Ignition key not turning? (stuck)

if its stuck and wont turn the key cylinder is bad. Here are the instructions on how to replace the key and tumbler int he diagrams below. Also when you get the new key go to the dealer so they can program it for you, please bring your VIN number. Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know what you find.

Electrical problem
2008 Chevy Cobalt Two Wheel Drive Automatic

Key is stuck in the run position. I put shifter in multiple postitions, turned steering wheel in all positions and pressed on brake pedal in different scenerios. Had to take fuse out to get car to shut off
Battery has run dead.Key will not turn back

check out our tips on this common issue at https://www.2carpros.com/first_things/why_wont_my_ignition_switch_turn.htm

my car still runs when key is removed, now the anti theft light came on, we tried the white button under the steering wheel already. We have the cover off but cannot get the key hole to turn back. Battery is unplugged, when it is plugged up it is stuck in the accesory position. So it starts but wont turn off when key is removed is there anyway I can do to fix it myself, funds are not there for a repair bill.

I had a friend that said most likely I'm going to have to go to the dealership to get it fixed, because your springs that's in the inside of the ignition is out of place its only about three hundred no more than four hundred dollars to get it fixed. Does that sound about right?

I hate to say it, but the fact that the security light is on tells me there is more involved. You may actually save money by having it checked with the proper test equipment at a dealer.

My wife took the key out of my 2007 cobalt in the auxiliary position and now it will only go in half way. Is there a. Way to fix this? Thanks in advance

Also it will turn like you're going to start it with the key halfway in, i don't think there is anything Luke sort in the key hole to block the key from being inserted. The key never was able to come out in the auxiliary position before she dis this.

stranger things have happened. my advice owuld be to have a locksmith look at it as it may have the tumblers messed up.

Steering problem
2006 Chevy Cobalt 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic

Over the past two days I have had this problem with my Cobalt. After driving the car, I shift the transmission into park and turn off the ignition. I try to remove the key from the ignition but it will release. To remove the key, I have to restart the car, shift the transmission into drive, shift it back into park, and turn off the ignition again before the key will release from the ignition.

Any advice is appreciated!

this is a common issue with the Cobalts. there is a small access panel on the bottom of the steering column, remove that and you will see a button up and to the left. push that button in and the key will come out. this will work until you can get repairs made, most likely being a faulty shifter.

i tried to start my car this morning but the battery was dead then when i went to take the key out it would not turn to the off position, it will turn between the acc and on position but thats it. also the gear shifter will not go into gear when the key is in the "on" position.

With the battery charged up if you play with the shifter button it the park position will the key turn off?What about smacking the shifter forward with your hand in the park position then trying to turn the key off.Some of those cobolts had issues with the micro switches at the base of the shifters causing the keys to not turn off.

charge or jump battery so electrical will work.

Iam sorry i miss read the question i thought the battery went dead because the key wouldnt turn off.Thats why i mentioned what i did.Take the battery to the auto parts store and have the battery charged and tested.When you get it started also have the alternator tested.

did you read your owners manual?

Electrical problem
2006 Chevy Cobalt 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic 86000. miles

I cannot turn the key all the way off also I cannot remove the key unless I push a little button inside the steering column. whats wrong?

most likely u have a bad micro switch on ur shifter its what tells ur car if its in park so it will let u turn the key off.try playing with ur shift and shifter button see if that helps ur key turn off.if that doesnt work u will have to pull ur center console so u can make sure ur shifter is fully releasing in park and the micro switch is working properly.let me know what u find.

It turned out to be mechanical instead of electrical. The gear selector release button pushed a cross bar attached to the release shaft which activated a switch that told the car it was in park and not a drive gear. The cross bar had somehow fallin out of the release shaft. I returned it to its proper location and everything works again. Thank you for your help it headed me in the right direction to find the problem.

I have a dead battery and I can not get the keys out of the ignitions to open the trunk to get to the battery... Thank you, Janet

there is a small access panel under the steering column. pop that panel out and you will see or feel a button up in there. flip the button and the key will release from the ignition.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU !!!!! Your help saved me much time and money and made a liar out of my car dealership. Thank you Again... Sincerely, janet

The key is locked in the ignition, and the gear shifter wont lock in park. Any idea's how to fix this and why or what caused problem?

This is not an electrical problem. There is a retainer pin located on the shifter when the shifter is moved into various gears the retainer pin hits a small metal switch allowing you to remove the key from the ignition and or turn the ignition off. do not attempt to fix this yourself bring it to a qualified mechanic and explain the problem.

I made sure it was in park and the steering wheel is not locked any other suggestions?

this is internal steering coluum part failure.

There's a recall for this. I just got a notice in the mail this week.

Well, not a recall. They'll fix it for free under warranty if it's less than 10 years old/under 120,000 miles.

ignition switch will not turn with key in

Have you tried a different key? I have seen them wear out. If you have and it still won't turn, chances are the tumbler has gone bad.

There is a recall on the Cobalts because the key won't turn on, or even turn off. Something inside gets in a bind. I received a letter about it. It should be a dealer recall thing. Call and ask.

I had a spare key made for my car and the key got stuck in the ignition switch. It finally came out but now the car won't start and the steering column won't move. Is there a anti theft reset switch on it or is it something else?

Will the ignition switch turn on? When the switch is in the on possition the steering wheel is locked? You can only use a factory type key on these vehicles as they have a chip in the key. The copy may have damaged the lock cylinder. Get back to me.

Tne switch will not turn at all now. It is located in the off position, but it registers that a key is in the ignition. The chimes sound. The steering wheel is locked in place. My husband had called a locksmith and he said for $ 200 he could send someone out to take the tumbler out and rebuild it. We thought maybe it just needed to be reset because of the security device and unplugged the battery for a while.But that didn't work.If it is the tumbler and it needs to be replaced, is there a trick to getting it out or instructions we can look at to do it? Any help you can give us would be greatly appreciated, this is my daughters car and she doesn't have a whole lot of extra cash for a expense repair bill. Thanks so much

Now the copy key may make it chime but is don't have the chip to allow it to start. I am guessing that you got a bad copy and it has damaged the lock cylinder and may need to be replaced. Now once replaced then it will need to be programmed so the car will start. Now I also need to know if this is column shift or floor shift? If it is floor shift it may be the linkage and such that allows the switch to work it looks like there is a problem with it. Get back to me.

Hi,I recently have had an intermittent problem starting my car. When I turn the key, nothing turns over and no sounds, the lights come on in the car, but nothing else happens. I found that by moving the steering wheel back and forth, turning the wheels, the car will then start.
I also have had a problem for the past year or so with the steering locking as I go to take the key out of the ignition. I usually have to push the geer stick furthur into park, hear the click, and then the key will usually come out. Sometime I have to do this several times for it to unlock though.
It seems these things could be related. My question is if I simply have a connection problem in my ignition or if there could be another issue.
Thank you!

First of all thank you very much for the donation.Look's like you have two separate problem's let's start with the starting when you turn the key and the starter won't kick over.That sound's like a bad ignition switch which has your passlock sensor built into it.When they go bad they some time's cause the car to go into anti theft mode and not start.The way you can tell for sure that you have a bad switch is go to a shop and have them read your body control module code's.If you have a B2960 and or B3033 then you need a new ignition switch.There not hard to replace and it's pretty common for them to fail they redesigned them like 3 or 4 time's already for that problem.Now on your other concern of you can't turn the key off till you play with the shifter.What happens there is there is a little micro switch on your shifter that close's when your shifter is in park.That allows your key to turn off when they go bad which i have replaced a lot of bad ones it cause's the key to not turn off.The only thing you have to worry about is making sure the switch is being closed by the shifter when the car is in park.I have seen some of the car's that have sticky shifters cause that problem.It's mostly the bad switch's though.The switch come's as a wire harness that includes your shifter indicator light the micro switch and your solenoid that keep's you from taking the car out of park when your foot isn't on the brake.It's not hard to replace that harness if your handy with car's you have to remove the center console.Let me know if you have any more question's.

My Cobalt ignition key is not returning all the way back to the shut off position hence I can not remove the ignition key. The owner manuel tells me how to remove it by opening a cover on the base of the steering column but I need to know how to fix this problem correctly. Any help would be appreciated.

So the key only goes back to the acc postion?can u open the door on the underside of the column and turn the key off that way?if the answer is yes to those two questions then u most likely have a bad micro switch on ur shifter assembley or ur shifter isn't moving all the way back up to hit the micro switch correctly.try playing with button or moving the shifter around see if it turns off then.u will probably have to remove the console and take a look at that micro switch and shifter and see what the problem is.let me know what u find.

If you can't turn the key all the way back and take it out, most likely it is either A: the solenoid at the ignition switch is bad (it is controlled by the floor shifter) or B: the Floor Shifter is broken. In Cobalts there is a spring and tube mechanism that breaks inside the shifter rod/handle.

Electrical problem
2005 Chevy Cobalt 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic

I am having problems with my ingnition. the key wont turn back all the way to take the key out. i all ready spent 100 dollors on a new lock cylinder and that did not fix it. However i did find some kind of bypass down under the steering colomn that allowed me to turn the key back the rest of the way and take the key out when it pushed on a little white button. I am wondering what i need to replace to fix it. Near as i can tell it has to be the passlock sensor or the electric part of the igniton switch. but i am not sure. i greatly appreciate your time in the matter.

Jason Smith