key stuck in ignition

[tp8728]

i had the same problem with my key, i sat in my car for several hours pulling the ignition cylinder in and out trying to get something to pop loose, i had no luck, the key was stuck for good, i got a new ignition cylinder ( just the inner part- there is a hole on the bottom of the column with the car in gear you can take a small screwdriver and push up in there and the key and inner cylinder will come out, put the car back in gear, and take a flat head and you can turn your ignition back off), put it in and i havent had a problem since, i dont remember how much the cylinder was but it is not hard at all to do, if you would like i can take pics of every thing and show you how i did it.
the bad part to that is that you do either have to get a locksmith to "rekey" the new cylinder or you will have a seperate key for your ignition, door, and trunk. o and they cant get the chrome cylinders they are that new black plastic stuff and same for the key it has the black plastic head on it.
Hope this helps

[86VickyLX]

oh yeah I forgot about that. If I remember correctly, if this is an 90 or a 91, that you can remove that thing. Haynes says it has to be in the start position. Disconnect your battery and put the key in the place where it would be if you were to start the car, get a long pin that will fit in the hole on the bottom of the column right by the cylinder. pull that out and see if you can get the key out then. I hope that helps.

[1987cp]

Broken ignition lock - how to get it out??

:bump:

Figured this was as good a place as any for this post ... I just had the weirdest thing happen, sort of the opposite of that_one_girl's. I went out to my car, and had a hard time inserting the ignition key. Then when it went in (I didn't *think* I was forcing it), the lock will not turn. The key will go easily in and out, since it's still in the locked position, but as I recall the cylinder had to be turned somewhat in order to remove it in the normal way by pressing on that little button that goes into the little hole in the aluminum housing thingy. This particular lock cylinder's being broken isn't a huge deal, as I have another working one I took off the '79, but getting it out is kind of an important precursor to replacement. Not being a car thief, I have no idea how to start it with a screwdriver, provided that's even possible. Will I end up just having to drill the cylinder out somehow?

Edit: Thought of another idea, perhaps I could break up the cylinder with a small cold chisel and remove it in pieces? Or then again, if it's all getting busted to heck anyway, maybe I should just whack on the little retaining pin with a punch and see if I can get rid of it .......

now, if only I could find my ring with extra keys for my spare lock cylinders ....

[86VickyLX]

Did you try turning the wheel? lol. my car does that when the wheel is locked. Pull the wheel away so it's not unlocked and bam, the key will turn.


There's a button on the bottom. But the lock cylinder has to be in the run position to remove it.

[p71towny]

yeah, remove the cylinder and lube the stuff. I do it every so often.

[1987cp]

:lol: That's precisely the point, I couldn't get the damn cylinder to turn out of the "lock" position! Long story short, lots of hammering and drilling later I got it out in pieces and stuck in another one. Ho, hum.

[gabegt90]

was that the fucked cylinder I saw in the wagon when I was up there last jan?
I remember saying it looked fucked up

[1987cp]

Actually, yeah, same lock cylinder. I'd forgotten you'd mentioned that ... only thing I'd previously noticed wrong was the buzzer wire being broken off.

[87gtVIC]

similar thing just happened to me key stuck in ignition. the actuator thing with little gear teeth that gets turned by the key cylinder acually broke, causing a huge jam up of metal parts in the key cylinder space. the actuator couldn't be turned by the key because it was missing teeth and was jammed making the actuator unable to engage the igniton switch. Solution 60 bucks and taking column apart, now works like a champ.

[1987cp]

Funky. I take it you did replace the ignition lock itself in the process?

[Wray-Wray]

last time something like that happened to me it was on my dad 76 ford granada two door...(302 11.5 to 1 race cam 512 lift and duration ported heads ford racing shorty's to a close ratio 4speed top loader tranny out of a 67 galaxy fastback) that car moves like an son of a bitch but neways all we did was take a flat head screw driver stick it in the key whole and whack it with a 3 pounder(sledge hammer) a few times all you had to do was turn the screw driver to start and shut off the car....we removed the cylinder later(in many pieces) and replaced it with a new one about a year and a half later....

[87gtVIC]

key cylinder

Funky. I take it you did replace the ignition lock itself in the process?

No didn't need to be replaced gears were good, luckley i have a spare brand new out of the box with keys and id tags