Ignition Key Safety Interlock
 

This past April 2012, I bought my 2000 A8. It had 176,000 miles on it. It now has 189,000 miles.

A couple months after I bought it, I couldn’t get the key out of the ignition when I arrived at my office one morning. I put the transmission in PARK, but the key would still not rotate back to Position 1 where the key can be removed. When I went home that night, the key came out as normal.

I have since learned that my problem is the Ignition Key Safety Interlock. It is supposed to make sure that you put the tranny in PARK before you remove the key. However, on occasion, my Ignition Key Safety Interlock malfunctions and even with the tranny in PARK, I cannot remove the key.

The problem is that this has been happening more frequently. It now happens almost every time I use the car.

When it first happened, I went on the forum and got some advice. As suggested, I pushed the gear shift forward and jiggled it side-to-side. Sometimes that’s enough. Lately though, I must also turn the steering wheel back & forth several times and jiggle the gear shift before it releases the key. It’s getting harder and harder.

Do you know if the Ignition Key Safety Interlock is adjustable? In other words, do I just need to adjust it and lubricate it, and if so, how?

Or is this a case where the Ignition Key Safety Interlock is worn-out and I need to replace it?

I sure could use your help. This has gotten to be very aggravating. My wife won’t even drive the car because of it.