HELP: Key stuck in ignition switch - battery NOT dead

Hi folks, My key is stuck in the ignition switch. Several symptoms ( BOLD ) that may offer some insight, so let me quickly narrate the last 30 minutes. I just headed out for lunch and when I turned on the car, I noticed an additional effort required to turn the key clockwise in the switch. Nothing major I though, its the first time I felt this. Drive along, I notice that the AC blower isn't working . I thought I may have blown a fuse. It was working perfectly just before this. Arrive at my destination in 15 minutes, I notice I can't get the key out of the ignition switch !! Afraid to leave the car with the key in a random parking lot, I decided to drive back home. The car started all right, but just after starting, I heard a few extra periodic "clicks" from the rear . As soon as I put the car in reverse gear, the clicks immediately stopped. The drive back home was without additional surprises. (Whew!) So now I have a few questions .... 1. It looks like I've got a bad ignition switch, right? Its my (blind) hunch - I'm hoping someone more knowledgeable can confirm this. Any DIYs on how to replace it? 2. I've leaving tomorrow for a week and have a covered parking spot (no garage). I'd like to get the car keys out so I'm not worried during my vacation about theft. How can I do this (its a 1999 996 C2 )? 3. The AC blower and the extra clicking sounds ... do you'll think its due to the ignition switch issues? I'd REALLY appreciate some help guys ... really don't want to leave the car for a week with the key inside in working state. I'm going to get a car cover to avoid eyes, but ... what the hell .... HELP !!

Dumb question. Did you jiggle the steering wheel while trying to remove the key? Mine will not come out if I turned the wheel sharply before I turned the car off. I have to really jiggle the steering wheel hard to get it to come out.

I did juggle it ... I suspect a broken switch. I did some reading and it seems like, at this point, we can either buy the switch only part ($30 Audi part # 4A0 905 849 B) or the switch+steering lock. ($$$, part #??). Does anyone know which way is better/reliable? Also, how can I find out the latest compatible part? Some say 4A0905849 -B and some say 4A0905849 ... same?? I found two good DIY instructions: http://www.gagme.com/greg/996/ignition.php and http://industryfigure.com/berkeley/P...tionswitch.htm

I experienced a similar situation. It was a deective ignition switch. Replacement was covered under warranty.

I had the same exact situation. I figured it couldn't just be that because of the AC issue but it was. Had it replaced and have had no issues at all. My Porsche guy told me it is very common. Hope that helps.

99% it is the ignition switch housing 996.347.017.07. Very common and it will take care of the a/c problem also. Work with the key back and forth and pull slightly, you need to try and make the cylinder pop and let the key out. Don't pull the key too hard or it will damage the lock cylinder (has internal plastic pieces) and that part is an additional item that you would have to replace. Even if the key is out the ignition it may still have some of the options on and very likely your battery will be dead when you return. Disconnecting your battery will not work because then you cannot lock the car ans I assume you would want to in the space.

It is te electric ignition switch behind the ignition lock, DO NOT replace the entire ignition lock unit. I don't believe you can buy just the ignition switch from the Porsche dealer, they would suggest you to replace the entire lock and switch unit. the switch is an Audi part. Do a search on "Audi ignition switch" you should be able to find the part number adn replacement instruction. And yes it would cause the A/C not to function properly.

Good to know the AC and this could be related! I'm going to get the key out this evening ... hoping the battery doesn't die out in a week! (Its such a pain to open the car on the '99 version if your battery dies - SUCH a pain ... aagh) Anyway, I've found a few DIY on replacing the old switch with a revised (but still flaky) switch. So far so good ... It also seems that the "best" switch to use is a redesigned switch that also needs a newer wheel lock for compatibility. I can't find a good DIY of replacing the switch+wheel lock (to use the newer more reliable switch part). Does anyone have a good DIY for that? I found http://www.renntech.org/forums/index...howtopic=16077 but it doesn't have pics, part numbers or cost ... I'd rather fix this for good than be in this messy situation again. And ####, I've got to pack for travel, get gifts, wrap up work etc ... freaking ignition switch had to die at the worst time ...

If you search through one of the topics on the subject on renntech Loren posts instructions with diagrams. Very simple to do although screws are tricky. Get the vw part as it is cheaper than the audi part. Can be had for 20-30 bucks on ebay. edit: don't get the whole new mechanism. just get the older switch to fit your ignition. afaik the new switch hasn't proven to be anymore reliable. it will cost you 100 bucks more and is much more of a pain to install.

Well let me go against the grain here and say get the whole new ignition lock assembly with the new ignition switch. It is by far and away more reliable than the older switch. The updated part has been around since mid 03 if I remember correctly and since then I can't remember replacing a single one of the new style.

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Do you know a DIY posted on this? I'm hoping to understand the cost/effort tradeoff. Thanks guys!

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http://www.renntech.org/forums/index...howtopic=16077 Doesnt seem so difficult. I had the same issue with mine. I plan on replacing the entire thing when I get a chance.

Tradeoff ? by doing the job correctly or taking a cheap temporary fix? You can replace the electrical portion and have the part fail again in a month or it may last 6 months or a few days. The housing has been superceded to a new part that holds the electrical and mechanical components more securely than the old part. Right now your old electrical plastic part has shifted and not making the necessary connections to control a/c, headlights, radio, wipers... The front tumbler area that is also surrounded in plastic has shifted and not releasing the key, continued use in a faulty ignition housing can cause further damage and replacement of that part will be necessary. There is TSB bulletin that has been out on this repair for years. In our shop, over 50% of all 986 and 996 from 97 thru 03 have had this problem. The first repair Porsche came up with was the switch, many came back for further repair. My suggestion, do the job right the first time. But what do I know, just been in the Porsche business for over 30 years.

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+996 I did the Audi part and it worked for a couple months, but then I just ended up doing the whole thing.

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Tell that to Porsche for a poorly designed component!

I stand corrected, this is the first that I have read of the new part being measurably better than the old.

I Just completed the replacement of the ignition switch/lock. It took me about 4 hours. I happened to drop the 10 mm bolt into the support channel under the steering column(had to fish it out with a magnet. I had the newer lock assembly but one of the cast aluminum pieces broke inside the steering locking mechanism. I would suggest that you reinstall the 10 mm bolt. I don't feel that the aluminum pin is sufficient to hold the lock in place if there was someone pulling on the steering wheel while it is in the lock position. Try wrapping a piece of electrical tape on your finger inverted with the sticky side out. Place the nut on the tape and finger tighten as much as possible. The nut has a serrated washer built in. Try pushing the nut against the steering column and tighten with a 1/4" drive ratchet. You will eventually be able to finally tighten only from the top with the ratchet. Good luck. By the way I have the newer design and also had problems with my air conditioner blower not working. I will say that the ignition does turn much easier. Aloha.

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How do I find out the part numbers for that "complete" DIY? I did find that DIY last week (in fact I've replied to it too...) but I don't know what part numbers to order before I go tinkering around the car ... plus photos would be great. Basically I'm searching for a more friendly DIY but can't find one. Good news: I'm back home after a week, the car is still here, hood still unlatched. So I can charge the battery. After all this is sorted out, I intend to clean up my first post and do a write up for future readers. Till then, data collection ....

For the full ignition switch+lock replacement, do I need this part "996-347-017-07-M100"? Its at http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/...ELswch_pg1.htm -> scroll to ignition switch -> 4th part ? Is there an OEM part available?

Factory part only - PN 996.347.017.07 Fits Boxster 97 - 04, 996 98 - 05, GT3 03 - 05

I know this is an old post, but I have an old car ('03 C4S). I had the same exact symptoms: key won't come out, additional effort has been required for a while, issues with A/C, wipers, headlights not working. Although I did not have those clicks from the rear that the OP Sids911 had. And, I did have one click coming from the key area on the last start before the key became stuck in the ignition. I assume something snapped. Laura and PTEC both strongly advocate getting a whole new assembly 996.347.017.07. But I saw it was almost $300 and more complicated to put in than the switch. My switch did not shift as Laura was suggesting. It was fully seated in the correct position. If my A/C didn't work, all I needed to do was rotate my key slightly counter clockwise and everything would start working again. Since the switch has so much resistance, it would not spring back to the correct position after engaging the starter motor. I fixed mine last night with the cheap solution (4A0-905-849-B). It was a fraction of the cost of the whole assembly and easy to put in. I'll take my chances and hopefully you won't hear back from me for another 79k miles..... actually I've only owned it for 21k miles, so the switch had something between 21k and 79k miles at failure for sure. Thank you so much to all the posters. You all really make it much easier to own and enjoy these cars. THANKS !

We won't hear back from you - I did the same 2-3 years ago; changing "just the tip" of the ignition resolved the same symptoms you listed.

So good to know Mr. Schnell !!! Thanks

You bet. Of course, there's a 90% chance I'm wrong (based on extant data), so...keep us posted.

Great, now you tell me. I really don't have a lot to loose.

I am now at the last "red" screw , the lower one, and at a standstill. I have found 5 little flat headed screwdrivers and none seem to be the one for the job. I quit before I got totally bent like a pretzel working upside down. Maybe going through the air vent might be the ticket instead of upside down. Any pointers?

I had a lot of trouble with that screw too. Did you pull the ducting out to give more access from the bottom? Even with that out I was "bent up like a pretzel" !! Next time I would explore the idea of taking the side cover of the dash off and the air vent you are talking about. If you can't succeed from the bottom, I don't know what else you could do except go from the air vent side. The good news is that mine still works ...... less than two months after replacement.

I replaced mine by removing the ventilation duct from the bottom, but not the ventilation register in the dash near the left-side "A" pillar. I probably spent a half-hour replacing the electrical switch components, until I found this screwdriver set from Harbor Freight tools - http://www.harborfreight.com/33-piec...set-93916.html . It costs all of $8, and the flexible shaft is a Godsend. It's flexible enough to bend around the circumference of the lock cylinder, so you can hold the bit in place with one hand, and turn the bit with the other hand. With this screwdriver set, I bet I could change one now in five minutes or so. Not that I want to, but if that day comes, I'm ready. The job is a bit of a "muscle memory" exercise, and there are "early" switches (usually white in color) and "late" switches (usually black in color). Naturally, I ordered the wrong one the first time, and got a pair of the black ones, in case the first one I tried to install was bad.

I used a small socket and a flat head screw driver blade so I could get that little bit of extra purchase on the screw. I too removed the lower vent. You can take out the drivers side air vent for better view if you are super stuck.