My 1973 Mercury Comet's key is stuck in the ignition. The reason is that the key won't turn all the way back to the off position. I have pulled off the steering wheel and now I need to know where to go next. Do I need to take the whole ignition key slot out and if I do how do I do that? Or can I get this one unstuck so it will turn all the way off?
There will be a small opening at base of ign lock, with ign in on position use small screwdriver or similar to press pin in opening inward, at that point you should be able to pull out the lock by it's "ears"... Not turning off fully is usually a linkage issue...
check the linkage at the ign. switch. it's located about half way down on top of the steering column (under the dash), it may be sticking or out of adjustment..
Now I created another problem, the key slot itself broke off when I was trying to pull it out, so now I can't turn the key at all. I don't know why but pushing in the pin didn't work which is who i broke it off. Now I am left with this and don't know what to do.
The pin only presses inward when ignition is in the on position, at that point it should have pulled out easily...
Since my key won't turn off I was always able to push it in. Is it supposed to go past the other piece of metal that you can see in my second pic that moves with the pin when you turn the key? When I pushed the pin in it stopped about and eighth of an inch away from being flush with that other piece of metal.
The pin isn't shown in your pict, it's in opening directly below the black wire to buzzer contact(that's hanging loose in your pict)... Other than steering wheel nothing has to be removed to access it...
I thought it was the pin at the very top of the of my pic. Is this pin in your pic because I still don't see it. Can you point it out again.
The pin is attached to the key switch inside the housing. You access the pin through the small hole in the housing that is visible in Toms pic. When you buy new tumblers the pin will be visible and make more sense to you.
i have a new cylinder lock and key. It will go in all the way but the key will not turn to the off or acc. position. I can not remove the key as well. I think i have to adjust the rod to the ignition switch as well. The only thing that don't make since is that it was fine before I removed the cylinder. The old cylinder lock is the same it. maybe i am installing it wrong?
