Ignition key stuck in crank position, will not turn off engine and will nto come out.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,584
Likes: 7
Ignition key stuck in crank position, will not turn off engine and will nto come out.
Well. It happened.
What I can't figure out is why did it happen to the van, when it was my wife's HHR that had the ignition switch recall. Sheesh.
Okay, so I drove to work, and loaded up the van, When I started it it stuck in crank, and the starter began to grind a bit. Luckily I moved the shifter from park to 1st and then back to park, and it let me turn it off. Strangely, while this was happening, my aftermarket stereo was blanksecreen, and there was static coming from the speakers. As if only half the power was getting to it. When I restarted the van all was fine, radio included.
Drove to jobsite. Did job, got in van to go to next job, and the key stuck in crank and this time froze there for good. I managed to reef on it enough to get the grinding of the started to stop. I limped to a dealer and once there took apart the shroud on the column to see if there was a lever or something i could pry on to release the key. There wasn't.
Grabbed a service tech, and a mechanic and they could not release it either.
Luckily, the dealer had a new lock cylinder in stock.
2 new keys, programmed and set to the code for the van, plus the new cylinder and labour and tax man. $396 bucks.
Ouch and a half.
Here is another strange bit. While the van was idling at the dealer, and the mechanic was looking at it, we noticed the power windows were not working. However once the repair to the ignition switch was done, they worked. Weird.
Just wanted to let you all know in case someone out there has a similar issue.
Cheers.
What I can't figure out is why did it happen to the van, when it was my wife's HHR that had the ignition switch recall. Sheesh.
Okay, so I drove to work, and loaded up the van, When I started it it stuck in crank, and the starter began to grind a bit. Luckily I moved the shifter from park to 1st and then back to park, and it let me turn it off. Strangely, while this was happening, my aftermarket stereo was blanksecreen, and there was static coming from the speakers. As if only half the power was getting to it. When I restarted the van all was fine, radio included.
Drove to jobsite. Did job, got in van to go to next job, and the key stuck in crank and this time froze there for good. I managed to reef on it enough to get the grinding of the started to stop. I limped to a dealer and once there took apart the shroud on the column to see if there was a lever or something i could pry on to release the key. There wasn't.
Grabbed a service tech, and a mechanic and they could not release it either.
Luckily, the dealer had a new lock cylinder in stock.
2 new keys, programmed and set to the code for the van, plus the new cylinder and labour and tax man. $396 bucks.
Ouch and a half.
Here is another strange bit. While the van was idling at the dealer, and the mechanic was looking at it, we noticed the power windows were not working. However once the repair to the ignition switch was done, they worked. Weird.
Just wanted to let you all know in case someone out there has a similar issue.
Cheers.
