After taking my 2006 Saturn Ion 2 many places I stopped and put my car into park, and the key was stuck and would not shut the engine off. Turned off the battery and the car was still running, so we had to remove a fuse. The key is still stuck in the ignition. Any help/advice?
Get a new ignition lock cylinder. they usually have simple instructions with them on how to replace
SOURCE: 2006 Ion 2, Key is stuck in the ignition and wont move.
In my case, out in 29 palms california, I've noticed heat expands the bolt which probably does the same to the tumblers. It would only happen in the afternoons when the steering column was in direct sunlight while I was inside working for hours. Everything would be fine, then when I left and got to home or destination, the bolt would not return home to shut off the car. I saw a suggestion in another website that said if you remove a small access door below the wheel, there is a plunger you can hold and set it back to home, but hello, the bolt and tumblers at this point have expanded from the heat to a position not resettable but a simple plunger, or resetting the cars computer for an electronic release (the initial problem is the cable down there with the plunger does not always send the signal that "I am in park." It thinks its still in Drive, so it won't let it return home.
My suggestion is to get one of those canned air for electronics, flip it upside down and freeze down the bolt, tumblers, and all metal involved in the problem here (you can see most of it once you remove the upper and lower parts of the steering column) and let the metal retract, hopefully letting you move it back to home (careful, dont snap the key). Grease the key with a small amount of motor oil to help (which you should do from time to time anyways with this vehicle).
If you are stuck and can't do that, or afford repairs at this moment, behind the wheel, below the ignition (you will be reaching back mostly behind, and there is a small plastic clip with colored wires that snap into place). Remove this when you want the car to turn "off." Removing this cable and letting it just hang there until you come back later will remove all electrical potential that is normally removed when you turn the key all the way home. It's annoying, and looks like you are hotwiring your car, but its working for me right now until I can fix it. This, is of course, assuming you are like me and the bolt is stuck fully forward, one click back from Start).
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