trouble with key
trouble with key
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 810
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From: USA
When you park the vehicle make sure your wheels are straight ahead leaving them turned can cause this problem. You did not mention if you had trouble turning the key in the ignition to start it up but if you do sort of jiggle the steering wheel a little and the key will then turn ok. This is common in all Toyota/Lexus vehicles I have done this a number of times in 33 years of driving these vehicles.
Out of Warranty
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 14,925
Likes: 13
From: Houston, Republic of Texas
My wife got a little frustrated when this happened to her and went all Godzilla on my poor key, twisting the plastic off of it. I took hers and got her a new one from the dealer that seems to be a little more robust.
The problem seems to be in the mechanical interlock with the steering wheel AND the gear selector. If rocking the wheel back and forth while carefully twisting, pushing and pulling on the key doesn't work, try the same drill with the gear selector. If the selector isn't solidly in "park", you won't be able to remove the key either.
Sometimes we get a little careless, absent-mindedly trying to remove the key when we didn't get the gear lever solidly in the "park" position, or we have a bit of kickback tension in the steering caused by parking against a curb or in a pothole. If all of the interlocks are solidly engaged, the key should come out easily. If it sticks, be careful trying to extract it. You don't want to have to spend a lot of money with a locksmith.
The problem seems to be in the mechanical interlock with the steering wheel AND the gear selector. If rocking the wheel back and forth while carefully twisting, pushing and pulling on the key doesn't work, try the same drill with the gear selector. If the selector isn't solidly in "park", you won't be able to remove the key either.
Sometimes we get a little careless, absent-mindedly trying to remove the key when we didn't get the gear lever solidly in the "park" position, or we have a bit of kickback tension in the steering caused by parking against a curb or in a pothole. If all of the interlocks are solidly engaged, the key should come out easily. If it sticks, be careful trying to extract it. You don't want to have to spend a lot of money with a locksmith.
Thread Starter
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: tennessee
When you park the vehicle make sure your wheels are straight ahead leaving them turned can cause this problem. You did not mention if you had trouble turning the key in the ignition to start it up but if you do sort of jiggle the steering wheel a little and the key will then turn ok. This is common in all Toyota/Lexus vehicles I have done this a number of times in 33 years of driving these vehicles.
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