Mod Details

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My Ignition Key Won’t Come Out!

Yep, it’s a new common problem, only on petrol 453’s with an automatic gearbox or the 453 ED/EQ electric drive cars.

Why Doesn’t It Just Come Out Like A Normal Key?

On the manual cars, the car doesn’t care what position the gearbox is in when you turn the car off and remove the key. Cars with the dual clutch auto (DCT – Twinamic) or ED/EQ with a fixed ratio transmission, the gearbox must be in park. So, to stop you removing the key incorrectly, the ignition barrel locks the key in place.

But I Am In Park

And that’s the problem. The thing that holds the key gets stuck.

How Can I Remove The Key?

First just try some percussive maintenance. Give the plastic cowl under the steering wheel a good thump or 2. As the solenoid only extends and locks the key when it’s powered up, it naturally wants to spring back, so giving it a few whacks often allows the pin to retract.

Nope, It’s Still Stuck

You need to remove the plastic cover under the steering column. The top cover behind the steering wheel is just clipped in place.

Just lift it up with a bit of force.

Look under the steering wheel, you’ll see 2x Torx20 screws. Remove them.

Pull the bottom cover down as far as you can.

You’ll just about see a device wrapped in blue electrical tape. It’s a solenoid. All a solenoid does is use electricity to create magnetism. The magnetism moves a rod inside.

Pulling the rod back frees it from the key channel. However, yours has failed in the stuck out position.

You can try a few things depending on your tools and access. Check to see if the key comes out after each one.

1 – Spray it with a bit of penetrating lubricant and cycle the key a few times.
2 – Give the solenoid a few taps and then cycle the key a few times.
3 – Pop the rubber bung off the bottom (if you can get to it).
4 – Disconnect the electrical connector.

The Key Still Isn’t Out

Damn, you’ll have to try separating the key blade from the key fob. The standard key has a small screw that holds the key blade in. The flip key has a roll pin that needs to be knocked out.

The Key Is Out

With the key out the way you can lower the bottom shroud fully.
Grab yourself a T20 screwdriver and remove the 2 screws that hold the solenoid to the ignition. Pull it out.

You can try spraying it with penetrating lubricant and applying a forward and reverse voltage a load of times. This should free up the mechanism so you can just refit it.

If you can’t fix it, you have 3 options.

1 – Unplug it and leave it off. Make sure you are in park when you remove the key.
2 – Buy a whole new ignition barrel unit with the solenoid already fitted.
3 – Buy a new solenoid.

The car won’t complain if you leave it unplugged.

Can I Just Remove It?

Yes. It’s a bit of a pointless feature to be honest. It’s just there to ensure you put the car into reverse before removing the key.

Replacement Solenoid!