A few occasions of late i have found i am unable to remove the key from the ignition barrel after turning the engine off.  This morning it took me 20 minutes to get it out😆.

 

I had tried:

 

1. several sequences of turning the engine on again moving forward a bit then backing into a space, moving the gear lever to PARK, then applying the handbrake and then trying to remove it. 
2. I tried with the foot brake applied too when putting into PARK
3. I moved the gear lever back into DRIVE then moved then back to PARK.

 

I think i tried every sort of combination with above

 

Eventually it came out quite freely as normal. 

 

I think that the DSG gear lever might be involved in triggering its full release, is that right or not? 

 

Will put it on VCDS later when i get a moment and check for any fault codes

 

Anyone else experienced this or suggestions on what's wrong? 

 

 

 

 

When working correctly the shifter has to be in N or P with the engine stopped for the key to be removed.

(The Car can be started in N as long as the ambient temp is not below -10 *oC.)

Indeed thanks toot, engine was off each time. 

 

It's like it's not seeing the lever in P then. 

 

I'll see if VCDS has any faults logged. 

 

Edited 7 February, 20233 yr by paulski

No vcds faults logged,

 

I also checked using advanced measuring blocks Dsg gear lever positions and it showed no issues and displayed P,R,N, D,S when moving the lever, (engine off at the time). 

 

Could a barrel fault not allow key release? 

Edited 7 February, 20233 yr by paulski

3 minutes ago, paulski said:

No vcds faults logged,

 

I also checked using advanced measuring blocks Dsg gear lever positions and it showed no issues and displayed P,R,N, D,S when moving the lever, (engine off at the time). 

 

Could a barrel fault not allow key release? 

Hello Paul, I'm not a locksmith, but do work quite a bit on locks in my job. That is possible - try smearing a little graphite powder on the keyways and a little puff into the lock itself to see if it helps. Apart from the occasional reluctance to release the key, are there any other signs of the lock being 'sticky'?

@Warrior193 thanks

 

However it feels like the key will not "rotate" back in the barrel  far enough for it to be removed. When I got it out there's no sign of resistance nor stickiness. 

 

It was fine again after trip home...

Edited 7 February, 20233 yr by paulski

Update no.1, 

 

Did it again this morning but I got the key out in less than a few minutes but don't know why it released tbh. 

 

Called my indie garage (VW specialist) and they've suggested could be the following (and it's in for a service in two weeks so they can check a few things over). 

 

Worn key ( I have a spare so can test that theory out). 

 

Ignition barrel. 

 

Micro switch in dsg gear lever which can get dirty  ( I used vcds to check the position (in Adv measuring blocks) and it was ok on my test when key had already released ok, but I've not hooked it up when I get the fault occurring). 

 

Will update if things get to a conclusion 🤔

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 07/02/2023 at 18:13, paulski said:

A few occasions of late i have found i am unable to remove the key from the ignition barrel after turning the engine off.  This morning it took me 20 minutes to get it out😆.

 

I had tried:

 

1. several sequences of turning the engine on again moving forward a bit then backing into a space, moving the gear lever to PARK, then applying the handbrake and then trying to remove it. 
2. I tried with the foot brake applied too when putting into PARK
3. I moved the gear lever back into DRIVE then moved then back to PARK.

 

I think i tried every sort of combination with above

 

Eventually it came out quite freely as normal. 

 

I think that the DSG gear lever might be involved in triggering its full release, is that right or not? 

 

Will put it on VCDS later when i get a moment and check for any fault codes

 

Anyone else experienced this or suggestions on what's wrong? 

 

 

 

 

I may be barking up the wrong tree, but I suffered from the exact same issue, but with an previous Astra K, auto. It was intermittent like yours, but very annoying. Anyway I had it repaired under extended warranty. The cause, the gear selector mechanism, it sits just below your gear stick selector. The Astra had a torque converter box, yours is a dsg, but they both have a gear selector mechanism.

If it sticks again, try pushing your gear stick lever forward past the park position, see if that then releases you key. It did so for a while with mine. 

Good luck and I hope you get it sorted. 

Edited 9 February, 20233 yr by Phoenixboy

Update no.2.

 

Tried the second key today, same issue but again got the key out after a bit of perseverance. @Phoenixboy thanks i hope its not the gear selector, there are issues with that on here where it flashes a workshop fault of the dash and there is a cheaper fix than the whole lever if its that but to date i have not seen anything on the dash pop up and VCDS is not pulling any fault codes either. 

 

I'm going to have to take my VCDS out with me to see the selector position when it gets stuck. 

 

 

Does it feel the same as when it won't release if you say, turn engine off in "R". Then,moving lever to "p" does it then trigger the release of key every time? 

 

One would normally expect that fault log and message from the shift lever position if it is not registering the "P" microswitch.

 

Note, turning off the car in R and trying to remove key may invoke the fault code even without that fault occurring in normal use. I've never tried it.   

2 hours ago, paulski said:

Update no.2.

 

Tried the second key today, same issue but again got the key out after a bit of perseverance. @Phoenixboy thanks i hope its not the gear selector, there are issues with that on here where it flashes a workshop fault of the dash and there is a cheaper fix than the whole lever if its that but to date i have not seen anything on the dash pop up and VCDS is not pulling any fault codes either. 

 

I'm going to have to take my VCDS out with me to see the selector position when it gets stuck. 

 

 

Mine didn't come up with any codes, even at the dealers. It was intermittent, they changed it because they'd seen the same thing replicated within a previous Mokka (auto), they'd had in for repair. Fortunately I didn't have to pay for it, as I had a dealers extended warranty that covered it. Although I did look on ebay at the time to cost one up, wasn't too bad from memory. 

When it happens again try pushing the lever a bit further past the parked position. That worked for me a few times, then mine slowly became worse. I'd put up with it for around 3 months, as it was initially very intermittent. 

36 minutes ago, TheClient said:

Does it feel the same as when it won't release if you say, turn engine off in "R". Then,moving lever to "p" does it then trigger the release of key every time? 

 

One would normally expect that fault log and message from the shift lever position if it is not registering the "P" microswitch.

 

Note, turning off the car in R and trying to remove key may invoke the fault code even without that fault occurring in normal use. I've never tried it.   

@TheClient, each time it's stuck, it feels like the barrel will not turn far enough anticlockwise to release the key.

 

I can confirm that I am always in P before I try and remove it,  and it's in there solid. 

 

I then start the car back up, move the lever back and forth to D, then move the car a bit forward or back a few times, then put it in P and try and remove. When it's happy there is no resistance in turning the barrel enough to remove the key. 

 

Pretty much tried every combination of lever moves driving a bit and trying again, very frustrating..

yup started happening in my vrs 2012 dsg estate ... feels odd and wrong ... 

 

any news on yours paulski ? 

Intermittent still, and my indy has it booked in next week. 

11 minutes ago, paulski said:

Intermittent still, and my indy has it booked in next week. 

it's a phaff for sure ... i carefully re read handbook ... it has an order reverse into space say foot on brake ... put it into P then handbrake on then foot off brake i can then feel the key being released ... 

 

just works 

3 hours ago, promomast said:

it's a phaff for sure ... i carefully re read handbook ... it has an order reverse into space say foot on brake ... put it into P then handbrake on then foot off brake i can then feel the key being released ... 

 

just works 

@promomasti'm beginning to wonder if I've forgotten how to drive my own car!  Today no issues whatsoever. Maybe as you say I'm not getting the order correct..

 

rtfm...

Is there some key interlock if your foot is not taken off the brake? On my mk7 golf with dq250, in the driveway, when parking, after reversing,  I don't use the electric handbrake (it's flat) and usually have my foot on brake, but still manage to get key out! 

Mine allows me to remove the key regardless of whether my foot is on the brake or not  or whether the handbrake is on or off.

i feel it's too specific ... but dont want to incur a bill from a main skoda dealer to find out ... i can live with it as it becomes a habit but feel sure it wasn't this hard last year 

Hi Paulski,

 

We’re you able to resolve this issue? My Octavia is going through the same thing and has for the last 5 months. The ignition barrel and lock have been replaced and still not working.

 

Thanks,

Mark

On 07/02/2023 at 18:13, paulski said:

A few occasions of late i have found i am unable to remove the key from the ignition barrel after turning the engine off.  This morning it took me 20 minutes to get it out😆.

 

I had tried:

 

1. several sequences of turning the engine on again moving forward a bit then backing into a space, moving the gear lever to PARK, then applying the handbrake and then trying to remove it. 
2. I tried with the foot brake applied too when putting into PARK
3. I moved the gear lever back into DRIVE then moved then back to PARK.

 

I think i tried every sort of combination with above

 

Eventually it came out quite freely as normal. 

 

I think that the DSG gear lever might be involved in triggering its full release, is that right or not? 

 

Will put it on VCDS later when i get a moment and check for any fault codes

 

Anyone else experienced this or suggestions on what's wrong? 

 

 

 

 

Foot on the Brake select Park, handbrake on engine off remove key (front wheels straight ahead)

@Marknolan1

 

Luckily it's stopped misbehaving, but I did work out that the button on the gear lever was sticking in at times, a bit of persuasion and it would pop out. My indy garage has seen this issue and said replacement lever was ~£200 plus three hour labour to change out. 

 

Good luck.