I called around asking what the problem was and how much it would be to fix it. No one could even promise me that it could be fixed and the dealership wanted $500 bucks just to try!! I looked it up on here and found the release button with a screw driver. Then I took the part that is supposed to hit the button and added a wall plug onto it so it is now longer and stronger and is able to push the button fully in. I replaced it back into the hole and haven't had anymore problems getting my key out.

I just purchased this car and within one week I am ready to scream. I am so upset at this problem and it is more than annoying. You are late for work, doctors appointments and I do not feel the need to beat up on the stick shift trying to get the key out by shifting gears. I also do not understand for insurance purposes why PONTIAC has not admitted they have a huge safety issue and have a recall. I am not finished letting people know of this issue plus with Facebook now in everyone's homes, I will get the word out that GM is not standing behind their customers. I also do NOT think any consumer should be on the internet looking for a quick fix to this malfunction !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GM, think about it, If I have to take one of my children to emergency and cannot get my vehicle safely parked, and there is an accident of any form because of it, there will be a lawsuit.

Given what I have seen on this board, now I believe this is a very common problem and I agree that Pontiac has to take the responsibility to recall the car.

This problem has been occurring MOST OF times for about a year. Every time I have to be in the car to play with steer, wheel to get the key out. And every time I have to tell different people why I have to stay in the car and let them wait outside. And of course I will complain about Pontiac cars quality problems to them. Pontiac can forget about spending tons of dollars on TV advertising because owners like me are surely telling a different stories about the car.

It is time for a recall. This is ridiculous. The day my key got caught in the ignition, I was returning from my lunch break. I could not get the key out. I had to leave my key in the ignition. I didn't know what to do. I was at a urban hospital on Colfax in Aurora, CO (meaning, you don't leave your key in the car in this area). I went inside and desperately searched the internet for a solution. If it weren't for the fact that this was happening to SO MANY of us, I wouldn't have known how to get the key out.

They need to recall this part. They need to look at the web, and the numerous sites and postings regarding this problem. I dare anyone to identify another car with such a problem, especially one that's occurring to so many of us.

We have had this problem with the key getting stuck for about 6 months. It started when I got to work and the key would turn back but not all the way for me to get the key to come out. I messed with it for a while then it finally came out but when I got home from work it would not come out at all and my husband found online about the release plug under the steering wheel. We now keep a tire gauge in our car to use to put in the release hole to get the key to turn all the way back to get it out. It is a big nuisance and I was wondering if there was a recall out there that I may have missed. I am glad I found this site because I was starting to think it wasn't very common but it looks more common than I thought.

Update from Jul 15, 2009: Is there a recall on this annoying problem yet seems more and more people are having this problem

key ignition will not come all the back when put in park, there for can not take key out.

seems like a common problem with this car . but I have a quick fix.

lift steering will all the way up and you will see a little round cap underneath ignition. Prey the cap out with screw driver. In the hole you will see a button this button needs to be pushed, this will allow the key to come all the way back. What I did was stick a depress foam ear plug up the hole, ear plug expands pushes button .This worked great!

put cap back on and all set. better then spending 300-400 dollars to get it replaced.

Hey, I found an easy fix. Remove the steering wheel. Locate the release button and simply take a plastic cable tie and while pushing the button in secure the cable tie around the part to hold the button in. The key will always release, with the key out the steering column locks it acts completely normal. I did this several months ago and so far I have not had any further problems. Do not disconnect any wiring as this makes the system think the part is disconnected and then the steering wheel might not lock. Pontiac told me it could be that part or another one and it was trial and error. I did not want to spend several hundreds of dollars on parts so I tried this and it works.

As you all know this is one of the most annoying issues with a car I have ever had...however I found away to at least get your key out. I have been getting my key out this way since July of 2008 and in this time have met 4 other people with the same issue and this also worked on their grand prix...On the bottom of the steering column there is a round little cover that will pop off, once you pop that off you can stick a flat head screw driver up inside that hole and there is a button up there. Press that button up with the screw driver and this will release your key!! I promise! I have been doing this for months now and needless to say I carry a screwdriver in the car all the time!!! I hope this works for others!!!

i have been having this problem with my grand prix for about a year. when i shut the car off the key sticks in the ignition. initially i thought it was a locked steering wheel, but no that is not it. it seems like the car does no sensor when it has been placed in park. if i let the car sit for a minute or two the key will usually release on it's own.... but i let my little brother drive it and he just left the car stuck with the ignition over night. now the battery is dead. so if you key gets stuck, don't leave it for a long period of time, because the car is still on and the battery will die!!!

I LOVE MY GRAND PRIX BUT THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH IT MY CAR IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD MY KEY KEEPS GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION BUT THE PROBLEM JUST STARTING AND IT'S REALLY HOT IN NEW ORLEANS ME TRYING TO GET AN KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION IS A PAIN IN MY ASS I'M STARTING TO HATE THIS CAR I JUST GOT MY WINDOW FIXED ON IT I NEEDED A MOTOR AND A REGULATOR WHY CAN'T PONTIAC MAKE THEY CAR'S MORE BETTER THEN WHAT THEY ARE DON'T GET ME WRONG THEY BODY STYLES ARE NICE BUT THEY PARTS EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE ARE SH*TTY.