key stuck in ignition.sos

Moes8

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help.my ignition wont turn back completely to off,i cant remove the key.
1995 mark viii

stuck about 2 weeks ago,i had to play with the key/and the shifter,then it came out,thuoght it was a fluke,but now its been in for 3 days,i have just been locking the car with the key in the ignition.

what do you think i need to look into ,the lock cylinder or the brake shift lock interface thingy?

it turns back far enough to shut off engine/accesories.but wont turn back that last 3/8 to 1/2 inch to remove key.

thanks.
 
It's the interface between your shifter and your ignition. If it thinks the car is in drive, it will not let that key out.
 
Did someone try to steal your car? someone tried to steal my Towncar before I had it and jumped the ignition past the accessory so after about a year of having the car the key wouldn't come out and iI had to muscle it and broke it all the way to where i could turn the car on without a key lol
 
LOL that happened to me at the gas station a few weeks ago. when i got home from work it came out though :D
 
Dominus said:
It's the interface between your shifter and your ignition. If it thinks the car is in drive, it will not let that key out.


okay.thanks.

now,whats the easiest way to tackle this?from inside through the center console,or do i need to be looking outside/underneath.?or somewhere else?


thanks in advance.
 
Dominus said:
Start with where the problem started. You said you had been doing work on your shifter? Check there.


nope,never said that,just said i had to mess with the shifter to get the key out a previous time,but really,i am not sure if the key came out only because of shifter ,or if it came out because i tried turning the ignition so many times that finally it released.
 
Resurface of old thread

Same problem, switch works fine, but won't come back to 'take out' position.

I've played with my switch, shifter, moved the car made sure it was on level ground, etc. Has anyone had to take measures to fix this problem? Is it something in the switch that needs to be replaced, or shifter? Both work/act fine, No signs of wear other than this.

Thanks for any input..!
 
check to see if you have brake lights, the wires to the brake light switch usually break on most fords
 
Please give me the location and keyless entry code to your car. Thanks :D
 
make sure its securely in park.

BOO wiring doesnt have anything to do with this. it only affects taking it out of park.
 
i ended up swapping my column out for another,
it was the plastic actuator rod that goes from the key switch down the cloumn to the electric ignition switch,it had worn away and wasnt releasing properly.

i hear the actuator rods are like $8,but a little pita to swap out.i had an extra column from donor car,so i just swapped it out.
 
KainDTE said:
after about a year of having the car the key wouldn't come out and iI had to muscle it and broke it all the way to where i could turn the car on without a key lol

Do yourself a favor and DON'T do this. Aside from the obvious security risk this poses, eventually (At least, in my Crown Vic) the ignition switch will come loose and just spin without turning the cylinder. Then the car won't even be able to start to go to the shop!
 
vr4 said:
make sure its securely in park.

BOO wiring doesnt have anything to do with this. it only affects taking it out of park.

I know the car doesn't think it's in park, so I've played with the shifter plenty.. via made sure on level ground, moved shifter back and forth etc.

Well, this morning twice out of two tries the key comes right out, without any special attention. So, I should get the problem fixed before it's a permanent deal.
 
Moes8 said:
i ended up swapping my column out for another,
it was the plastic actuator rod that goes from the key switch down the cloumn to the electric ignition switch,it had worn away and wasnt releasing properly.

i hear the actuator rods are like $8,but a little pita to swap out.i had an extra column from donor car,so i just swapped it out.

Did it get to where you couldn't get the key out at all? I'd rather just change the rod, though I could use a clock spring also. Thanks for your input Moes8!

And thanks everyone else too!
 
Iszi said:
Do yourself a favor and DON'T do this. Aside from the obvious security risk this poses, eventually (At least, in my Crown Vic) the ignition switch will come loose and just spin without turning the cylinder. Then the car won't even be able to start to go to the shop!

That'd suck!
 
It did. Fortunately, I'd already bought my Mark VIII and was planning to retire the CV soon anyway at that time.
 
poniesviii said:
Did it get to where you couldn't get the key out at all? I'd rather just change the rod, though I could use a clock spring also. Thanks for your input Moes8!

And thanks everyone else too!
yeah,it stuck a couple times over a few weeks time then one day,it stuck permanetly.

i drove it for like 2-3 months unitl i fixed it.

the rod wears down and eventually stops "grabbing"
 
Moes8 said:
yeah,it stuck a couple times over a few weeks time then one day,it stuck permanetly.

i drove it for like 2-3 months unitl i fixed it.

the rod wears down and eventually stops "grabbing"

I'll be fixing it soon, so far so good today.. . Thanks a bunch!
 
That happened on my 89 Mk 7. The would get stuck and i would have to force it out. I just went to auto zone, paid 7 bucks and got a new ignition
 
what really sucks it getting up to go to work, and the car is dead, so you go to get in your stang and the key wont go all the way in, at all, ever, sticks about a 1/4 in. out. that sucked, i ended up pulling out the colum and drilling out the little pin, it still doesnt come out... so then you have to take a bis ass drill bit, in a drill press, and drill down just to seperate the body from the little turny thing.

this actually could have saved my life since after it took the 4 nuts out from under the dash, the thing pulled right out. THERE WAS NO BOLT HOLDING IT TO THE RAG JOINT!
 
i ended up swapping my column out for another,
it was the plastic actuator rod that goes from the key switch down the cloumn to the electric ignition switch,it had worn away and wasnt releasing properly.

i hear the actuator rods are like $8,but a little pita to swap out.i had an extra column from donor car,so i just swapped it out.
Any tips on where you can find the ignition actuator rods online? I'm needing a new one for my 96 Mark VIII. Thanks!
 

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