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Key Won't come out, Shift locker not working....


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97 OBS-

So my key is stuck in the ignition, in between lock and acc. and the shift locker isn't working. I'm guessing they're related. I think the problem might be that the lock doesn't know the car is in park.. although it is...

it's sort of annoying using my spare to get in the car, with the key locked in there... so any ideas? i tried poping out the shift lock screw thing, and the screw under the stearing wheel, and no dice, tried shaking, rattling, smacking, you name it... i guess my next try is going to be crawling under and seeing if anything got stuck in the shift mechinism to the tranny keeping it from going into park.....

perhaps my key went bad? i dunno... ideas?

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My dad had a similar situation with his Nissan Maxima. The key would not come out, and I don't think the key was able to turn and start the car either. The shifter was also stuck. We ended up jumping the car battery and the key was able to turn again. Not sure how the two are related, but that's what worked for him. You may also want to check the fuse box, as maybe one of the fuses have gone bad. Good luck!

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figured it out, so if any of you have this problem ever. (oh yeah, it's an auto)

there is a plate with a notched out section, and a little metal dowel going through it, attached to the base of the shifter. This piece just happened to vibrate itself out, so i ended up ripping off all of the trim from the center consoul, and inspecting this area, and found the piece of metal sitting next to the shifter. (about 1.5" long, 2-3mm diameter). just simply pressed the shift button at the top of the shifter, and shoved it back into the hole where it goes. I couldn't get the key out because the 'park switch' wasn't being switched by the piece of metal, this is also why the shift lock was not working, because it wasn't settling in the notches.

I'll get a pic some day if anyone else has the same problem.

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problem solved, on the starting issue.....

it so happens that both her and i drive subarus... and the keys look very much alike.... you can guess why my car didn't start from there....

but today, the rod fell out again, so i ripped everything out again, cleaned it all up, and super glued the rod back in place, hopefully it'll stay put this time.

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  • 1 year later...

Derrick, just rip out the center trim stuffs, and the shifter trim, there's a little metal tabb'd switch that you can push up, and it will unlock the key.

 

here.. the plate will look something like this...

shifterplate.jpg

Where the notches for the gears do something like...

1 2 3 D N R P

i believe...

the switch is at the top of the P notch i think.

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