Ignition switch problems on 97 Grand Am

Hello, I have 97 Grand Am and when the car is running and I go to turn it off it will not turn all the way off so I can remove the key. If you wait 5, 10, 15 minutes it will the turn off. I now have to undo the battery cable each time or risk the battery going dead.

Thank you

I had the same problem with my Grand Am. Just in case nobody else answers you, this is the solution I used. Not sure if it's the right one, but it worked for me. Try using bottled graphite. It may just work for you too.

I will try it as a quick fix if I can get the key out.

There has to be a problem somewhere, Maybe electrical because when you wait a while the keys will come out. Well not anymore they wont, there stuck.

Why cant they make things simple anymore.

Anymore suggestions out there?

thanks

Welcome to AF something_extra !!

Yeah sounds like your lock cylinder is shot !
Try wiggling it around, make sure its all the way in park too.

But that cylinder probly should be replaced, not to expensive of a part.

Thank you xeroinfinity, Is it hard to change yourself or do you need to take it to the shop?

Thanks again

Yeah you can do it your self.

Thanks again for all your help. I checked out your web page and noticed your Indiana Plate on the car. You anywhere near Marshall county? I was just wondering.

Wow... 2 members from the same county!

Click on a member's name and click "view public profile" to get all the info that person chose to share.

Thanks again for all your help. I checked out your web page and noticed your Indiana Plate on the car. You anywhere near Marshall county? I was just wondering.

You are welcome !
I live between Jasper and White county.

Vipey lives in Granger or somewhere like that, close to Plymouth, which is where I lived a few years back.

That is cool anyway. I live in Plymouth, been here all my life and I will probably die here .

Granger is up by Michigan and is about 45 min to an hour away.

Thanks again

Go Irish!

mine does the same thing.. but its a 99. If you take the center console out theres a switch the gets depressed when in park. sometimes the switch doesn't go all the way in so the ignition solenoid things the car is in gear

Hello, I have 97 Grand Am and when the car is running and I go to turn it off it will not turn all the way off so I can remove the key. If you wait 5, 10, 15 minutes it will the turn off. I now have to undo the battery cable each time or risk the battery going dead.

Thank you



Does your theft light come on at all when this happens? I have been having a really hard time with my 96 Grand Am for about a month now. If I go to start it and the theft system arms I can't turn the key back to take it out either. After crossing out the reasons one by one to try and figure out what the heck was going on we figured out it was the theft system and the only way to by pass it was to cut the wire for the passlock sensor. It could be a long shot but it might be worth a try. I got fed up with my husband refusing to admit he didn't know what the problem was and I called our local GM dealer who told me there was no way to get around it and we would need to replace the passlock sensor. However after searching this site we found other people with the same problem who cut the wire and it worked for them so we gave it a shot and it has worked for us. Hope you get it figured out soon....it sure is frustrating!! :)