the shifter to the transmission becomes
misaligned. This happened to me once, on a different brand of car. Should that
be the case, a simple adjustment by a mechanic would fix the problem. It is
worth your while to check out that possibility.
Good luck.
Morton

Steven wrote:

 > Hello
 >
 > I was wondering how much it would cost (parts) to replace the neutral start
 > switch on my 94 Celica GTS. My car doesn't know that it's in park, so it
 > won't release my key from the ignition until my battery is drained. Do you
 > think it's the switch? Is there a more practical way to solve this problem?
 > Advice is appreciated.
 >
 > Thanks for your help<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Key Stuck in Ignition 

Hi Jeff

Thanks for your response. I'm pretty certain I can currently start in any
gear. I know for sure that it will start in park and neutral. I have no
problem starting and stopping the engine, it's just geting the key out of
the ACC position and into LOCK.

Steve


"Jeff Strickland" <spamcatcher DeleteThis @yahoo.net> wrote in message
news:qdWdnX1zuKrKyPTfRVn-3g@ez2.net...
 > Does the car start in Park, or MUST you shift it to Neutral?
 >
 > I can't imagine anything that would hold the key in the ignition switch,
 > then let it go when the battery is dead.
 >
 > If you have to shift the car from P to N in order to start it, then I
would
 > be looking to the Safety Switch as the problem. But, if the car starts in
P,
 > then the safety switch is going to be pretty much OK.
 >
 >
 >
 > "Steven" <masscot DeleteThis @washingtonexpos.com> wrote in message
 > news:H_OdnfaOQZCT2fTfRVn-jA@rogers.com...
  > > Hello
  > >
  > > I was wondering how much it would cost (parts) to replace the neutral
 > start
  > > switch on my 94 Celica GTS. My car doesn't know that it's in park, so it
  > > won't release my key from the ignition until my battery is drained. Do
 > you
  > > think it's the switch? Is there a more practical way to solve this
 > problem?
  > > Advice is appreciated.
  > >
  > > Thanks for your help
  > >
  > >
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Key Stuck in Ignition 

Hi Mort

I have a feeling I may have inadvertently damaged this cable.

Thanks for the advice.

Steve



"mort" <mort RemoveThis @cloud9.net> wrote in message
news:4269B426.774AC5ED@cloud9.net...
 > Sometimes the cable that connects the shifter to the transmission becomes
 > misaligned. This happened to me once, on a different brand of car. Should
that
 > be the case, a simple adjustment by a mechanic would fix the problem. It
is
 > worth your while to check out that possibility.
 > Good luck.
 > Morton
 >
 > Steven wrote:
 >
  > > Hello
  > >
  > > I was wondering how much it would cost (parts) to replace the neutral
start
  > > switch on my 94 Celica GTS. My car doesn't know that it's in park, so it
  > > won't release my key from the ignition until my battery is drained. Do
you
  > > think it's the switch? Is there a more practical way to solve this
problem?
  > > Advice is appreciated.
  > >
  > > Thanks for your help
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Key Stuck in Ignition 

"hachiroku" <Trueno RemoveThis @ae86.gts> wrote in message
news:pan.2005.04.22.19.41.10.915000@ae86.gts...
 > On Fri, 22 Apr 2005 14:35:45 -0400, Steven wrote:
 >
  > > Hello
  > >
  > > I was wondering how much it would cost (parts) to replace the neutral
start
  > > switch on my 94 Celica GTS. My car doesn't know that it's in park, so it
  > > won't release my key from the ignition until my battery is drained. Do
you
  > > think it's the switch? Is there a more practical way to solve this
problem?
  > > Advice is appreciated.
  > >
  > > Thanks for your help
 > There is also a relay involved there. You could bypass the switch/relay
 > setup and the key would be removable always.


Can you explain how I do that? I was hoping it would be a simple fuse
removal, but it sounds like re-wiring, or perhaps just a disconnection.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Key Stuck in Ignition 

There is no mechanism that will keep the key from going into the Lock
position that is related to the ability to start the car, and the car should
only start in P or N. If the car can start outside of P or N, then you have
a problem somewhere, but this should not affect setting the key to the Lock
position.

You know what? I need to back pedal on that one. On all of my cars, I can
set the key to Off, but I am not sure about Lock. I'll have to look into
that, and get back to you. It makes sense that the car must be in Park
before the key can be removed, and the key can only be removed in the Lock
position, therefore if the key can not be set to Lock, then the shift lever
is involved some how.

A test mode would entail holding the shift lever further into the P position
to see if this frees the key, or slip it a little towards R. I'm thinking
there is a linkage adjustment that is giving you fits. When I was younger, I
had a '65 Mustang that would resist starting in P until I moved the shifter
around a bit. It was a common malady that one would need to hold the shifter
further into P in order to make the contacts on the safety switch. I never
determined if the switch contacts were dirty or of the switch was simply mal
adjusted, the car always started when I pushed the shifter forward ...

The safety switch has to do more these days, and powering a solenoid that
locks the ignition switch out of the Lock position is one of those new
duties. I would assume that the switch on the brake pedal that must be made
before the shifter can be moved out of P is a similar kind of circuit that
is bugging you.





"Steven" <masscot RemoveThis @washingtonexpos.com> wrote in message
news:R9udneACm5RdJ_TfRVn-tw@rogers.com...
 > Hi Jeff
 >
 > Thanks for your response. I'm pretty certain I can currently start in any
 > gear. I know for sure that it will start in park and neutral. I have no
 > problem starting and stopping the engine, it's just geting the key out of
 > the ACC position and into LOCK.
 >
 > Steve
 >
 >
 > "Jeff Strickland" <spamcatcher RemoveThis @yahoo.net> wrote in message
 > news:qdWdnX1zuKrKyPTfRVn-3g@ez2.net...
  > > Does the car start in Park, or MUST you shift it to Neutral?
  > >
  > > I can't imagine anything that would hold the key in the ignition switch,
  > > then let it go when the battery is dead.
  > >
  > > If you have to shift the car from P to N in order to start it, then I
 > would
  > > be looking to the Safety Switch as the problem. But, if the car starts
in
 > P,
  > > then the safety switch is going to be pretty much OK.
  > >
  > >
  > >
  > > "Steven" <masscot RemoveThis @washingtonexpos.com> wrote in message
  > > news:H_OdnfaOQZCT2fTfRVn-jA@rogers.com...
   > > > Hello
   > > >
   > > > I was wondering how much it would cost (parts) to replace the neutral
  > > start
   > > > switch on my 94 Celica GTS. My car doesn't know that it's in park, so
it
   > > > won't release my key from the ignition until my battery is drained.
Do
  > > you
   > > > think it's the switch? Is there a more practical way to solve this
  > > problem?
   > > > Advice is appreciated.
   > > >
   > > > Thanks for your help
   > > >
   > > >
  > >
  > >
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
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