Help!!! Key won't come out of ignition

[JeepOwner07]

for some reason, the ignition will not let me switch it back to the last point where you can remove the key, i've tried in neutral, and i've tried slamming the gear shifter back into park and nothing. I can turn it to acc, and turn the engine on, i can drive no problem, just can't remove the key

 

[jeepchic79]

Mine has done that a couple times . I just jiggly the heck out of it and it will eventually give me the key .

 

[richar43]

try wiggling your steering wheel a little as well, sometimes when it is locked, it won't let you have your key back, this has happened a few times to me in the past on another vehicle

 

[OneOneNiner]

This happened to my bosses Lib.He had to get factory to replace ignition switch or something.

A heavy keychain is the sure death of any ignition switch.
It is best to have your Jeep key on one of those clips that you can take on and off,to keep from ruining the switch.

 

[JeepOwner07]

only thing on my key ring is my house keys, the key fob for my aftermarket remote and all my stupid little retail store key cards

 

[jeepchic79]

only thing on my key ring is my house keys, the key fob for my aftermarket remote and all my stupid little retail store key cards

Sounds like mine plus a plug gapper . lol 3 keys ,3 tags , plug gapper .

 

[ThunderbirdJunkie]

Try pushing your shifter further forward until you get a definitive click.

Likely the shifter itself or the shift interlock cable is toast.

 

[JeepOwner07]

no tried all the ideas given so far, thanks for the suggestions, i guess its off to the dealer tomorrow, problem is he is like 40 miles away from me and i can't afford to take off work right now

good thing i have the aftermarket alarm, with th ekey in the ignition, the doors won't lock, but the alarm allows me to lock it

 

[ThunderbirdJunkie]

Battery will be dead tomorrow if you leave it turned on.

 

[richar43]

wow, and i thought mine had very little on it, my and wife's car key, our own car remotes, 1 house key, 6 or 7 little store cards, and a plastic tire psi checker...did you try pushing it in, and then pull it out , in the off position?

 

[Dave]

I had this happen to me. Tried everything mentioned above but it was stubern and didn't want to turn to the "off" position. Later in the day it did finally turn all the way off and come out and has never done it again. After that I took all the crap off my keychain. So keep trying all the things mentioned.

Dave

 

[family KJ]

Had this happen to mine as well. I needed a new steering column as a part from inside the ignition switch, part of the column, broke.

You can also disconnect the battery for now to save you a dead one in the morning.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

I just move the wheel a bit, and that always works.

On my keys I have the house key, and a Copper Mountain key ring. Have had both on there since I got it.

 

[JeepOwner07]

well, i've spent 3-4 different attempts at it, and no luck, its like something is blocking the ignition from being turned all the way back, as if that was actually the furthest the key could go back. so i don't know what else to do, but drive to the dealership tomorrow and hope they can drop everything and look at it there on the spot all within the 1 hour of time that i will be able to give them before they close, haha good luck with that

 

[Porkchop]

Just a shot but did you try your tilt up and down

 

[JeepOwner07]

Just a shot but did you try your tilt up and down

yep, tired it several times, tried banging it, tried pounding the key in further pulling it out hitting it back and forth up and down side to side etc, tried the shifter from park to every gear, tried turning the wheel, tried driving around pot holes to see if it would jar something loose, im beating my libby to death, i did find this article with this picture

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"The shifter interlock release lever as stated before, was not springing forward enough to make the cable release the key in the ignition lock. To temporarily release the key, the lever for the interlock cable can be pushed forward with a screwdriver or by hand to allow enough travel for the cable to release the key. *The interlock cable is the smaller one on the left side."

what i don't understand is what do i push forward in that picture? Like does the white part slide back and forth on the cable? is that what they are talking about?

 

[New Liberty]

Have you tired removing all the Steelers logos off your Jeep. She could just be mad at you cause of that.

I worked as a valet for years, and you've pretty much tried everything we used to do in these situations. Hope she's just being temperamental, and that it's not anything more serious.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Nope....just turn it to "Off" and then pull it out...

 

[azmotoman]

Richar43, you forgot to say "please" in your avatar. I just caught that, but it's still funny!

 

[JeepOwner07]

Okay I started looking more into that switch interlocking cable and that was definitely the problem, removed the gear shift bezel and slid it back, the key Then turned with no problems, this is only a temporary fix though, off to the dealership in a couple of days

Thanks for the ideas