I've occasionally noticed a slight hitch when turning my ignition key. Unfortunately, today this took a turn for the worse. I can't get my key out of the ignition switch! :( I can turn the key with no problem but I can only pull it out about 3/4's of the way. So now I've got to leave my car parked (on the street no less) with the key in the ignition and hope nobody decides to break into it. Luckily, I carry a spare key so I can lock the doors.

I tried to remove the key gently but I didn't want to take a chance on having the key break off and be totally screwed. Now I've got to wait until tomorrow and see if my dealer can do anything for me.

Turn the steering wheel a little bit.

Someone had their key stuck in their xB once. I think he had to get his car towed to the dealership to get it fixed...

the dealer that i bought mine from had that happen to him! maybe its a rare design defect or something maybe? i dont recall if it was covered under warranty or not.

you can give him a call tomorow and ask him though its steve at jon lancaster scion (608)243-5513

I don't know if turning the steering wheel will help - I can turn the ignition switch with the key from Lock to Start (and back) with no problem. When I put the ignition on Lock and pull out the key, it will only come out part way - it seems the last set of teeth gets stuck.

Luckily, I can still turn the ignition on (which is one reason I don't want to mess with it too much) so it shoudn't have to be towed. And I don't see any reason why this shouldn't be covered under the warranty - it seems to be a defect in the ignition lock cylinder.

well, the guy who had that happen to him...he couldn't turn it either...

Has this happen in my old car. Turned the key, there was a slight 'hitch' and it popped past the wheel lock and would NOT go back. Luckily I could actually steer and was able to take the car to the dealer.

Took the box into the dealer today. They disassembled the ignition and found a small piece of metal (though not a piece of the ignition I was told) in the mechanism that was causing it to jam. They removed it, cleaned up the ignition, put it back together, and I was out of there in about 45 minutes. Under warranty, of course, so no charge (my invoice claims they comped me a new key but the key I got back was the one that was stuck - I could tell by the scratches on it from taking it off my keychain).

(my invoice claims they comped me a new key but the key I got back was the one that was stuck - I could tell by the scratches on it from taking it off my keychain).

That's called "fraud". They charged Toyota for a new key and didn't actually make one for you. it's too late now, but I would have asked them for the old key back.

George

I don't think it is too late at all. It could have been a mistake. I would go ask them for it. If you care enough.

I don't mean to sound like a smartass, but I wouldn't equate charging something like having a new key made to fraud. In fact, I wouldn't even call what Martha Stewart did fraud (she got something like $20,000 from that "insider trading", which is pocket change for her - they got her on the obstruction of justice charge because she lied; they dropped the securities fraud charge). It was probably just miscommunication between the mechanic and the person filling out the paper work. Fraud would be more like the mechanic saying he needed a new motor, leaving the motor in the guy's car, and taking the new one home.

Sorry, I disected that way too much. I'll be good from now on.

yeah i recently started noticing that at times the key seems to get hung up on something. when i'm removing it. this is interesting... hmmm

I don't mean to sound like a smartass, but I wouldn't equate charging something like having a new key made to fraud. In fact, I wouldn't even call what Martha Stewart did fraud (she got something like $20,000 from that "insider trading", which is pocket change for her - they got her on the obstruction of justice charge because she lied; they dropped the securities fraud charge). It was probably just miscommunication between the mechanic and the person filling out the paper work. Fraud would be more like the mechanic saying he needed a new motor, leaving the motor in the guy's car, and taking the new one home.

Sorry, I disected that way too much. I'll be good from now on.

That's just degrees of fraud, the price doesn't matter. If every dealer did that or something equally "small", it would add up and it's liable to raise the price of YOUR next Toyota. It's like dirty smokers that carelessly discard their cig butts. Sure, it's just one little butt - times a pack or two a day times how many smokers... That's why there's a cig butt everywhere you look, yet only about 10% of the country smokes... D'oh, now I'm doing it...

Heh... I can agree with that statement/analogy, ScionMan.

My key is stuck in my ignition too. I had to leave it in last night and lock up with my other key. What a pain in the ___. My alarm is supposed to get installed in a 1/2 hour, but they won't be able to do it if they can't get the key out. I'm going to call the dealership now to see if they can fix it quick for me so that I can still get the alarm installed this morning.

Has this happened to a lot of people or is it a rare occurence?

My key is stuck in my ignition too. I had to leave it in last night and lock up with my other key. What a pain in the ___. My alarm is supposed to get installed in a 1/2 hour, but they won't be able to do it if they can't get the key out. I'm going to call the dealership now to see if they can fix it quick for me so that I can still get the alarm installed this morning.

Has this happened to a lot of people or is it a rare occurence?

That's really rare. We haven't seen that in a Scion yet. Usually the problem is a bent key. That's really hard to do with a Scion key though since they are steel. I suppose it could happen though...

See what the pros say.

-Alex

Got it figured out. Took the dealership 2 hours to find the problem. It ended up that the cable between the auto shifter and the ignition switch was loose. Should have looked at it myself, since it would have been an easy fix and would've saved me the 2 hour wait.

my mom broke the key in her ignition...shes a real genius.