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Key gets stuck in ignition....ever happened to you??

34K views 73 replies 21 participants last post by  TechHockey35 
#1 ·
So, every once in a while...once every day or two, my key won't want to come out of the ignition. What I have to do is to re-start the truck, take it out of Park, put it back into park, and try again. Usually it works on the first try, but not today...I had to do it twice.


Has anyone else ever had this issue, either one time OR chronically?




Dan
 
#3 ·
It's not that type of lockup, hard to explain I guess. The steering wheel still moves just fine and isn't locked. That was actually the first thing I thought of and tried the first time it happened.
 
#15 ·
Maybe not. Now that I remember, the interlock is to determine if the brake is depressed in order to shift.

OP, just googled your issue. One possible solution might be to disconnect the battery to see if you can release the key if it's stuck while in park.

Just a shot in the dark.
 
#11 ·
Toyota Tundra Stuck Key - Technical Service Bulletin | Tundra Headquarters Blog


If your truck is one of the affected vehicles, contact your local dealer to make arrangements to bring your truck in. As with any TSB’s the repair is covered within Toyota’s Comprehensive Warranty, 3 years or 36,000 miles whichever occurs first.

The TSB repair process is as follows:

Confirm the condition to see if the key is sometimes difficult to remove
If it is determined that the problem exists, remove the shift lever assembly (Depending upon the year and model, there are specific repair manuals for their use.)
Remove the three wire guides and wire harness clamp
Carefully release the connector housing retainer and locking lug of terminals 5, 6, and 12 of the 14 pin connector, and then remove the terminals from the rear of the connector
Remove the 2 screws holding it, and then remove the column shift control lever retainer
After removing the Key Interlock Solenoid Connector and the 14 Pin Connector from the new Transmission Control Switch, it will be carefully reattached
The new switch will be reinstalled using the 2 screws to reattach the column shift control shift retainer
Terminals 5,6, and 12 will be securely reconnected to the original transmission control switch connector, and the connector housing retainer will be re-seated
The three new wire guides and the wire harness clamp will be reinstalled
The shift lever assembly will be reinstalled using the model year Repair Manual
Confirm that the repair is complete
If you have any other questions regarding this problem, please do not hesitate contacting your local Toyota Dealer.
 
#27 ·
Toyota Tundra Stuck Key - Technical Service Bulletin | Tundra Headquarters Blog


If your truck is one of the affected vehicles, contact your local dealer to make arrangements to bring your truck in. As with any TSB’s the repair is covered within Toyota’s Comprehensive Warranty, 3 years or 36,000 miles whichever occurs first.

The TSB repair process is as follows:

Confirm the condition to see if the key is sometimes difficult to remove
If it is determined that the problem exists, remove the shift lever assembly (Depending upon the year and model, there are specific repair manuals for their use.)
Remove the three wire guides and wire harness clamp
Carefully release the connector housing retainer and locking lug of terminals 5, 6, and 12 of the 14 pin connector, and then remove the terminals from the rear of the connector
Remove the 2 screws holding it, and then remove the column shift control lever retainer
After removing the Key Interlock Solenoid Connector and the 14 Pin Connector from the new Transmission Control Switch, it will be carefully reattached
The new switch will be reinstalled using the 2 screws to reattach the column shift control shift retainer
Terminals 5,6, and 12 will be securely reconnected to the original transmission control switch connector, and the connector housing retainer will be re-seated
The three new wire guides and the wire harness clamp will be reinstalled
The shift lever assembly will be reinstalled using the model year Repair Manual
Confirm that the repair is complete
If you have any other questions regarding this problem, please do not hesitate contacting your local Toyota Dealer.
I'm guessing it's probably the transmission control switch as stated in TSB. Probably an energized signal that gets reset to ground only when power is withdrawn.

If your mechanically inclined, have a voltmeter and can get a copy of the repair manual online for disassembling your steering column, you might be able to see what it looks like and how to get to it.

I took apart my steering column to replace a broken shifter arm for $200 in parts for what would have costed me $800 in labor & parts.
 
#18 ·
The same thing happened to me before. It kept happening during a couple days every time I shut off the engine. The way I figured out how to unlock it, was to turn off the truck and pull/wiggle the shift lever while turning the key. It still happens once in a long while now and that's how I get it out.


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App
 
#19 ·
THIS HAPPENS TO ME TOO!! This happens to me about every time i get in and out of the truck. It is absolutely the most nerve racking thing in the world. Like i have to turn the truck off and wait for like 5 minutes for my dumb ass to try and get the key out. it used to get stuck, and i would just giggle the shifter and it would come out..but now i gotta like giggle the heck out of it while also turning the key multiple times to get it out! Did somebody mention a recall that might apply to some trucks? I have a 2012 4.6 dbl if that helps any.
 
#20 ·
Is it possible to put the truck in neutral, pull the key out and then put it in park? Could be a short term solution until you figure out why the key isn't coming out in park.
 
#21 ·
I didn't think you could pull a key on a vehicle unless it was in park? Could be wrong but I thought that was a pretty universal thing across all brands.

To the OP does it help at all if you step on the brake? I know that you know you haven't locked the steering wheel but you would think that if it fixes the problem when unlocking the steering wheel it would do the same movements in this case as well. I'm grasping here if you couldn't tell lol.
 
#22 ·
I wasn't sure if it would let you pull the key in neutral. Figured it was worth a try.

A friend's sister kept trying to get the key out of her Camaro one night and it wouldn't come out. Her brother and I had to drive out at night to go meet up with her and figure out what was wrong. Turned out there was a penny in front of the floor shifter that wouldn't let the car go all the way into park. Removed the penny, put it in park, and removed the key. And yes, she is a blonde.
 
#26 ·
I've got opposite problem. Key locks and won't turn to engage starter.
Happened at least 4 tines. Last tine took me several minutes to get started. Truck is brand new 2015, 1 month old

Comment about using other key made me realize I only got one key/fob from dealer. Is that normal?
 
#29 ·
Just a thought...

This would happen in my wife's Tacoma as well.

It seems that if you would shift to fast from drive into park, or reverse into park. The key would lock up.

Do You guys shift into park fast? If I shift slowly, no problems at all.

Maybe it's a male thing, cause it never happens when my wife drives!!! ( so she says )

:eek:


YB
 
#31 ·
To OP, i am going to the dealership after classes to see if they could help me out with this. It's very annoying that a key is getting stuck in the ignition basically prohibiting you to take out your keys. I am out of my 60k warranty by like 2k miles so hopefully they're nice and don't tell me its not covered and i have to pay to get something fixed that shouldn't even break on a truck during its lifetime..i'll keep you updated.
 
#32 ·
The strangest thing.....last night I left my keys in the ignition because I had to leave and didn't have time to disconnect the battery cable. This morning the battery was dead. I jumped the truck and now I have no problem taking the keys out...yet.


So, we'll see.
 
#36 ·
Disappointed to hear this issue is enough of a widespread problem to warrant a TSB. Got a '12 that does the same thing.

On occasion I have to push (sometimes shove) the shift lever up when it's in the park position to allow the key to turn back to the off position. Right now it's an intermittent problem. Got a funny feeling it's only going to get worse.

The question is, will it get worse, quickly enough, to count on it happening when I pull into the Toyota service department . . . before my bumper-to-bumper warranty expires? That is the $400-$800 question.
 
#40 ·
Are these all on column shifters?
 
#42 ·
Is this a "2012" issue? I haven't heard any other year has this issue.
This may or may not be just a 2012 issue, not too sure. But i am under the impression that this issue is only occurring to people that have the column shifters.

I was going to head to the dealership after classes today but finals are coming up and i wanted to get ahead of the game and study tonight. I'll go sometime this weekend for sure though because its not very enjoyable to sit in your truck for 5-10 mins after you turn it off trying to get your key out. Not to mention it is a mood killer when you found yourself a fine honey at the bars and you can't get to business because a damn key is stuck in your ignition. :banghead:
 
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