Key Stuck in Ignition
 

I picked up my '00 A4 last week and was loving every minute of it until my key got stuck in the ignition tonight. I remembered reading about this on the forum, but didn't remember seeing any solution. After a few minutes of dicking around, I figured out what was wrong. Even though my Tip was in Park, it wasn't "really" in Park. The release button was out but not "all the way out". Anyway, I don't know how I got the Tip into this false Park position and I was unable to repeat it when trying. Luckily, I didn't resort to pulling the key out with brute force--was about too.

Just thought I'd share this so if it ever happens to you, you'll know what to do (take it out of Park and put it back in until it catches). Other than this incident the car kicks ass, love it.

Crank the steering wheel. Trust me...

Happened to me a couple of times... makes me feel like an idiot =) (nt)

Re: Key Stuck in Ignition
 

That happened to me a few weeks after owning the car. We called Audi Assistance, and they told us to lightly tap the top of the shifter. The release button popped out, but it was nerve racking as it was a new car. It hasn't happened since.

Re: Key Stuck in Ignition
 

Exact same thing happened to me approx. 1.5 weeks after taking delivery. Problem was
exactly as stated here, that the release button for the shifter wasn't fully disengaged. I managed
to disengage it by shifting into drive and then into the Tip shift gate...popped right out as soon
as I went to the right.
Does anyone else share my opinion that this problem is related to the Tip function specifically? I had been driving in Tip mode just before it happened.

This same thing happened to my Jetta III and it isn't a TIP...
 

I didn't put it all the way in park so the button didn't pop out. I almost tried to yank
the key out with full force! That wouyld've been a mess. Good thing I decided to
try putting the shifter in park again.

-AlexD

Re: Key Stuck in Ignition
 

This happened to me over the X-Mass holidays. See my previous post at that time. I used an alternate key to lock the car while the first was stuck in the ingition switch. The problem ultimately resolved itself two days later, but has reoccurred twice since then. The problem is, in fact, with the shift lever and the park position. The button does not always pop all the way out. Just moving into and out of park is not always enough. On the last two occasions it took some rather violent pounding on the lever to finally get the button to come all the way out. I picked up my '00 2.8QTip on 7 Dec. '99, so it was only a few weeks old when it first happened.

I have to say a big THANK YOU!
I had the same problem and did the same "dicking around" trying to put it into gear and then back into park. I then use Google and my problems were over within 2mins flat. I joggled the gear stick in it's park position and the button popped out! I also have to agree it does kick ass!!!!
Cheers. Think audi may need to look at it as it keeps on occurring though :(

Key Stuck in ignition
 

I had the same problem in my 1998 A4 two days ago and used the spare key to open/lock the car with the key stuck in ignition until my my daughter sent me this web page. I immediately went to the garage,put the Gear lever in PARK and noticed that the Release button was not fully out preventing to take out the key. I just firmly tapped the the top of the TIP two/three times and the Rlease Button was fully out and I was able to take the key out with a big relief. AUDI should take it seriously and resolve this issue.

I have a stuck key on my 97 1.8 automatic, non- tip. While towing using a strap the tow vehicle took off too soon and drug the Audi for a second or too. I panicked and yanked the shift lever into neutral and heard a clang in the the tranny. We repaired the engine problem, but the key is stuck, and the starter hangs during starting, so I have to manually return the key to the run position. I'm on the fourth ignition switch, including the recall, so the switch hanging is nothing new. The car starts in Park and Neutral as usual, and the tranny shifts fine. Any ideas?