Key stuck in the ignition!!!! Help!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 280
Likes: 26
From: Kansas
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Finalist 2022 C1 of the Year - Unmodified
Key stuck in the ignition!!!! Help!
Have a '69 and I can't get the key out of the ingnition... starts fine, etc. but I don't want to break the key off.. now what????? I have tilt and tele. :rolleyes:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,001
Likes: 113
From: Saginaw Michigan
Re: Key stuck in the ignition!!!! Help! (REDSHARKONBOYDS)
The lever should be hooked to a cable that comes from your transmission. The cable pushes up on the lever when your manual transmission is placed in REVERSE or when your automatic transmission is placed in PARK.
The lever must be all the way UP in order for a gate to be opened inside the steering column. This gate then allows the ignition lock cylinder to be rotated all the way to OFF-LOCK (where your key can now be extracted from the lock cylinder).
Your cable could have become disengaged from the lever. It could also be rusted or disconnected from the transmission.
When General Motors introduced their function locking steering columns in 1969, they decided to prevent the driver from locking the steering wheel while the car was moving forward, (i.e. automatics in PARK, manuals in REVERSE) as a safety feature.
If you permanently place your column lever in the full UP position this will allow you to turn off the engine and lock the steering wheel even though you could be rolling down the road.
[Modified by Jim Shea, 11:39 AM 6/20/2003]
The lever must be all the way UP in order for a gate to be opened inside the steering column. This gate then allows the ignition lock cylinder to be rotated all the way to OFF-LOCK (where your key can now be extracted from the lock cylinder).
Your cable could have become disengaged from the lever. It could also be rusted or disconnected from the transmission.
When General Motors introduced their function locking steering columns in 1969, they decided to prevent the driver from locking the steering wheel while the car was moving forward, (i.e. automatics in PARK, manuals in REVERSE) as a safety feature.
If you permanently place your column lever in the full UP position this will allow you to turn off the engine and lock the steering wheel even though you could be rolling down the road.
[Modified by Jim Shea, 11:39 AM 6/20/2003]
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 280
Likes: 26
From: Kansas
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Finalist 2022 C1 of the Year - Unmodified
Re: Key stuck in the ignition!!!! Help! (Jim Shea)
Thanks for the info... I just got the car recently... I will check the cable out. :) :)
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 280
Likes: 26
From: Kansas
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Finalist 2022 C1 of the Year - Unmodified
Re: Key stuck in the ignition!!!! Help! (kdzdds)
A follow-up just in case anyone is interested: The cable that enables the lockup of the trannny was installed backwards and had a crimp in it. Also, the starter switch/key was shot.... so, I installed a new switch ( what a job!!!). Anyway, the key comes out fine now and I am going to order a new cable . :p: :yesnod:
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 1
From: Okeechobee Florida
Re: Key stuck in the ignition!!!! Help! (kdzdds)
mine was removed many, many moons before i ever bought the car...
(4 speed car)
IMO it is a waste and a hassel and not worth having hooked up...
remove it and move on to other things... :yesnod:
(4 speed car)
IMO it is a waste and a hassel and not worth having hooked up...
remove it and move on to other things... :yesnod:
