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[Kevin Wood]

Turned up at Marie's yesterday, parked up and switched off and the key wouldn't come out of the ignition barrel.

Popped off the cowling around the steering column and found a little solenoid on the bottom of the lock cylinder. It was quite warm after an hour or two being parked up, which caught my attention. Anyway, I removed the electrical connector from it and key came out no problem, much to Mrs. KW's delight as she had plans on a shopping spree while we were playing with gearboxes.

It seems the solenoid fires a pin up into the lock which prevents the key being turned fully back to the removal position. It should be de-energised when the 'box is in park but I'm guessing there's a switch stuck somewhere and this wasn't happening.

Just thought I'd share this in case anyone else finds themselves in the same predicament. Worth making sure you have a small posidrive screwdriver just in case...

Kevin

[TheBoy]

Turned up at Marie's yesterday, parked up and switched off and the key wouldn't come out of the ignition barrel.

Popped off the cowling around the steering column and found a little solenoid on the bottom of the lock cylinder. It was quite warm after an hour or two being parked up, which caught my attention. Anyway, I removed the electrical connector from it and key came out no problem, much to Mrs. KW's delight as she had plans on a shopping spree while we were playing with gearboxes.

It seems the solenoid fires a pin up into the lock which prevents the key being turned fully back to the removal position. It should be de-energised when the 'box is in park but I'm guessing there's a switch stuck somewhere and this wasn't happening.

Just thought I'd share this in case anyone else finds themselves in the same predicament. Worth making sure you have a small posidrive screwdriver just in case...

Kevin

Gearbox selectpr switch ok? or have you already proved to solenoid?

[Debs.]

  Useful to know is that, Kevin!.....`added to Debs. stack of "Mental Post-it Notes"  

[Kevin Wood]

Gearbox selectpr switch ok? or have you already proved to solenoid?

Solenoid was fine, but permanently powered, so it's looking like the switch. From the wiring diagrams, it looks like a separate switch under the gear stick gaiter as it emerges from the loom near the sport mode and shift lock solenoid wiring. Haven't investigated further TBH. Not sure I'm going to miss it anyway.

Kevin

[TheBoy]

Gearbox selectpr switch ok? or have you already proved to solenoid?

Solenoid was fine, but permanently powered, so it's looking like the switch. From the wiring diagrams, it looks like a separate switch under the gear stick gaiter as it emerges from the loom near the sport mode and shift lock solenoid wiring. Haven't investigated further TBH. Not sure I'm going to miss it anyway.

Kevin

Not sure if same switch disables starter unless in park, so worth investigating a little further, rather than braving Mrs KW when she can't start it one day

[Kevin Wood]

Not sure if same switch disables starter unless in park, so worth investigating a little further, rather than braving Mrs KW when she can't start it one day

It doesn't look like the same switch, but as you say, worth taking a look. If it is the same switch the likelihood is that she could start it in gear.

Kevin

[Martin_1962]

That is a pain, best off removed anyway

[tunnie]

was fully in park? I have had the same problems with a few project cars, sometimes have to slam it in park...

[Taxi_Driver]

Not sure if same switch disables starter unless in park, so worth investigating a little further, rather than braving Mrs KW when she can't start it one day

It doesn't look like the same switch, but as you say, worth taking a look. If it is the same switch the likelihood is that she could start it in gear.
Kevin

Or worse.......depending on if Mrs KW or yourself......never uses the handbrake......like me   Take key out with it still in D and walk away ........and hear the bang as it rolls away into something......

[Kevin Wood]

I use the handbrake exactly as I would in a manual car. I don't need an interlock in a manual car to stop it rolling away so it's a choccy teapot in an auto as far as I'm concerned. In fact, I like to be able to park it in "N" rather than "P" sometimes (e.g. on a ferry, to stop the transmission taking a battering as the car rocks).

The starter inhibitor still works so it can't be started in gear. The feed to the solenoid passes through another set of contacts in the autobox selector switch as far as I can see.

Kevin