drossi6

If anyone can help me out I'd really appreciate it! I have a 1994 GS300 that won't let me remove the ignition key unless I disconnect the battery. The car starts and runs fine, when I put in into PARK and turn the key to shut it off, it stops at ACC and will not continue turning to the LOCK position so that I can remove it. If I turn the clockwise again, the car will start and run no problem. I leaned pretty hard on the shifter to make sure it is in PARK but also figured that since it restarts the ECU must realize that its in PARK. I'm still learning about this car but right now I'm pretty lost. If anyone has any ideas PLEASE let me know. Thanks

GoldGS3

iTrader: (1)

Try pressing in and turning the key towards you, and release/pull the key out.

drossi6

Thanks for the reply GoldGS3, but I've bent twisted pulled and did just about anything you can think of to the key after shutting it off. It isn't letting go! The key turns and slides out effortlessly when the battery is disconnected, so I have to think that some input has to be reset to the ECU or there is an input signal that is not being made. Do you know if there is another shifter position switch that is used beside the nuetral safety circuit?

WickedLex

I believe I had the same problem with my car. What was causing the key not to come out the ignition was the shift lever not fully being in PARK! When you put the car into PARK please make sure its fully in park. Hopefully this is the problem

drossi6

Thanks for the suggestion WickedLex. I have put a good amount of pressure on the shifter to try to make sure it is in the park position. I have to think that it is or else it wouldn't start when I turn the key clockwise. If anybody has a service manual, or knows whether or not there is another sensor/switch that the shifter needs to make in order to confirm position, I'd really like to know. Thanks Again.

jmax.garage

iTrader: (2)

not to be a thread wh0r3 but I DO think there was a similar post a couple months back.... BTW welcome to CL!

drossi6

Hi kizik007,
Thanks for the welcome and the reply. I have done alot of searching but haven't seen the same issue on other posts. In all cases there is either never a follow up saying what they found, or its the shift lever not in park, or pushing the key in or something like that. In this case, I assume the nuetral safety switch sees that the car is in PARK because it restarts and runs fine, and the switch cylinder innards are not bound up because with the battery disconnected it turns freely to the LOCK position and pulls out easily as it should.
I went by the dealership and the service consultant looked at it, started the car, shut it down observed the stuck key and told me that they'd diagnose the problem for $120/hr with no estimate on time. Do you know anything about the circuit that keeps the cylinder from turning? Is it just the nuetral safety switch or is there more to it?

Thanks Again

Lexatlast

iTrader: (5)

I had that problem with my fathers 93 gs300, but the reason for it was that the little gray plastic piece under the shift lever would sometimes block the shifter from going all the way into park. I would simply take it back and forth from park to neutral a few times and it would finally realize that it was in park at the end.

Don't know if that helps any, but thats how I dealt with it.

jmax.garage

iTrader: (2)

also check for blown fuses in the outside and inside fuse compartment...

drossi6

Hi Lexatlast. Thanks for the reply. Do you remember if the car would start right back up for you while it was in this condition? I'm really trying to understand if it is possible for the nuetral safety switch to tell the ECU that the shifter is in PARK and its ok to fire the starter solenoid while at the same time telling the another input of the ECU that its not in PARK and to energize the circuit that prevents the ignition barrel from turning. Thanks Again

drossi6

Hi kidzik007. I wasn't thinking along those lines but I will take a look at the fuses and relays. Does anyone out there have a schematic? Thanks Again

drossi6

Hello All,
I finally got some time Saturday am to tear things down in the car. I removed the interior panel around the key cylinder and also around the shifter thanks to some previous posts instructions. Having done that I found one of those thin metal hairclips (the kind that click when they open or close) laying inside the shift mechanism at the PARK position. Its only about .015" thick, but that was enough to keep a final park position switch from being made even though the nuetral safety switch would let the car start and run. Thanks to you guys who offered suggestions, I appreciate your help.