99 grand am steering column

I have 99 GRAND AM I took of the cover to check to hazard switch, I found that it was unplugged. plugged it back in to check to see if was bad. which it was. The problem know is the key wont turn and the streering column will not lock in place. any advice on wont to check for. thanks Gary

your steering wheel never locks in place.

Did you try unplugging the switch again to see if the key will turn ??

If that still didnt work try jiggling the key around might get it to work. My GT does this off and on.
It is because your ignition lock cylinder is going out.

Doesnt the steering column lock so that you cant turn the wheels. I unplugged the hazard switch. I just cant get the key to turn. I can turn the wheels where before I couldnt. This one is strange has I was not working on the ingnition switch at all. Is changing the lock cylinder a pain to change Thanks for the help. this is my sons and wifes car and with her being due to deliver my first grand kid I just want to get this thing fixed. Thanks Gary

No the steering hasnt locked on grand ams for several years. A real pain to align properly too. :rolleyes:

Also make sure the car is in park, other then that you'll have to probley force the key to move. Try turning the key over, it sometimes works for me.

Its the usual PITA to change the ignition switch.
Here is a thread that covers the switch removal.
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=715987

If the switch test good then it must me the lock cylinder is bad. It just gets me because they have never had a problem with the key until we checked the hazard switch. I will pull the switch out tomorrow and check it out. hopefully this will take care of it. thanks for your help Gary

I had similar problem before and what I did is I removed some kind of interlock solenoid under the steering column and my key never gets stuck again, not sure if I said the correct name of the part but it is some kind of interlock switch or solenoid. Anyway it is the part that you can see under the steering column trough the small window so in the case your key gets stock you can touch it with the screw driver and remove the key. part is about 2 inches long with white and black wires. So make sure you did not disconnect something by accident. IMO this part was totally useless there and was just creating problems with key getting stuck.

if the interlock is unpluged on the 99+ GA your car wont start or shift into gear. Also the interlock sol, is located in the console close to the shifter. :2cents:

Which reminds me Gary, double check the fuses which might involve the ignition switch.
In the under hood fuse box, I know #1 & #5 are specific to the ign. switch, could be others though I forget...

if the interlock is unpluged on the 99+ GA your car wont start or shift into gear. Also the interlock sol, is located in the console close to the shifter. :2cents:

Which reminds me Gary, double check the fuses which might involve the ignition switch.
In the under hood fuse box, I know #1 & #5 are specific to the ign. switch, could be others though I forget...

:icon16: I wasn't sure about the name, but it is some kind of solenoid that prevents you from removing the key unless the car is in park.

does the park lock cable connect to the ignition switch? I think what happened is when the removed the panel bezel they didnt take out the ignition switch bezel first. I dont know for sure but maybe that cable might have something to do with the key not turning? Im going to take a look at this in the morning thanks gary

Thier are several wires connected to the ignition switch, though most have a clip thats suposed to keep them connected. Can be a real PITA sometimes to even remove them. Accidents happen though. lol

Hopefully its something simple.

I had similar problem before and what I did is I removed some kind of interlock solenoid under the steering column and my key never gets stuck again, not sure if I said the correct name of the part but it is some kind of interlock switch or solenoid. Anyway it is the part that you can see under the steering column trough the small window so in the case your key gets stock you can touch it with the screw driver and remove the key. part is about 2 inches long with white and black wires. So make sure you did not disconnect something by accident. IMO this part was totally useless there and was just creating problems with key getting stuck.

H'mmm, very interesting. I just received a 96 GA, and it has developed a problem where the ign sw won't turn all the way back to the position where it can be removed. Sometimes moving the shifter back and forth works, sometimes I have to move the car back and forth, and sometimes nothing works. I had a feeling there was a solenoid involved, probably triggered by the shifter position switch, as part of the safety interlock, and this seems to confirm that guess.

I don't have a FSM and haven't been able to find one online that I can download (anybody know of a site for that?).

H'mmm, very interesting. I just received a 96 GA, and it has developed a problem where the ign sw won't turn all the way back to the position where it can be removed. Sometimes moving the shifter back and forth works, sometimes I have to move the car back and forth, and sometimes nothing works. I had a feeling there was a solenoid involved, probably triggered by the shifter position switch, as part of the safety interlock, and this seems to confirm that guess.

I don't have a FSM and haven't been able to find one online that I can download (anybody know of a site for that?).

yes remove that part that I said it has white and black wires part is white color about 2 inches long 1/2 wide and it has lock that extends and retracts once it receives voltage signal from the shifter. I am telling you guys it is worth removing this part once for good you will not have issues any more with the key at all. For sure 96,97,98 GA have them on the place where I explained - good luck to all

yes remove that part that I said it has white and black wires part is white color about 2 inches long 1/2 wide and it has lock that extends and retracts once it receives voltage signal from the shifter. I am telling you guys it is worth removing this part once for good you will not have issues any more with the key at all. For sure 96,97,98 GA have them on the place where I explained - good luck to all

Consider it gone :grinyes: