2000 GTP Key Stuck in Ignition Please Help!

[tblake]

Guys Another one... Saw Red Tipps recent post, but my problem is a little different....

Pulled into my driveway today, and when I went to turn the car off, the key turned back, but not all the way and wouldnt come out.

I tried in neutral, park, turning the wheel, tilting the wheel... Nothing.

I did however figure out that if I repeatidly turn the ignition on/off/on/off/on over and over again, the key will finally turn all the way back and release.

I dont have time to mess with it today, and probably wont untill about friday for that matter.

I have attached a copy of the Shift Interlock Circuit as my problem seems electrical. I was hoping maybe someone who is good at reading schematics and has dealt with this problem before can lead me in the right direction.

Thanks Guys!



Full Sized Image Can be downloaded here for anyone who needs this info in the future.

[Red Tipps]

Interesting...says the BTSI fuse should be hot in off...mine has not voltage when in off, wonder if they would change anything from 00' to 03'?

From the scematic looks like you have 3 major systems that control our ignitions. A BTSI solenoid, a Park/neutral solenoid, and a switch when you push on the brake pedal which gives power to your BTSI solenoid, and your park position switch contols the solenoid with a mechanical lock in your ignition.. First things first I would check your fuses. check your IGN 1 MAIN, and your BTSI fuse and see if you are getting voltage to them. If ANY of these arent working properly it will disable your whole ignition since they all intertwine with each other, and without one the other wont work(like checks and balances haha)...alright not funny. The Park/neutral saftey switch will only allow you to start it in park or neutral...have you tried moving the shifter around while trying to start, or rocking the shifter back and forth while in park?

Under your dash theres a little pop off plug that goes right up to your manual key release. If it gets stuck again pop that off and then stick something thin up in there...pen/pencil works good and it will release your key for the time being. How does your key look? Sometimes getting a new key cut will solve the problem. Powdered graphite or WD-40 sometims works also to loosen up sticky tumblers. Just dont use them together or when it dries up the graphite will be like cement and then your really screwed

[fredpd]

they told me at a local gm car dealership that it is my gear shift assembly that keeps my key from coming out of the ignition

the assembly cost 295.00 and 64.00 labor

[tblake]

Thanks guys for the info. Its rather Odd! All day today had no further problems, I went to a few places and the was able to be let out at all places.

Then when I got hom into my drivway, the key wouldn't release and I had to do some playing with it. Very odd

[Red Tipps]

When you park are you on an incline? Mine goes to the dealership monday so i hoping it is just a bad lock cylinder...not a shifter assembly.

[tblake]

Nope, no incline for me.

[fredpd]

u can pull up in my driveway or autozone or anywhere, park the car , get out of it and the key will not come out,,,,,,,,,,,let it set there for a long while and then come and get in the car and turn the key on and off and sometime it will come out of the ignition
this is a crazy deal
how can we fix it

i have an key tumbler ordered from rockauto.com to start trying to fix mine and i will buy it all a piece at a time so i will tell the fix when i get it fixed

meantime, keep the keyless entry handy so u can lock the car so nobody steals it from you and do not the insurance company

[fredpd]

i read where when you get home it will not come out, the car does not like the neighborhood, u need to move

[tblake]

thanks for the advice.

I feel like just disabling the whole system so I never have to deat with it again.

I mean, c'mon, when was the last time your key got bumped and turned all the way back while you were driving and the steering wheel locked?

There's got to be a way.

One more question.... Does anyone know if the same park/nuetral switch in this system is the same one thats used in the starting system to start the car? Or is there a different one?

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by Red Tipps

Interesting...says the BTSI fuse should be hot in off...mine has not voltage when in off, wonder if they would change anything from 00' to 03'?

Nope.

I think there is some confusion here on how the circuit works. To clarify OFF is the position before LOCK or before RUN if you go to START depending on what direction you take the ignition switch so the wiring diagram is correct on all GPs '97-03. Key release can only occur in LOCK which we all believe is the OFF position.

In a nutshell you will only have 12 volts at the BTSI fuse when the ignition switch is moved forward to OFF, RUN and START.

In the LOCK/Key Release position zero volts at the BTSI fuse.

[tblake]

So, judging by the schematic....

There are two ways the key will be released
-gearshift in park/neurtal
-Brakes applied

Or will the key only release if both of these conditions met?

Anoyone know exactly where the "automatic transmission shift lock actuator is located"? It says "center of console assembly". Thats pretty vague. I think the first step of my diagnosis should be to check out all the inputs to this actuator.

How do I remove the center console and gain access to this actuator?

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by tblake

So, judging by the schematic....

There are two ways the key will be released
-gearshift in park/neurtal
-Brakes applied

PARK only not NEUTRAL. Are you sure you have a real BTSI problem?

To clarify the key should release once in PARK and no other gear positions. You don't have to apply the brakes once in PARK to get to the ignition switch LOCK position or get the key out but you step on the brake to get the shifter out of PARK to the other gears.

[tblake]

Thanks Bob, then that schematic makes no sense. Or am I reading it wrong?

Whats the most common problem when dealing with an issue like this? BTSI or park lock solonoid?

[fredpd]

so will someone be plane and tell us how to always get the key out of the tumbler, please

[fredpd]

so r u saying that there is a way to turn off or pull a fuse so we can just turn the key off and get it out anyway, anytime we want to?