6 Fixes for a Key Stuck in the Ignition, Starting With Park

In February 2018, two Ford Taurus owners told Ford something odd. They could pull the key out of the ignition while the car was still in gear. Ford traced it to the wrong shifter part and recalled 2,100 cars, because a key that comes out outside of Park can let a car roll away. We keep that recall in mind with every stuck key, because a key that will not come out is usually the car doing its job, not a broken lock.

A key stuck in the ignition is most often a shifter that is not fully in Park, a steering lock putting pressure on the cylinder, or a key left short of the off spot. Hold the brake, move the shifter out of Park and back in firmly, wiggle the steering wheel, and turn the key all the way back. If that fails, check the battery. Never pull on it with pliers, because a snapped key turns a free fix into a paid one.

• Federal rule FMVSS 114 makes most automatic cars hold the key unless the shifter is locked in Park
• The same rule lets makers choose whether a dead battery still releases the key, so some cars hold it
• Subaru issued a 2018 service bulletin for 2015 Crosstrek keys that would not come out in Park
• A shift lock release slot near the shifter is the built in way past a stuck shifter
• A worn key or cylinder is a locksmith job, while switches and solenoids belong to a mechanic

Why the Car Holds Your Key on Purpose

The lock inside your steering column follows a federal safety rule. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114, section S5.2.1, says the starting system must stop key removal unless the gear selector is locked in Park. The rule exists for theft and rollaway safety, and it applies to cars with an automatic transmission that has a Park position.

So the car is asking one question when you turn the key back. Is the shifter truly locked in Park? If a sensor says no, the key stays put. That is why most fixes below are about the shifter and not about the key itself.

The Ford recall shows the other side. Its safety recall report 18V-141 covers 2017 and 2018 Taurus models built with a shifter meant for push button cars. Those keys came out when the car was not in Park, and Ford replaced the shifter at no charge. A car that lets go of the key too easily is the real hazard.

Match What You See to the Cause

Look at three things before you touch anything. Where the shifter sits, whether the dash lights come on, and how far the key turns. Find your row, then go to that fix.

Work the fixes in order. The first three cost nothing and take under a minute. Stop the moment the key feels like it needs force.

Fix 1 Puts the Shifter Fully in Park

A shifter can look like it is in Park while the switch under it disagrees. Parking on a slope, shifting before the car fully stops, or a little dirt in the shifter gate can all leave it a hair off.

1. Set the parking brake and press the brake pedal hard.
2. Move the shifter into Neutral.
3. Push it back into Park with a firm, full motion until it seats.
4. Turn the key back to off and try to pull it out.

If it works once and fails again next week, the Park switch is the suspect. Subaru saw this on one model. Its service bulletin 16-112-18R, published June 21, 2018, covers 2015 XV Crosstrek owners who could not remove the key in Park. Subaru blamed contamination inside the Park range switch and changed the shifter design. CarParts.com lists shifter and switch trouble on some Chevy Cruze, Dodge Dart and Honda models too.

Run your VIN through the free NHTSA recall lookup before paying for a shifter repair. The VIN is the 17 character number at the lower left of the windshield. If a recall covers the part, the dealer fixes it for free.

Fix 2 Takes Pressure Off the Steering Lock

Turn the wheel after the engine is off and a steel pin drops into the column to lock it. If the wheel was turned while you parked, that pin presses hard on the ignition cylinder, and the key will not turn.

Hold light turning pressure on the key. With your other hand, rock the steering wheel left and right a little. You will feel a spot where the pin lets go, and the key turns. Use small moves and steady pressure, not a hard jerk on the wheel.

The Master Locksmiths Association notes the steering lock itself can fail and lock the ignition along with the wheel. If rocking does nothing after a few tries, that is a sign the trouble is mechanical and not a stuck pin.

Fix 3 Turns the Key All the Way Back

Most ignitions have four spots. Lock, accessory, on and start. The key only comes out at lock, which some cars label off. Stop at accessory and the radio keeps playing, and the key stays in.

Turn the key back toward you as far as it goes. A small back and forth twist can help it drop into the last spot, as CarParts.com points out. If it will not reach lock at all, go back to Fix 1, since many columns will not let the key reach lock until the shifter is in Park.

Fix 4 Checks the Car Battery

CarParts.com notes that many newer cars use an electric key release, so the lock needs power to let go. FMVSS 114 section S5.2.3 says a maker may let the key come out if the battery dies, but it does not have to. So on some cars a dead battery means the key stays in until power comes back.

Look at the dash. If it is dark or dim, get a jump start or a charge, then repeat Fix 1 with the brake held. If the key comes out once the car has power, the battery was the cause, and it needs a test or a replacement soon.

That is a real risk here. AAA's Tiffany Wright told WECT in August 2024 that heat is the number one cause of battery failure. The same report says batteries in the warmest southern areas can last around 3.5 years or less. A Las Vegas summer is hard on a battery that is already a few years old.

Fix 5 Deals With a Worn Key or Dirty Cylinder

Look at your key next to a spare. If the ridges are rounded, the blade is bent, or the key feels gritty going in, the wafers inside the cylinder are no longer lining up. The Master Locksmiths Association says those wafers can bend and break.

A dry lock lube can free a dirty cylinder. A 2015 trade report on WD-40's 3-In-One Lock Dry Lube says that PTFE spray dries within minutes so it will not attract dirt, and it is sold for car locks. Use a short burst through the straw, then work the key gently. CarParts.com also points to dry graphite or PTFE, used sparingly.

Skip pliers and hard twisting. If the key snaps, part of it stays in the cylinder, and now you need an extraction on top of everything else. A bent key that does come out should be retired, because it will jam again.

Fix 6 Uses the Shift Lock Release

Sometimes the shifter is the part that is stuck, and your key just waits on it. Most automatic cars have a shift lock release, a small slot or covered button near the shifter. FMVSS 114 section S5.2.4 describes it as an override that needs a key or a tool, often behind a cover.

The Mazda CX-5 owner's manual gives a typical version of the steps.

1. Keep the brake pedal pressed down.
2. Pry off the small override cover with a flat screwdriver wrapped in a cloth.
3. Push the screwdriver straight down into the slot.
4. Hold the shifter release button and move the shifter.

Move the shifter into Neutral, then firmly back into Park, and try the key again. Mazda says to have the system checked afterward, because a shifter that needs the release has a fault. Your own manual shows where the slot sits on your car.

Locksmith or Mechanic for a Stuck Key

The cause decides who you call. Paying the wrong one costs you a second trip.

• Call a locksmith for a worn or bent key, a worn ignition cylinder, a steering lock that will not let go, or a key that snapped off in the ignition. A locksmith can get the key out, cut a new one and often fix the cylinder where the car sits.
• Call a mechanic or dealer for a Park switch, a shift interlock part, a shifter cable or a dead battery. Check for a recall first.
• Call either one if you are not sure. A good tech will tell you on the phone which kind of problem it sounds like.

Time matters too. The Master Locksmiths Association says removing a stuck key can take up to an hour. Leaving the key in with the dash on can also drain a weak battery, so turn off the lights and the radio while you wait.

Key Stuck in Henderson or Las Vegas?

Hire a licensed locksmith. Under NRS 655.070, a Nevada locksmith needs a permit from the county sheriff and must carry it at all times. Ask to see it, and get the full price before work starts. Our list of questions to ask a locksmith before hiring helps with that.

Call Lockout Rescue at (702) 979-7566. We help with broken keys, worn ignitions and dead key fobs across Henderson and the Las Vegas valley, day and night. If the key snapped, our key replacement team pulls the broken piece and cuts a fresh key on the spot.

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