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ignition key stuck


worb4me

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1998 Grand Prix GT

 

I think I wanted to roll the car a bit. The battery iwas disconnected, I put the key in and tried to turn it so I could shift tbe shifter. Couldn't put it in neutral, and now the key won't come out. Battery is chatging, what was left in it wasn't enough to start. Will this rectify itself once I'm able to start tne car? Just can't understand why I can't turn it all the way back (I suppose it's in the "on" position) and pull it out.

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Had the same issue on my '01 GP GT.

 

If you remove the small panel below the ignition you can reach in and there should be a cylinder inside of there with a small button on the bottom of it.  See if you can depress this button.  You might also have luck removing the plastic that goes around the bottom of the column.  The button should actuate to allow the key to be removed. 

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OK, enough juice in jump starter to crank, but not start. Able to get key out

Thanks for the numerous and prompt responses. Cupcakes for everyone!

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My wife recently ran the battery down in our Equinox, same thing.  Apparently, there's a solenoid attached to the lock in the column, and with no power to operate the solenoid, the key is stuck.  I found a couple of YouTube videos where people showed how to take the upper cover off of the steering column right behind the steering wheel, and manually move the solenoid to release the key.  It sounds like a kind of dumb design to me.  If you're stuck somewhere without cables, and leave the car, pretty much anyone with cables could simply jump off your car, and drive away using the convenient key you left behind.

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