Ignition Key Stuck in Accessory Position

seatia

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Tried searching here to no avail.
Daughter has T4R in South Carolina with the key stuck in the ignition.
Will run and drive, but she is afraid to leave it like that for fear of depleting the battery.
It's a 2013 with the 3 button keyfob.

Not having the steering column to look at, I'm wondering if there is an emergency method of removing the key such as the example of the Chevy in the video below.

https://manuals.startmycar.com/published/Toyota-4Runner_2013_EN-US_US_141b232d38.pdf

TIA
 
I asked an AI enabled search engine a generic question, "how do i remove a key stuck in the accessory position," and got this answer.

If your car key is stubbornly stuck in the accessory position, there are a few steps you can try to resolve the issue:

Jiggle the Steering Wheel: Sometimes, the steering wheel lock can prevent the key from turning. Try gently moving the steering wheel back and forth while attempting to turn the key. This might release the tension and allow the key to turn.
Check the Brake Sensor: Ensure your foot is firmly on the brake pedal. Some cars have a safety feature that requires the brake pedal to be pressed before the key can be turned off. Jiggle the brake pedal a few times and see if it helps release the key.
Inspect the Shift Lock Safety Switch: If your car has an automatic transmission, there’s a shift lock safety switch that prevents the key from being removed unless the vehicle is in “Park.” Look for a white plug with several wires under the shifter boot console. Unplug it and see if the key comes out. Keep in mind that this action will allow you to move the gear selector without your foot on the brake or the key in the ignition, so use caution1.
Lubricate the Lock: Spray some WD-40 or a graphite-based lubricant into the keyway. This might loosen any internal components and make it easier to remove the key.

Depending on the age and experience of your daughter, the steering wheel lock or brake position seems likely.

I recently came across two young men in a late model Tacoma 4x4 that were perplexed about not being able to shut the truck off. After the passenger flagged me down, I looked in and observed that the driver had pulled the hand brake, took his foot off the brake and the truck was still in drive.
 
Last edited:
Tried searching here to no avail.
Daughter has T4R in South Carolina with the key stuck in the ignition.
Will run and drive, but she is afraid to leave it like that for fear of depleting the battery.
It's a 2013 with the 3 button keyfob.

Not having the steering column to look at, I'm wondering if there is an emergency method of removing the key such as the example of the Chevy in the video below.

https://manuals.startmycar.com/published/Toyota-4Runner_2013_EN-US_US_141b232d38.pdf

TIA
It sounds like it may be more like the transmission lock ( Shifting to Park) lever is not making contact.

I know back in the day when women would connect everything they owned to their key chain it added swinging weight and would prematurly wear out the ignition detent .
 
I know back in the day when women would connect everything they owned to their key chain it added swinging weight and would prematurly wear out the ignition detent .

This happened to me. When I still owned my '02 Tacoma TRD, I carried a lot of keys. I did a lot of rock crawling and those keys would be swinging and slapping the dash and steering column. By the time the truck had about 100k miles, the ignition key could be removed with the truck running. After that I got one of those key rings with an air chuck style disconnect in which I could remove the other keys from the keys for the truck and camper shell and keep them in my pocket. My grandson got that truck when I bought my '18 T4R and the original ignition switch still works fine, but the key can often pop out and fall to the floor off road.
 
Could be a worn key or a worn key cylinder (my son had an ancient Corolla and the key got so worn that they wouldn't work anywhere).

Jiggle the key and eventually it will probably turn. Once out, have a new key cut.
 
A search on this site, using the phrase "ignition key won't turn" turned up quite a few results of threads with ignition switch issues. Ignore the first results as they're Google sponsored and take you elsewhere.
 
Couldn't find any info on being able to turn key to OFF position from ACCES to be able to remove it. Even had her disconnect the battery so the ignition shift interlock solenoid would retract in the ignition cylinder, but no joy.

She had a friend play with it and he managed to get it to push in a bit and turn to OFF and come out.
Apparently the key has to be pushed IN a bit to turn to OFF and here is what was preventing it. Comical in hindsight.

A year or so ago when we were both travelling around Tennessee, our keyfob broke in half. We got some epoxy and glued it back together without the lost buttons.
So it happened again this time with a different keyfob and she epoxied it together.
Her glue job wasn't as clean and it prevented the key from being pushed in enough to go to the OFF position.
She did sand it a bit and now it works just fine.

First pic is the clean glue job from a year ago and other is her recent glue job.

seatia-albums-tia-4runner-picture63124t-works-new.jpg


seatia-albums-tia-4runner-picture63125t-stuck-ignition.jpg
 

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