key switch will not turn to lock

[dkuehl]

UGH! I got out of the car at work, tried to turn off the key and remove it. It has been sticking lately. anyways now I can not rotate the key to the lock position and remove the key.. First question, other than the radio having power to it, I turned the radio off, will anything else be effected? The key is in the acc. position, not run. Do I need to undo the battery cable?

second question, any thoughts how to get the key to move. Its a new key that I have been using for the last 6 months.

Man I hope my battery is not dead or worse yet burn something out.. like fuel pump..

[Safety Guy]

I know this is simple, but did you wiggle the steering wheel to see if that would loosen the interlock? Sometimes you need to relieve the pressure to turn the key. Believe it or not, I've seen that confound a few people.

Karl

[zoom zoom]

Please don't go to extensive lengths bypassing multiple circuits making everything only work in run/start!!! I spent the first couple months of Festiva ownership righting wrongs that only needed a simple bolt removed to make it all better!!!!

If you take the column cover off you'll see the backside of the ignition switch, there's a white circle thing, if you take that one (5star bit?) screw out the circle thing will fall out if the ignition switch, and you can use a screwdriver or a knife to turn the mechanism. Just leave the key in to keep the wheel unlocked.

That will work until you can find a new steering column. Replacing the ignition itself is doable but it's a lot easier to just replace the column. Could also try lining the cylinder with pb or grease but who knows how long that will last.

Dash lights and a couple other circuits have juice with the key in acc position.

[dkuehl]

The wheel will not lock into place either. When I try to remove the key the wheel is not locking and the key is not turning pass the acc position. I agree I do not want to rig the system. Right now I was hoping just to leave the key in the acc position. I am not worried about someone taking it.. just worried about the dead battery or burned out fuel pump. I have the headlamps off of course and turned the radio in the off position too. It sat that way from noon until 5 and started. So i believe it will be ok to let it be that way for a while until I replace things… I will try taking the column covers off and do as suggested above..

[htchbck]

First off, zoom, how do you figure its easier to replace the entire column than the switch? I've done switches in less than 15 minutes... granted, the entire column isn't terribly hard to do either, doing just the switch is so much faster, plus you don't have to mess with all the bolts on the firewall at the bottom or reattaching the column to the rack and pinion. dkuehl, does your car have an automatic transmission? If so then most likely the car is not going all the way into park, or the cable that activates the release on the locking mechanism may be damaged. On the automatic shifter has to be in "park" in order for the key to turn all the way back. If it isn't all the way in park or if the cable release is damaged then the key will not turn all the way off, only back into the "acc" position. Hope this helps.

[dkuehl]

The Car is a 5 speed manual. still no luck getting the key out and to lock the wheel. I will attempt to open the colum and fish around to see if I can remove the plastic ring as described about.. Thanks everyone!

David