Starter problem....

My 2009 Sonata with 2.4L engine sometimes turns on the starter when the key is not in "Start" position. For instance, if you turn the key from the "Off" position to the "On" position, the starter starts the car. Other times, if the engine is on (with the key in the "on" position of course) and I move the transmission shift from "Drive" to "Neutral" the starter starts and grinds against the engine. It stops if I flip the key from "On" to "Start" and immediately release the key back to "On",.....and it also stops if I move the gearshift from Neutral back to Drive.

I have tried squirting a little lubricant down inside the key opening, just to try something, but it does not seem to help.

Does anyone have any idea why the starter would start without the key being in the "Start" position?

Steve

OK, after replacing the Key Cylinder I still had the problem. I broke down and took it to the local dealer. It was just the starter switch, a $20 part (instead of the$120 part I had replaced) but it still cost me $200 before I was out of there. Oh well, live and learn. My 2009 Sonata with 2.4L engine sometimes turns on the starter when the key is not in "Start" position. For instance, if you turn the key from the "Off" position to the "On" position, the starter starts the car. Other times, if the engine is on (with the key in the "on" position of course) and I move the transmission shift from "Drive" to "Neutral" the starter starts and grinds against the engine. It stops if I flip the key from "On" to "Start" and immediately release the key back to "On",.....and it also stops if I move the gearshift from Neutral back to Drive.

I have tried squirting a little lubricant down inside the key opening, just to try something, but it does not seem to help.

Does anyone have any idea why the starter would start without the key being in the "Start" position?

Steve

Thanks for the update.