I am in the recall. Do you think they'll replace the ignition?

 

Not the whole ignition; but, the portion with the interlock if it is the old style interlock as shown in that TSB. It's because the interlock lever may deform. Who knows, if they discover a different problem there, they may contact American Honda and they might cover the other problem with goodwill.

 

As I said before, I decided to charge battery and disconnected both terminals and put a charger to it. Then I decided to try to remove key and it came right out.

Just now, I went out to my garage, hooked up battery, started car and punched in code. I put the car in Reverse and backed up in my driveway. Put it in forward and pulled back in the garage. Put car in Park. Turned car off, same problem. Can't get the key to the off position to pull the key out.

Again, I disconnected both battery terminals. Key comes right out.

Any suggestions?

Thanks, I appreciate it.

 

It may be the ignition switch interlock lever. My guess is that even though you are in Park, the interlock lever has deformed, so it doesn't seem like it is in Park and won't let you remove the key. Kind of the opposite effect of what is described in the TSB; but, may be due to the same problem of the lever deformation.

When you removed battery power, something electrical may get reset and it senses it is in Park and allows the key to be removed.

I say let the dealer replace the interlock lever and that may take care of the problem.

 

Thinking about it some more. Since the part being replaced under the recall is a mechanical part instead of an electrical part, the following may be happening. Normally, the lever should be in a certain position when in Park, which allows the ignition key to be removed. When you are in drive, the interlock lever moves into another position which does not allow key removal.

In your case, there may be a deformed interlock lever, so that even though you are in Park, the lever is not in the correct position to allow key removal. It may be in a position similar to when the car is in drive, which doesn't allow key removal.

When you disconnect battery power, something electrical may get reset and switches the interlock lever back to the proper position it should be when in Park to allow key removal.

This would be my guess.

 

I'm going to sleep on it and hopefully this is just a bad dream!!!

Thank you

 

In the last 12 hrs I have only been able to get key to off position to remove it by disconnecting battery. I have done this 4 times.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks

PS The shifter is not an issue anymore. I can start it (after disconnecting battery and removing key) & I can drive it all day in and out of forward & reverse. It's just when I stop it that I can't remove key. Shifter still works then too.

 

The problem was the plunger not fully returning after pushing the shifter button. I read this on another forum:

"Make sure the shift **** isn't slightly depressed because if it is, it will not allow you to remove the key. There is a little white plunger there and if its slightly depressed, your key will not come out."

Example: Normally, If I start my car and push in the shifter button slightly I will not be able to turn the key to the OFF position. Let the button go and the key comes out. That was my problem. It must have been slightly "stuck" and would not fully release so that I could turn the key to the OFF position and remove it.

I can't really say how I fixed it. I took the shifter **** off and worked the moving parts and must have freed it up.

That's my story and I am sticking to it!!

Thanks to everybody for your suggestions.