Stuck ignition key in 92 Bonne SE
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: PA
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Stuck ignition key in 92 Bonne SE
Recently my Bonneville'* been screwing around with me. When I go to park my car, I go through the usual routine (shift up to park, put the brake on) and when I go to take the key out of the ignition the ignition won't unlock. This happens sporadically at best. I've taken it to mechanics and it was assessed as being a misaligned transmission. It also could have been some cable under the hood was messing up. I personally don't know what could possibly be wrong. If anyone'* got an idea, please let me know! Thanks!
Ross
Ross
#2
Senior Member
Posts like a 4 Banger
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sounds like what happened to me about a week or so ago. If the trans doesn't get completely put into park the ignition won't let you take the key out. My friend had the same problem with his camero and he told me just put into park a few times and it went in fully and the key came out with no problems and hasn't happened since.
#3
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Edmonton, AB Canada
Posts: 2,621
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Stuck ignition key in 92 Bonne SE
Originally Posted by Metropolis187
Recently my Bonneville'* been screwing around with me. When I go to park my car, I go through the usual routine (shift up to park, put the brake on) and when I go to take the key out of the ignition the ignition won't unlock. This happens sporadically at best. I've taken it to mechanics and it was assessed as being a misaligned transmission. It also could have been some cable under the hood was messing up. I personally don't know what could possibly be wrong. If anyone'* got an idea, please let me know! Thanks!
Ross
Ross
#4
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Well.. this happened to me a few times too.. and in my scenario.. it was that Park was engaged fully ( even though it seems like it ). And I found on mine was due to the shifter **** coming up a lil so it doesn't allow the shifter to shift into park or out of fully. So I would just simply slam the shifter **** down on the shifter shaft and it works for me.. this has happened to mine and Tamara'* Bonneville.. just a food for thought before having to go out and spend all the money if you dont' have to. Just a lil timbit and let us know if that'* it.
#5
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Originally Posted by Drifter420
Well.. this happened to me a few times too.. and in my scenario.. it was that Park was engaged fully ( even though it seems like it ).
Anyhow, on my Cutlass, the engine had sagged down when the motor mounts rotted out, and that changed the geometry of the linkage at the transmission so the steering column bowl wasn't in synch anymore. Mainly this just screwed up my backup lights, since those are driven off the steering column linkage just like the starter interlock and the steering column lock, but in extreme cases you do find that either you can't crank the starter in Park or Neutral like you're supposed to, or else you can't get the key out, like in your case.
I would get under the car and find where the steering column linkage meets up with the floor shifter cable, probably in the area of the transmission (haven't had to find it on my car yet), and there should be an adjustment for that somewhere to get your steering column linkage back in synch with everything else.
#6
Senior Member
Posts like a Turbo
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: vancouver, canada 1995 bonneville SSEi
Posts: 348
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
when I had this problem (same as Drifter420 the shift **** was loose and moved up a little), I also noticed the release button on the shift **** still seemed to work, but the button had more play than usual, when you press it before you feel it unlocking the shift lever and since it doesn't completely unlock the shift lever, you can move the shifter through most gears, but can't engage park properly.
the shift **** should be secured with a C clip that slides into a horizontal slot in the front of the shift ****, the C clip is supposed to engage slots in either side of the shift lever to lock the **** in place. Problem is the slot in the shift **** is too wide, so there is room inside the shift **** for the C clip to spread apart, the C clip is no longer engaged in the shift lever slots, and the **** is no longer locked in place.
what I did was remove the shift **** (C clip is removed by prying out with small flat blade screwdriver), start with a new C clip, about $2, using pliers to squeeze the open end of the C clip until it is a tight fit in the slots on the shift level, then install shift **** with properly fitting C clip.
the shift **** should be secured with a C clip that slides into a horizontal slot in the front of the shift ****, the C clip is supposed to engage slots in either side of the shift lever to lock the **** in place. Problem is the slot in the shift **** is too wide, so there is room inside the shift **** for the C clip to spread apart, the C clip is no longer engaged in the shift lever slots, and the **** is no longer locked in place.
what I did was remove the shift **** (C clip is removed by prying out with small flat blade screwdriver), start with a new C clip, about $2, using pliers to squeeze the open end of the C clip until it is a tight fit in the slots on the shift level, then install shift **** with properly fitting C clip.
#7
Senior Member
Certified GM nut
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Davison,Michigan
Posts: 1,867
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I had the same problem but I have a short fuse so when it wouldnt come out I snaped the key off... Anyways I replaced the key/tumbler and it works fine now. So... Do that I think that is your problem.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post