When I have my car running and then I go to park my car I put it in park and try to take my key out and it gets stuck. I tried everything to get the sucker out. It's happened about 8-10 times since I bought it in August 06. I'am thinking it happened due to the cold weather, because everytime it happened, it happened during the winter time. Any suggestions??!

 

Its a problem with a part inside the shifter.

Whats happening is the shifter in not fully engaging into park. The only way the key can be removed is if the car is in park. When it happens, put the car back in gear, then back in park again, and should be able to get key out then. You don't have to start the car, just move the shifter.

This problem will only get worse. Take it to a dealer and get them to fix it.

If you do a search "key stuck" you will get many other posts about this issue.

 

i also had this issue, have your wheels ever been fully turned when this happend? I had to try to get my wheels in a straight line before I could get the key out

 

take it to the dealer so they can put u a new shifter in it. there is a know probblem with these cars for that

 

Okay thanks guys for your responses!!

 

its the shifter..it happen to me and i goted fix at where i got it ..its under warranty...but the dealership arond my way tried to charge me 225.00 because he saying that its not under warranty because i have a intake and aftermarket exhaust..and he tried to say i modified my shifter..."weed Cheverolet " is the worst dealship ever it looks so ghetto with no SS/SC and on ly one SS/NA in their parkinglot

 

Mine is an automatic. Does that matter??

 

Nope.

There is a second possibility. You might be resting on the steering column lock. If you turn your wheel after you have stopped moving, you put a load on the column which will rest against the lock and prevent you from removing your key. Just try turning the wheel a little bit back and forth and I bet your key will come out fine.

 

Shifter assembly needs to be replaced. A microswitch that registers park position breaks and causes this to happen.

Ive put 3 shifters into cobalts now for this problem.

Get it replaced under 3/36000


EDIT:
Subject: Various Concerns with Shifter and/or Ignition Key (Replace Shifter Assembly/Shifter Components or Ignition Lock Cylinder) #06-07-30-004C - (06/27/2006)



Models: 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt

The pin that activates the micro-switch may have moved out of position (refer to illustration above). This causes the micro-switch to fail to engage when the vehicle is placed in Park. If this condition is present, the customer will not be able to remove the key from the ignition.

Important: A change has been made to the shifter assembly for service. The replacement shifter assembly will read PRNDIL (Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, Intermediate and Low).

Verify that the micro switch is out of position. Replace the shifter assembly. Refer to Floor Shifter Control Replacement in SI.

 

Who knows what needs to be replaced. I had mine in 3 times for this. The first time they replaced the shifter handle. The second time the replaced the ignition cylinder. And the third time they replaced the entire shifter. Anyhow, it's fixed now. A big pain in my ass though.

 

exact same thing happened to me i brought it and they changed the shifter, everything works fine now

 

It's the shifter,I just had mine replaced a month ago.

 

aare you running any kind of sound system / electronics stuff?

when my key wouldnt come out it was because i blown a fuse within the fuse panel because i taped into the ignition for a power source makeing the key stuck

there is a button under and inside the steering colum to realease the key too forgot what page it was in the user manual but its in there somewhere

 

Nope no system, just the factory sound system.

I'll try that too the next time it happens. It doesnt happen too often though.

 

This happens on my car more than 75% of the time. The only reason I didn't/haven't taken it in to get fixed is because I assumed that when I bought the car (2nd owner) the 3/36000 warranty didn't transfer. If it does, I will take this pain in the rear in on Monday to get it fixed.