Ignition key will not unlock to remove

PROBLEMMATIC

MEMBER
2007 KIA SPECTRA
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
139,000 MILES

Ignition key will only go to acc after shutting off the vehicle and will not go to the locked position to remove it. Car starts, runs and will turn off, but only to the acc position and not to the next position to remove key. Stuck on acc and can’t pull it out. Need to turn off to lock so I can remove key. What can I do or be done?

1 Reply

KASEKENNY

MECHANIC
18,907 POSTS

Hi,

I have seen this a few times on other vehicles but a couple of Kia's. Most likely the vehicle will not release the key because the control module does not know that it is in Park. Even though the vehicle is shifted to park and the transmission is set in park, the computer looks at what is called the shift interlock to determine for sure that the vehicle is in park then it releases the key.

The way to get the key out is to pull the gear shifter to the side, towards the driver while in park and this should ground this switch and you will be able to remove the key. You will need two hands to do it, one to pull the shifter to the side and the other to pull the key out while holding the shifter. If this does not work, just try moving the shifter around in park and turn the key at the same time. In other words, just play with it and see if this gets it out.

Here is a video of someone else in a different Kia that has the same issue. Let me know what you find. Thanks

https://youtu.be/0EH2yAhnWi8