05 Expl replaced steering col, key stuck in ign

[fcb02062]

This forum has been great for trouble shooting over the years, BUT i and my mechanic are STUCK! Short story - 05 Explorer XLT, 80K...apparently had intermittent brake light failure of some sort and could not shift...finally found out about the brake light failure tripping something that would not allow the car to shift out of park...well, went to pick kids up from school one day, couldn't shift out of park...called wife out and asked her if brake lights were coming on and she said yes...ok, i thought...eventually it shifted out of park and went to kids' school, but then I couldn't get it back out of park and shifter broke off in my hand.
AAA came for a tow, but instead the wrecker driver fiddled around the steering column with a screwdriver got it out of park and I drove it to my mechanic. He tells me I need a new steering column. Fine, I trust him, he's the most honest guy around. So we get a used one and he puts it in. He starts the car and the key is stuck. So, the key is stuck (he tried everything to get it out, but he can't) and since the new column was installed I've had the "check adv track" light on. He finally was able to pull the codes and it read "C1227 Missing Data for Steering Angle & C1998 Module Calibration".
Other than the key stuck in the ignition and the check adv track being on permanently, the car drives normally....Any help is much appreciated! THANKS!

 

[1Aauto]

Welcome to the site

 

[DAT05EXPLODER]

try tapping it with a hammer or something hard. also, push up the the shifter without too much pressure just to make sure the linkage is in park, if there is any slack it might not know it is in park and won't allow you to remove the key.

 

[fcb02062]

try tapping it with a hammer or something hard. also, push up the the shifter without too much pressure just to make sure the linkage is in park, if there is any slack it might not know it is in park and won't allow you to remove the key.

Thanks...tried your suggestion but didn't work....arghhh

 

[DAT05EXPLODER]

does the key turn the ignition? you could pop out the cylinder and see if you can remove it when it is outside of the ignition. to do that you need to take the shroud off and somewhere on the ignition there will be a pin the when the key is turned in the on position you can push down and pull out the cylinder. if the key comes out that way, they you have a problem with the vehicle not knowing it's in park i would say. if it doesn't then there may be a broken wafer/side bar in the cylinder preventing it from coming out.

 

[fcb02062]

does the key turn the ignition? you could pop out the cylinder and see if you can remove it when it is outside of the ignition. to do that you need to take the shroud off and somewhere on the ignition there will be a pin the when the key is turned in the on position you can push down and pull out the cylinder. if the key comes out that way, they you have a problem with the vehicle not knowing it's in park i would say. if it doesn't then there may be a broken wafer/side bar in the cylinder preventing it from coming out.

Yes, the key turns and the vehicle starts and drives normally...we'll try taking out the cylinder...THANKS!

 

[herbhibbs80]

still stuck in park

my 05 explorer is doing the same thing, wont come out of park. I know about the key in the slot under the column but I wont it fixed. not temporary. I have brake lights and I keep blowing the 7.5 fuse in number 26 slot under dash. I went to the junk yard and got a used brake switch and safety switch up in the column. changed both. Still blowing the fuse and issue not resolved. I heard there is a wire somewhere that might be getting pinched, but I see nothing. Help please