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Pontiac Grand Prix Key cannot be removed from ignition

88 messages,  Last post on Jul 27, 2012 at 11:24 AM

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What is this discussion about? Pontiac Grand Prix, Sedan

Messages Page 6 of 9

#48 of 88 Re: Key cannot be removed from ignition [dcbradley] by drmjones

Jun 08, 2010 (9:33 am)

Replying to: dcbradley (Mar 05, 2007 7:51 pm)
Try cleaning the switch and parts, that are at the bottom of the floor shifter, that you spilled your coffie and/or pop on months ago!

#49 of 88 Re: Key cannot be removed from ignition [dcbradley] by 02prixgt

Mar 08, 2011 (12:31 pm)

Replying to: dcbradley (Mar 05, 2007 7:51 pm)
Hello, I have read several of the posts on the subject of "Cant remove the keys from my Pontiac gran prix. Well I found out the had way by trying the ignition cylinder lock replacement and the ignition switch (wiring harness) to only have the same problem. If any of you out there are experiencing the same problem I found my problem just $130 too late. If you have a center concole shifter as I do on my 02 Gran Prix, I found that by opening the cup holder and using a standard slot screw driver and remove the concole, you will have to move the shifter knob with a small screw driver from the front side of the knob below the button, but before removing the shift knob move shifter into drive with the engine off to allow enough room to lift the console up and out the way. With the key in the stuck position, reach down to the wire plug and wiggle the plug under the shifter. pay close attention to the purple wire as this harness of wire should have been made longer to begin with. You will likely hear the solenoid in the steering column that people are by passing make a clicking sound. I my case I stripped of a little more of the insulation from the purple wire and soldered it down into the broken connector in the plug. Ideally someone with the proper pin connecter tools would replace the pin inside the plug or molex, I dont have them tools. You could purchase the small wiring harness and replace it, but I would caution the wire length. This is what the problem is with these Pontiacs IMO, too short of wire allowed under the console that plugs into the nuetral safety switch. All fixed here and working great.

#50 of 88 Re: Key cannot be removed from ignition [dcbradley] by 02prixgt

Mar 08, 2011 (12:33 pm)

Replying to: dcbradley (Mar 05, 2007 7:51 pm)
Hello, I have read several of the posts on the subject of "Cant remove the keys from my Pontiac gran prix. Well I found out the had way by trying the ignition cylinder lock replacement and the ignition switch (wiring harness) to only have the same problem. If any of you out there are experiencing the same problem I found my problem just $130 too late. If you have a center console shifter as I do on my 02 Gran Prix, I found that by opening the cup holder and using a standard slot screw driver and remove the console, you will have to move the shifter knob with a small screw driver from the front side of the knob below the button, but before removing the shift knob move shifter into drive with the engine off to allow enough room to lift the console up and out the way. With the key in the stuck position, reach down to the wire plug and wiggle the plug under the shifter. pay close attention to the purple wire as this harness of wire should have been made longer to begin with. You will likely hear the solenoid in the steering column that people are by passing make a clicking sound. I my case I stripped of a little more of the insulation from the purple wire and soldered it down into the broken connector in the plug. Ideally someone with the proper pin connector tools would replace the pin inside the plug or molex, I dont have them tools. You could purchase the small wiring harness and replace it, but I would caution the wire length. This is what the problem is with these Pontiacs IMO, too short of wire allowed under the console that plugs into the neutral safety switch. All fixed here and working great.

#51 of 88 Re: Key cannot be removed from ignition [02prixgt] by jkornkven

Mar 11, 2011 (5:19 pm)

Replying to: 02prixgt (Mar 08, 2011 12:33 pm)
hey thanks for the tip on this steering wheel I have a big question for you I have a 2002 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GT Have You ever taken apart the center console in your car and there is a wiring harness that hooks to you shifter i have two wires that had broke off one is purple and the other one is green so if you could help me out on what order the green and purple wires go it would be a lot of thank

#52 of 88 2002 pontiac grand prix gt shifter wiring harnsess is broke by jkornkven

Mar 11, 2011 (5:22 pm)

I need the order of the green and purple wires go if the green is on top or the bottom and same with the purple wire

#53 of 88 Ignition or Eletrical by thedesertfox99

Mar 11, 2011 (5:41 pm)

Well the fact that Google yielded so many results leads me to believe theirs a flaw in the design. I have a smiler issue as all of you do, but with an additional glaring and scary issue. I have no electrical power what so ever. The car won't start. The lights won't turn on, the radio has no lights & the windows won't move. I don't know if it's a problem with the switch-maybe the ignition is stuck in some kind of dead zone-or if there's a fuse blown, a gentlemen at autozone suggested the "Master Computer," might be blown.
  The thing is that it has been doing some suspect electrical things the last couple of weeks. Mainly my windows wouldn't work, no matter the trouble shooting steps I took, then after letting my car sit over night I'd go back out to find them working perfectly. Common trouble shooting logic would normally not lead me to make a correlation between the two problems, but after reading these posts and considering that the key stuck might suggest an electrical issue it might have something to do with it.
  I've also learned that there is a leak in my roof, I've driven it in the rain and see no dripping, but my floor boards are soaked. I worry that this may have caused something to short out. As of now it looks like I'm stuck without a car for the weekend. I pulled the key out of the ignition but the switch itself is still stuck. It will turn to the on position but it won't go back into the off. Any advice as of where to start would be greatly appreciated.

#54 of 88 Re: 2002 pontiac grand prix gt shifter wiring harnsess is broke [jkornkven] by 02prixgt

Mar 12, 2011 (3:10 pm)

Replying to: jkornkven (Mar 11, 2011 5:22 pm)
The Green wire is on the top side of the plug in the middle pin to the passenger side of the red wire and the Purple is on the bottom side of the plug on the right side pin nearest the passenger seat. Hope this gets your problem taken care of.

#55 of 88 Re: Ignition or Eletrical [thedesertfox99] by thedesertfox99

Mar 13, 2011 (1:02 am)

Replying to: thedesertfox99 (Mar 11, 2011 5:41 pm)
My problem turned out to be a dead battery. I guess there is a cylinoid in the ignition that needs a small amount of power to turn back far enough to disengage the lock. When I hit my switch it zapped every conceivable amp out of the battery, rendering it dead as possible. After a lengthy jump I was able to easily turn the key back into the off position and the ignition released my key- like it was designed to.
I'm still not completely convinced that there isn't some broader electrical issue. The fact that I parked the car in perfect working order one night, and the next night there wasn't enough power for even the horn or the trunk release button makes me a little bit skeptical about solving this problem with a set of jumper cables.
But for now I've started the car a few times over-with no other issues-and my key has been released each time. My best hopes are that I will never again have to suffer this annoying issue, and some other technical natured young man, who has no mechanical abilities, such as myself will one day be spared a similar aggravation by stumbling across my post and learning he's not the only dumass in the world.
 
                                                                                                Tony Knox
                                                                                                Gallipolis Ohio

#56 of 88 Key stuck in ignition by gearkat

May 30, 2011 (12:42 pm)

I have an 02 Grand Prix SE and ran into the same problem. So after reading these posts I removed my center console and saw that the infamous 'purple' and 'green' wires had become disconnected from the adapter. When I removed the adapter, the problem was actually worse. Both wires had broke leaving an end in the adapter while the other part floated free. So I pushed out the metal used to hold the wire with a small screwdriver, pushing in the direction towards the wires. Since it seems the purple and green wires were 'just long enough' over the years the stress of pulling on the wires as the car was shifted in gear caused them to snap.
 
I plan to solder on small extensions, and reinsert the wires back into the adapter with new connectors. Lots of electrical tape will be used I'm sure. I will drop a line letting you know if this works.

#57 of 88 Re: Ignition or Eletrical [thedesertfox99] by garysho

May 31, 2011 (12:33 pm)

Replying to: thedesertfox99 (Mar 11, 2011 5:41 pm)
For the leak, is it just the passenger front seat floor? If so, see this: http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0f6276/1!make=Pontiac&model=Grand%20Prix- &ed_makeindex=.f0f6276
 
Either the drain is blocked (I had that issue on my '99), or the rubber strip under the plastic piece below the wipers has gotten out of position. Hopefully that is all it is, and not a leaky roof.

Messages Page 6 of 9

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