Key sticks in ignition

[89cordlx]

ok guys, when it's cold out my key sticks in the ignition. It doesn't seem to happen when the car has been on for awhile, but for those short journeys it sticks and I have to mess with it for like 10 minutes sometimes before it comes out.

[MrBen]

Try lubricating it with a graphite lubricant. It comes in a little tube and you just puff some graphite into the lock.

[2old_honda]

use only graphite. DO NOT use WD40, greese, or anything like that.

[TJ89Accord]

wait, mine used to do that last winter, usually when the car was cold too. Does the key lock in there? Cause sometimes I couldn't turn the key all the way off to get it out. Is that what you are talking about? I don't think that graphite would help that if thats the case. I think it has something to do with the safety lock. Is it an auto?

tim

[89cordlx]

yes it's an auto, and yeah it seems like there is something physically keeping it in. Cuz I can't push it in that little bit and get the key out.

[TJ89Accord]

There is a safety on it. Try wiggling the shifter a little bit. That usually helped me. But if the car is in gear, than you can't take the key out. So I'm guessing it has something to do with that. If you figure it out please let me know cause mine does the same thing and it drives me nuts! Good Luck!

tim

[89cordlx]

I really don't think it has to do with the safety on the trans, because it seriously only happens when it's cold out, all this spring, summer, and fall it never did it (unless it got extremely cold, or I had the wheel in a funny position) so it has to just do with the cold. I will try that messin with the shifter though

[TJ89Accord]

I think when it gets really cold the relay for the safety sticks, thats what i think. When it happens to me, the "P" light on the dashboard wont light up, it also wont let me push in the shifter button to shift again. Does that happen to you too? It will all work fine once the "P" lights up on the dash.

[danronian]

Why no liquid lubricants?

[89cordlx]

I don't think your supposed to use liquid lubes because there are electronics around there, and they might freeze (thats my guess anyways.) And I'll have to wait for when it happens agian TJ, it hasn't been to cold out lately.

[TJ89Accord]

Yah it hasn't happened to me in a long time, but when it was happening it was always cold. I figured it was the cold that was making a relay or something stick. It was really annoying when delivering pizza, cause you can't shift out of park, unless you waited, or put a key in the shifter lock to make it shift. But keep us updated.

tim

[89cordlx]

where is this relay? maybe I can check it out and see if anything is wrong with it!

[2old_honda]

you cant use liquid lubes because they attract dirt, dust, grit, etc. they will gum up your locks and will make them worse. thats why you should use only graphite powder.

[89cordlx]

ah, an ever better reason than what I thought!

[Cyric_accord]

An occasional problem on this vehicle is failure of the Stop Lamp Switch. Failure of the Stop Lamp Switch may prevent the Shift Interlock Solenoid from operating, then the Gear Shift Selector cannot be moved from the Park position on vehicles equipped with an Automatic Transmission This can also affect the ability to remove your key from the ignition until such aforementioned equipment has warmed up and triggers correctly.

[89cordlx]

where is the stop lamp switch though?

[Cyric_accord]

I dunno, I just know I have the same problem... I'll check my wiring manuals or paul's service manual tonite or tom and try to find it

[TJ89Accord]

That must be what it is. Well, for me at least. Ill rip the stupid thing out if I can. Don't need it...

tim

[89cordlx]

how do you know you don't need it?

[TJ89Accord]

well if all it does is lock the shifter and key cylinder than I don't need it.

[89cordlx]

if you find it and remove it lemme know how you did it.

[danronian]

Originally posted by 2old_honda
you cant use liquid lubes because they attract dirt, dust, grit, etc. they will gum up your locks and will make them worse. thats why you should use only graphite powder.

Hmm, well I guess I'd better stop using it on the hard to turn locks on my malibu. Well at least now I know.

[89cordlx]

The key got stuck lastnight when I got home. it was pretty cold out, but after I jiggled the shifter a few times the key came out.

[TJ89Accord]

Yah, mine started doing it again. When I jiggle the shifter, I can usually hear a clicking in the dash board. When it happened to you could you shift gears, or no> When it does it to me I can't shift either.

tim

[89cordlx]

well, I know last winter if I put the car in park when and it was still cold, like started 5 minutes and drove to pick up a friend it would move fro park untill it was warmed up.

[Coitis1]

i had the same problem last winter, and its already happened once for me this winter and we haven't even gotten very cold yet. Like others said, it helps a lot to jiggle the shifter around. The key won't come out unless in park b/c theres a safety switch, but when its cold, this switch somehow messes up.

[TJ89Accord]

Originally posted by Coitis1
i had the same problem last winter, and its already happened once for me this winter and we haven't even gotten very cold yet. Like others said, it helps a lot to jiggle the shifter around. The key won't come out unless in park b/c theres a safety switch, but when its cold, this switch somehow messes up.

u know where this safety switch is? Theres gotta be a way to disable it...

tim

[89 Accords Rock]

Mine also did that before i converted it to auto. It is the Safety Switch. Look at your dash and when putting your car in park does the park indicator on your gauges light up? If not try actually putting pressure onto the shifter until the dash light shows park. Then the key should come out. Like i said theres nothing yo9u can do either, Unless you rip apart the switch and ground the wire to say park all the time, That way its a perfect connection... But then if you use your cruise you will have to ground your cruise, which is the pink wire.