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Sedans Pontiac Grand Prix Pontiac Grand Prix Key cannot be removed from ignition
42 messages, Last post on Oct 07, 2009 at 4:11 PM
You are in the Pontiac Grand Prix Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
Hi! I hope someone out there can help me! I have a 2002 Grand Prix and in the last few months have been having trouble removing the key from the ignition. I have to put the car in "park-reverse-neutral-drive then back to park" several times before the key will release. Sometimes moving the steering column up or down will work too. It is an intermittent problem. I have had the "park/neutral switch" replaced. The key is still not releasing properly. I've also had the car to a locksmith who claims there is nothing wrong with the ignition itself. I have read online several others are having or have had this same problem but no one seems to give a direct answer to what needs to be done to fix the problem. If anyone has had this problem and has successfully had it repaired...would you please share with me what exactly was done to correct this. I would truly appreciate ANY help anyone can give me. Thanks!
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Had my 97 Grand Prix SE 3.8 V6 for about a year now it has about 276k miles on it.I dont really know much at all about cars. Never had a problem with it until last night. My key got stuck in the ignition and wouldn't come out! I couldn't turn the car on either! So i left the keys in overnight. the next days i got my spare keys from my gf. Apparently theres a little cap underneath the steering column and if u pop the cap there is a little hole which i poked with a thin screw driver while turning the key gently trying to get it out. it came out fine. tried to start my car shortly after but nothing. it was dead and the key got stuck again. so i assumed maybe something is wrong with the battery. i took the battery connector off to see whats going on and i simply decided to scrap off the little layer of corrosion on it. put it back together and Bam! She's aliiivve! but after reading all the problems ppl encounter i got a little paranoid and decided that maybe its time to get rid of the car while i still can. what do you think?
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THE SAME PROBLEM THAT EVERYONE HAS WITH THIS SERIES OF CARS. I HAD THE LOCK CYLINDER REPLACED HOPING IT WOULD SOLVE THIS PROBLEM IT DID NOT COST ME 150.00 . SO I DID SOME CHECKING ON THE NET AND FOUND THIS GROUP AND OTHERS LIKE IT. I ORDERED IN A CONSOLE SHIFT ASSEMBLY IN FROM GM IT WAS OVER 400.00 CDN. A HUGE COST TOO MUCH SO I WAS READING HERE AND ON PERSON SAID TO LUBRICATE THE SOLENOID IN THE SHIFT CONSOLE. I SPRAYED SOME LUBE ON THE ACTUATOR ON THE SIDE OF THE SHIFT LOCK SOLENOID IT SOLVED THE PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY. I COULDN'T BELEIVE IT AFTER MONTHS OF TORMENT AND OUT OF POCKET COST. I HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE AVOID PAYING FOR REPAIRS YOU DON'T NEED. ALSO THEN AUTO DOOR LOCK AND UNLOCK WHEN U SHUT OFF THE CAR STARTED WORKING AGAIN .BOB MACINTYRE
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Replying to: bobmac2 (Aug 23, 2007 10:51 am) Thanks for the info. I called the dealer I purchased the car from complaining about a problem that seems to an ongoing issue with GM cars! He told me to bring it in for a free diagnostic test to find out whats wrong with it. I did this and they called back saying it was the shift assembly. They also said it would cost $600 for them to repair it. I told him I could not and would not pay that much for a problem on a car the is only 5 years old and only has 40,000 miles on it (not to mention (again) this is a common problem with GM vehicles and there should have been a recall on it and fixed free of charge.) Thank goodness I was dealing with a great, understanding GM service manager. He made a deal that I would pay $100 and he would get GM to cover the rest of the cost. I had it fix the next day and have not had any problems since. Unfortunately I did not receive your e-mail until after I contacted the dealer and had my car fixed or else I would have tried what you suggested. But I will keep it in mind in case it starts to give me trouble again. Thanks again. Annette 
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Replying to: markito (Aug 16, 2007 4:37 pm) I had this problem too (the key getting stuck). I was told if the battery is dying it could cause this problem. The ignition needs so many volts for it to release the key. I had my battery checked and unfortunately that was not the problem (mine was that the shift assembly had to be replaced). Since you cleaned your battery and it started working fine that would appear to be where your problem was coming from. You may want to have your battery checked also. You may be in need on a new one and that would take care of the ignition/key trouble in the future.
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Replying to: tawny0207 (Aug 23, 2007 1:19 pm) The Fox
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Replying to: tawny0207 (Aug 23, 2007 1:19 pm) |
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Hi folks...I appreciate all the responses to this most annoying problem. I still haven't taken this problem to the dealer for repair because I'm convinced that doing so will only result in a lot of unnecessary, over-priced work. Can't believe there is no TSB issued on this from GM/Pontiac. As it stands today, I'm continuing to use the method of reaching up into the column and pushing on the switch to release the key. It's kind on funny that when you do this...you are essentially "flipping the bird" to your car. Who says GM doesn't have a sense of humor? Another method with which I have had some success is as follows: - apply brake and come to a complete stop - wait a few seconds before shifting into Park - shift into Park, wait a few more seconds, then release the shift After about 3 seconds, I hear the audible "click". Don't know why this works, but hey... 
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Replying to: tawny0207 (Aug 23, 2007 1:06 pm)  yahoo.com. Or post in forum. Thanks a whole lot!! Scott
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