ignition key stuck
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 11
Likes: 1
From: Southington, CT
ignition key stuck
I have a 1970 corvette with standard transmission. The other day the key wouldn't turn to the off position. I had to let out the clutch and stall it with the brake. The key is stuck between start and run. It will start the car but doesn't even come back to the run position. I've tried everything I read on-line to fix it. I now have the column out of the car with everything disconnected, I am ready to try to remove the key cylinder from the column and replace it but thought I would check here in case I am missing something. Obviously the ignition switch is removed so I know that the rod isn't jambed up. I also have moved the back drive lever up, down and everywhere in-between and tried getting the key to release in each position with no luck. So the question is should I try to replace the key cylinder? and will I even be able to get it out of the column with the position that the key is stuck in?.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,815
Likes: 470
From: Wichita Kansas
I have a 1970 corvette with standard transmission. The other day the key wouldn't turn to the off position. I had to let out the clutch and stall it with the brake. The key is stuck between start and run. It will start the car but doesn't even come back to the run position. I've tried everything I read on-line to fix it. I now have the column out of the car with everything disconnected, I am ready to try to remove the key cylinder from the column and replace it but thought I would check here in case I am missing something. Obviously the ignition switch is removed so I know that the rod isn't jambed up. I also have moved the back drive lever up, down and everywhere in-between and tried getting the key to release in each position with no luck. So the question is should I try to replace the key cylinder? and will I even be able to get it out of the column with the position that the key is stuck in?.
Emerging Vendor
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 1,599
Likes: 114
From: San Diego CA
With the ignition switch disconnected and the backdrive lever all the way up you should be able to move the lock cylinder to all the positions. If it doesn't move then the ignition rack is hung up. There should be a diagram of the column internals in the Jim Shea documents. If you need to tear into it you will need the tool to compress the lock plate to get the steering upper yoke c clip removed.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 85
Likes: 7
I have a1970 tilt and telli streening and i went threw the same problem. It turned out it was the rack gear that was broke inside the colum, to fix this is a pain in the ***.so look in your manul to see all the parts this thing they call the rack is a gear attached the ing switch,so start to take the steering wheel off then the dir switch off to get to the first housing 3 screws then remove you will see the rack spring,gear to ign. The rack goes inside the next housin and attached to the lower ign rod you didnt say if you had tilt tellic steering but its a long time to fix and getting the correct parts i can give you a website that will sell everything send me pm good luck
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 11
Likes: 1
From: Southington, CT
I have a1970 tilt and telli streening and i went threw the same problem. It turned out it was the rack gear that was broke inside the colum, to fix this is a pain in the ***.so look in your manul to see all the parts this thing they call the rack is a gear attached the ing switch,so start to take the steering wheel off then the dir switch off to get to the first housing 3 screws then remove you will see the rack spring,gear to ign. The rack goes inside the next housin and attached to the lower ign rod you didnt say if you had tilt tellic steering but its a long time to fix and getting the correct parts i can give you a website that will sell everything send me pm good luck
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 11
Likes: 1
From: Southington, CT
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 5,339
Likes: 546
From: Central Texas
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 11
Likes: 1
From: Southington, CT
So I was able to remove the ignition cylinder. Shouldn't I be able to remove the key from the cylinder when it is no loner in the column?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,815
Likes: 470
From: Wichita Kansas
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,815
Likes: 470
From: Wichita Kansas
I know how you must feel but this is fascinating to me. The key should certainly come out now, with nothing else influencing the operation of the lock cylinder. Did you put the assembly gently into a vice and try to pull the key out with a pliers? When the key was put into the cylinder prior to being stuck, was there any resistance? I presume you were the one that put the key in.... I wish I was there to look at it in person, this mystery bothers me too.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 85
Likes: 7
you know to save you Monet instead of buying that tool to take the pins out what I did I just put the correct size screw inside the pin and put a vice grip wrench and a screw driver and pry it out, very easy good luck
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,815
Likes: 470
From: Wichita Kansas
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 11
Likes: 1
From: Southington, CT
I can't pull the key out because it is stuck between the start and run position. It won't turn back to off. I dont remember the key going in hard to the cylinder when I last put it in. I ordered a new ignition lock cylinder from Corvette America. I'll let you know what I find. Thanks for all the support.
Last edited by promano; Oct 9, 2018 at 10:58 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,365
Likes: 428
From: Cape Girardeau Missouri
I had the exact same problem when my '79 was almost new to me to include the key staying stuck after the cylinder was removed. All I did was replace the lock cylinder and no more problems.