help

[Rajee]

Hi
I proudly own and very vary happy with a 1996 4runner this baby is very very faithful to me I had put 379868.00 mile on it still running good only one prob I am facing at this m ment when I trun of my 4 runner key some time would not come out easy I have to turn on again and shift and put it in drive several time park and drive park n drive then key will come out any help from love to hear from you all good people form this forum ...
thanks to you all in advance.
Rajee

 

[Hepar]

Welcome. I really have no help to give you other than it sounds like your Runner isn't recognizing that it's in park all the time. I know if you are not in park, it won't let you take the key out. Not sure the mechanics/electronics behind it, but maybe someone else will chime in.

 

[kball]

Rajee, next time the key gets stuck try pushing the shifter forward more (towards the front of the truck) and see if the key will come out then. If that helps it's probably the shift interlock mechanism.

Check out this thread starting at post #18

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/87168-cobikers-96-ltd-build.html


Congrats on the miles! I love my 96 too.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Good find.

Having had enough of my key getting stuck in the ignition this past week, I opened up my shifter cover and took a look at what was causing the problem. It seems that the shifter wasnt "catching" the key lock switch properly when in Park.

Here it is in Reverse. The little black metal stud from the shifter lever should engage the white C-shaped plastic catch on the shift. With the switch down, the car thinks the shifter is not in park and will prevent release.

Here it is properly engaged in Park. Switch up- key releases.

Over time, the parts have developed looseness or wobble. My shifter cover was also missing one bolt out of three total. This allowed the shifter lever too much sideways movement, which eventually led to the stud not catching on the switch.

While at it, and although I had no real problems shifting, I also took out and checked the shift interlock switch. Seemed ok to me.

I snugged up a new bolt, tightened some screws and tried to push the metal stud further to the right. The key hasnt been stuck since then. Hopefully, this very minor procedure will solve this key stuck mystery, at least until I can think of a more permanent solution .