Key stuck, the car is ...DEAD !!!

**tech** · 06-24-2010

Hi All,

The car is a Grand Prix GT with the 3.8 supercharged, it is a great car with 130.000 miles on it and it is running great, we changed the transmission, power steering pump... but otherwise no problem, until a few days ago when my wife put the key in the ignition and it would not start, and all the power shut off and the key wouldn't come out and the brake and the gear shift blocked too. After 15 -20 minutes, it started dinging and she was able to start it. We thought it was the battery and I replaced it with a new one. Today it did the same thing and she got the key out but every time she would try to start it, it did the same thing as before. Finally we can't get the key out at all and had AAA tow it home, they said it was a dealer issue. We still can't do anything about the key, nothing works. The power all of a sudden started and we tried to get the key out and as soon as I touched it, it went off again. What to do ?

Thanks in advance

Seb

**1LoudGrandPrix** · 06-24-2010

sounds like the chip in the key is going bad

at a GT in NOT supercharged UNLESS its been modded or is a 06+

on the 97-03 you can stick you finger behind the colom and "flick the car off" theres a yellow button on the underside that will release the key

**Lvgrandprix2003** · 06-24-2010

My 03 SE had the exact issue last month. Check your Battery connections. I had a loose ground cable on the battery. When I would turn the key the power to the car would just go away and I couldn't get the key out. After I popped the hood and jiggled the battery connections the ding for the keys came on. Tightned the cables and haven had an issue since.

**RideMr2** · 06-24-2010

I had a 99 gtp with about 20,000 miles on it, in 2001.

The key got stuck, I could not get it out, but the car still started up, and ran fine.

The dealer replaced the ignition under warranty.

**tech** · 06-24-2010

Thanks !!!

I removed the key this morning by putting a little screwdriver by the hole under the steering . I unplugged the battery for the day and I cleaned all the connections, the "+" was really dirty and corroded and I think the problem was that. I plugged the battery back and restarted the car witout any problem. i plug my OBD II scan just in case and everthing was fine. I stop and start the car ten times and it is OK now, hopefully it solved the issue, we'll see

**stui** · 06-28-2010

Originally Posted by tech

Thanks !!!

I removed the key this morning by putting a little screwdriver by the hole under the steering . I unplugged the battery for the day and I cleaned all the connections, the "+" was really dirty and corroded and I think the problem was that. I plugged the battery back and restarted the car witout any problem. i plug my OBD II scan just in case and everthing was fine. I stop and start the car ten times and it is OK now, hopefully it solved the issue, we'll see

I had a 99 GT (selling it tonight! just got a 08 GXP) with the same issue - no warranty either. Apparently when you put the car in Park, an electrical signal was not being sent to the cylinder in the ignition, thus not allowing you to turn the key all the way to off and remove it. Until I was able to get it to the shop and have them determine this, I also had to leave the key in the ignition, which would drain the battery DEAD. They fixed the wiring (for at least $150+) and everything was fine. 8 mo. later it happened again. I was not paying to have it fixed again. I should say that they weren't able to fix it right away as the guy that knew the electrical on that part of the car was on vacation. Until he returned, they gave me a little screwdriver and showed me the trick. I simply reverted back to that when it happened again. For the last year or two, that's what I did... every time. Pretty soon, I didn't even notice anymore.

I bet that doesn't help much, but maybe the background info will help out someone more capable of the fix than I.

good luck

**mezzoni** · 06-25-2010

if it acts up again check the alternator. i had the same exact problem described to a tee back in january and it ended up being the alternator. and it happened at about 127k miles so it can definitly be on its way out, but hopefully you got it all fixed up