I have a hard time removing the key when turning off the truck in my 99 Tacoma with 140K miles. It is real hard to turn off the truck and pull the key out, even after minutes of wiggling. I was told by the previous owner, you sometimes need to jam it harder into park.
Does anyone have a solution to this? Is it something to do with the ignition, key, or transmission in park not locking correctly?
The transmission also slips out of drive and into neutral at times.
I have this same problem with my 95 4Runner. When it is real hot out and she has been running for a good long time, the key gets stuck in the ignition. I have taken the entire shifting housing/linkage apart to try to fix this, but havent been able to really solve it. It hadnt happened to me in a long time, but it did it again just the other day. The only solution for me is to just let it cool down and remove it after a few hours.
I was told a trick is to use a can of compressed air turned upside down, as the extreme cold will cool things down. Haven't tried this method yet....
I think the only real solution is to reduce our independence on petroleum consuming automobiles. Eventually, the climate will recover and cool off>:lmao:
i have the same problem as well. sometimes it doesnt click into park and i have to push the shifter in park harder. mine also prefers neutral instead of drive too lol. it seems to pop outa drive every once and a while
If all else fails, maybe you just need some Kep Lube. Don't use WD-40 because all you will do is eventually gum up the internals.
They sell a bottle that is basically graphite with alcohol in it. The alcohol gets the graphite in. The alcohol evaporates, the graphite stays, the graphits makes things easier.
I would try the graphite first. If it didn't work, owell, at least your keys won't wear out as fast
Before you tear apart the shifter, get a key made from the VIN at a dealership, your key could be worn down to the point it isn't playing well with the ignition cylinder.
If the new key doesn't help, test the shift/key lock. After putting the shifter in park, shut the key off, then try and pull the shifter back into gear, it should be locked. If it isn't locked into park, then you do have a problem with the shift interlock system.
I had this problem for a long time. It got much worse when I moved to Phoenix...sooo damn hot... Eventually, it just wouldn't work at all any more. I had a locksmith come out and he got it taken care of in about an hour. It cost about $200 though. It's been fine ever since.
The key looks newish and the truck only has 50K on it. When I slam the shifter into park I never have a problem, but when I shift "normal" into P the key won't come out.
mine does this all the time i have an automatic 02 and i just have to make sure i really slam her in park lol or after i turn the truck off push the shifter forward again then it will let the key come out. only happend after i installed my 1 inch bl and adjusted the linkage for the shifter
Sorry to bump an old thread but I'm having this problem on my 98 runner, I'm about to go tear things apart to try to figure out a way to fix it for real. I'm not liking this "slam it into park" solution. Let me know if any of you have any tips or pointers. Wish me luck!
Im guessing it wouldnt hurt to pull the shift linkage out and clean any contacts or adjust the sensor thingy. If you look under the dash at the ebrake cable where it hits that stopper to turn of the *Brake* light on the dash, I imagine there is something similar for the park sensor. Im just guessing. Either way it cant be too complicated.
I tried the quick fix stuff like the "slam it into park" thing and I also tried a decent amount of deoxidizer (pro-gold) in there and worked the key in and out a few times, none of that is working. It appears that there is no direct linkage between the shifter and the tumbler so I'm guessing it's some type of electric solenoid? But that wouldn't make sense since I believe you can still turn the key when the battery is disengaged. I'll keep tearing stuff apart and let you guys know what happens.
Well sorry to bump an old thread but I talked to a locksmith that knows of this problem. She asked me to bring the ignition in so that she could fix it. Supposedly the "wafers" get mis-aligned or something like that. So the real problem was getting the ignition OUT. I Took out the plastic panels around the steering column. I then disconnected the electrical plug(s) that was connected to the ignition. The hard part is cutting a slot on the threaded end of the security bolts that hold the ignition to the steering column. I used a broken off hack-saw blade to cut a slot. Make sure to cut deep enough to not strip the bolt when you get your flat blade screw driver on it. I did the bottom one only and then I just used some vise grips to bend the C clamp out enough to get the ignition off. BTW it's damn hard to get a flat head on that slot.
The locksmith charged me 40 bucks to fix the piece. Hope this helps people. If anyone has anymore questions feel free to email me: ice_dude33@yahoo.com
Here's a 100% accurate way to tell where the problem is.
When the key is stuck, disconnect the battery. If the key is easily removed from the ignition, the problem is in the gear selector lever. If it still won't come out, it's in the ignition cylinder.
To fix the cylinder, try powdered graphite OR spray teflon spray (the shit from Lowes) on your key, let it dry, then insert the key.
If it's the gear lever. you'll need to rip apart the the center console. I just went a took a few (shitty) pics to show where the issue lies.
The little white box contains a hook/pawl the is raised when the shifter is in park. This in turn raises the electrical contacts in the box, and allows the key to be removed from the ignition.
Over time, slop develops in the shifter assembly. You have several options. Swap the entire unit for a newer one. Try to order the individual bushings from Toyota to refurbish your shifter. Or do what I did, and place a washer in between the shifter stabilizer and the shift assembly bracket (where the large gold nut is).
This effectively moves the assembly over an realigns the pawl with it's catch on the shifter. I still have a ton of slop in the upper part of the stick, but at least my key always comes out. Nice and cheap.
I went to get in it this morning to go hunting, and the key was a bit difficult to push into the ignition. Didn't think too much of it, as it is 0 degrees right now. Just figured it was a little stiff from the cold.
Well, the key won't turn, the truck won't start. Yes, I turned the steering wheel back and forth while turning the key. I was about ready to rip it off of the column. I tried disconnecting the negative battery terminal. Nothing. I shook the shifter enough that it popped out of park, so I slammed it back in, hoping that would do it. Nothing.
The ignition takes about 5 minutes to yank. Pull off the plastic panel, then you can see the whole lock cylinder. Turn the key on click to the ACC setting. Then look under the cylinder and there is a release button you need to push in with a little screwdriver. Push that in, and pull on the key. The whole assembly will come out. Look down in the hole where the cylinder was, and you will see a metal tab at the bottom. You can actually turn that with needlenose, and run the truck without a key.
I drove mine like that for a week or so, before I got a new cylinder off Ebay for like $30.
you think that would work for me? new cylinder? does that new cylinder come with a new key? I ask cause I don't want to have one key for the door and one for the ignition... but then again I don't care if that's how it's gotta be.
I can put my key in the ignition no problem but when I turn the key I can't turn it past unlocking the steering wheel. It takes about 5 - 10 tries flicking the key to the right till it finally gives allowing me to start my truck. sometimes i gotta sit there and pull the key out and put it back in alot. Sometimes i just go get a new key made from my vin# but that only last so long till it starts acting up again.
It was pretty cold the past two days, so I think that might have had something to do with it. I ended up spraying a bunch of degreaser into the cylinder. I don't have any graphite, but I'll pick some up. The degreaser must have just cleaned it out enough to allow it to work. Must have just been too gunked up with old grease, which got too cold. Or there was ice in there somehow, who knows. Glad I now know how to get the cylinder out.
Yeah, sounds like your tumblers are screwed up. I now have a key for the door, and for the ignition. I imagine I could have them keyed the same, but I am too cheap. Mine wouldn't turn sometimes, and once my steering wheel wouldn't unlock. I dicked with it for like 15 minutes, stuck in a store parking lot.
Then when I got home, it once again wouldn't unlock, and I turned the key hard and it screwed it up even more. Really easy to replace. Not sure what the deal is with people cutting shit out, it pops out by pushing in a little button underneath. If you can turn the key one click, the key will stay in the cylinder when you pull it. You push the button, and at the same time pull the key and the whole cylinder slides right out.
Then you put the new key in the new cylinder, turn it one click to the right, slide it into the hole, and the new button clicks into place.
I agree, sounds like the tumblers are going bad. I just had to replace mine today. I could only turn the key to about half way between the off position and the accessories position. I replaced just as superman described. The new ignition cylinder cost about $90 from Orielly.
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