# Key gets stuck in Ignition when cold. Help!

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-gets-stuck-in-ignition-when-cold-help/4141>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [September 4, 2007, 7:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-gets-stuck-in-ignition-when-cold-help/4141 "2007-09-04T19:51:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![gfdnab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@gfdnab](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gfdnab)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2007, 7:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-gets-stuck-in-ignition-when-cold-help/4141/1 "2007-09-04T19:51:59Z")

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In our 1994 honda accord, whenever its cold outside, when you turn the car off, the key wont’ come out. You have to turn it back and forth, push it in, etc… before it finally comes out. There isn’t any combination or time that works better then any other. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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**Author:** ![cappy208](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cappy208/32/31_2.png) [@cappy208](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cappy208)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2007, 10:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-gets-stuck-in-ignition-when-cold-help/4141/2 "2007-09-04T22:10:40Z")

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is this an original key?  
does this happen with any key, or primarily one key?  
if it is a copy, have another one made FROM AN ORIGINAL and see if that helps  
if you have an original put away, try that.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 12:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-gets-stuck-in-ignition-when-cold-help/4141/3 "2007-09-05T00:40:44Z")

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Cappy has some good questions.

I will add does it do it more in cold DAMP weather? Have you tried jiggling the steering wheel?

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**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 2:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-gets-stuck-in-ignition-when-cold-help/4141/4 "2007-09-05T02:20:02Z")

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Also try jiggling the tranny shifter. Maybe it is not releasing properly in cold weather.

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**Author:** ![gfdnab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@gfdnab](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gfdnab)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 1:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-gets-stuck-in-ignition-when-cold-help/4141/5 "2007-09-08T01:29:29Z")

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Thanks for responding:

The key is original, and it happens in any cold weather. It also happens to our other original key.

The only thing that really helps is turning the key back on between the positions, and trying to put it in park hard.

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**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2007, 5:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-gets-stuck-in-ignition-when-cold-help/4141/6 "2007-09-08T05:36:07Z")

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It seems that the tranny shifter is not releasing the key, or you might need a new ignition switch. So playing around with the shifter would release the key?