my car wont start or let me have my key back!

[tastyratz]

ok so i had someone over the other day and i was gonna sell my other old 240, turns out it never did this crap till the day he showed up and good thing hes coming back later to look at it because i didnt have the fuel pump in and he couldnt see me turn it over. now what happened is i tried starting it and just got "click click click" from what sounds like it came from the starter. i charged the battery thinking maybe it was dead but that didnt make a difference. im gonna check my relocation wires to see if something came loose later i guess but i dont really think that that is it. Also now the car has eaten my key and wont give it back. I put the key in and turn it and move it and do all sorts of things but its like its not detecting that ive moved it from anywhere but the very first position that the key slides in and out of. no accessories power up, nothing happens now, all it will do is beep with the door open so it knows the key is there. i wanna sell this thing and i cant afford to have this crap happen THE DAY ITS TO BE SOLD. so i really need to get this fixed! any ideas?

[ftrs13]

check the solenoid.

but sounds like your key chamber is what is Fd up

[the head]

could be the park safty switch causing your problems just splice around it and unhook the key retainer module inside the column and bada bing all is well

[slydin240]

I had the same problem with my automatic not givin the key up. If I giggle the shifter around while in park the safety switch will click and give ur key up.

[tastyratz]

im gonna check it out hopefully tonight. yea the car is no longer an automatic i changed it over to a 5 speed so i cant really jiggle the shifter and make a difference or anything.

[Salty_X]

Did you just change it over to a manual transmission? If so it's the neutral safety switch, which only lets you take the key out in park. Since you don't have a park setting now, you can't take the key out.

IIRC, on S13s the switch is attached to the back of the key cylinder... Search for more specific details.

(The Head already said it, I didn't see it until after I posted)

[tastyratz]

it would give up the key before but it wont now, i had the thing running fine as a stickshift for right now. its always started and given no complaints. im gonna go try re splicing those wires maybe a little better and see how it works out for me. then im gonna go hunting for that module you guys posted about. ill come back and post the details after.

[Brolewigi]

My solution to when my car would eat my key is there is a little clip that keeps that button from going in. If you cut off the tab you can take it out. It only only comes out when you have it all of the way back and the button is pressed in. It worked for me so... Good luck.

[the head]

the module i am referring to is a white plastic box behind the ign lock cyl there is a two wire plug running into it unplug that and it should be fixed if not unplug and remove the two screws holding the box on and throw it out the damn window

[tastyratz]

k, car gives me the key back now i got that straightened out... it all seems good there and now it detects it fine and everything i just gotta get it to stop clicking and just start now!