www.Defender50th.co.uk

[Hairy Dan]

I have a problem that seems to be getting worse, when I park up and put the g/box into park, sometimes I can't get the key out of the ignition. I'm guessing because the car thinks it's not in park, normally by moving the gear lever back and forward it will eventually come out but it's getting more frequent now. Any ideas on the cause of this, is there a switch on the gearlever that needs adjusting or could it be underneath the car?
_________________
Cheers Ian
Kielder 4x4 Safari Raising money for Mountain Rescue

[Cranemaker]

The ignition lock has no electrical 'latch' to secure the key; gear selector position is irelevent unless the key is turned into the biased 'start' position, where the gearbox swich enables the start solenoid only in Park and Neutral.
Have a look on t'internet for Yale lock internals and you'll see how the key works in the lock cylinder, utiliseing pins and springs.
If the key won't come out, there's probably a pin sticking, try some dry lubrication down the key hole maybe.

[tyke57nz]

Believe Japanese spec are different

[Hairy Dan]

Yes I probably should have mentioned in the original post that mines a Japanese import, I didn't realise there would be a difference. It appears that the Japanese models have a solenoid on the shifter that prevents you removing the key unless it's in park and from reading the workshop manual it would appear that there is also a solenoid on the transfer box to stop the key being removed unless either high or low in engaged. I haven't managed to get a look at it yet due to the snow.
_________________
Cheers Ian
Kielder 4x4 Safari Raising money for Mountain Rescue