What Causes Difficulty in Removing the Car Key?
3 Answers
Car key difficulty in removal can be attributed to the following reasons: 1. P gear not properly engaged: When exiting the vehicle, the gear was not shifted to P or the P gear did not fully engage, possibly obstructed by an object, thus failing to trigger the electronic sensor. 2. Steering wheel locked: The steering wheel was not returned to its proper position when parking, causing an abnormal lock. The solution is to insert the key, attempt to turn the steering wheel left and right while twisting the key, which will release the steering wheel lock. 3. Obstruction in the key slot: The solution involves removing the obstruction, starting the car, shifting the gear again to ensure it is fully engaged, after which the key can be removed.
I've encountered many situations where the key couldn't be pulled out during car repairs, and the most common one is the steering wheel lock getting stuck. If the steering wheel isn't straightened after turning off the engine, the wheels will turn the steering wheel and automatically lock it, making the key stuck firmly. I often remind car owners not to pull hard when encountering this situation. Instead, hold the key, gently turn the steering wheel left and right while pulling it out, and listen for a click sound before releasing to pull it out. Another reason could be too much dust in the lock cylinder making it stiff. Spraying some WD-40 into the keyhole can lubricate it. For older cars, it might also be due to worn spring plates inside the lock cylinder, in which case the entire lock cylinder needs to be replaced.
Last month, my decade-old car had the same issue, and I later found out it was due to a worn-out ignition switch. After turning off the engine, the small tab inside the lock cylinder sometimes wouldn't snap back into place, requiring several twists of the key to get it to pop out. The mechanic taught me a trick: when turning the key back to the ACC position, don't let go immediately—gently push it back and slowly turn it to let the internal components reset. Also, if the car key has been dropped and deformed, the teeth might not align with the lock cylinder, causing it to stick. My neighbor's car key was chewed on by their kid as a toy, and it became smooth again after getting a new key. It's really important not to hang too many heavy items on the keychain, as over time it can deform the lock cylinder.
