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Mod ID1497
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Linkhttps://dev.evilution.co.uk/mod/453-ignition-key-stuck.htm Copy to ClipboardMy Ignition Key Won’t Come Out!
Yep, it’s a new common problem, only on petrol 453’s with an automatic gearbox or the 453 ED/EQ electric drive cars.
Why Doesn’t It Just Come Out Like A Normal Key?
On the manual cars, the car doesn’t care what position the gearbox is in when you turn the car off and remove the key. Cars with the dual clutch auto (DCT – Twinamic) or ED/EQ with a fixed ratio transmission, the gearbox must be in park. So, to stop you removing the key incorrectly, the ignition barrel locks the key in place.
But I Am In Park
And that’s the problem. The thing that holds the key gets stuck.
How Can I Remove The Key?
You need to remove the plastic cover under the steering column. The top cover behind the steering wheel is just clipped in place.
Just lift it up with a bit of force.
Look under the steering wheel, you’ll see 2x Torx20 screws. Remove them.
Pull the bottom cover down.
Once the cover has been pulled down, you’ll see a device wrapped in blue electrical tape. It’s a solenoid. All a solenoid does is use electricity to create magnetism. The magnetism moves a rod inside.
Pulling the rod back frees it from the key channel. However, yours has failed in the stuck out position.
Grab yourself a screwdriver and remove the 2 screws that hold the solenoid to the ignition. Pull it out.
You can try spraying it with penetrating lubricant and applying a forward and reverse voltage a load of times. This should free up the mechanism so you can just refit it.
If you can’t fix it, you have 3 options.
1 – Unplug it and leave it off. Make sure you are in park when you remove the key.
2 – Buy a whole new ignition barrel unit with the solenoid already fitted.
3 – Buy a new solenoid.
The car won’t complain if you leave it unplugged.