CJ key switch will not turn back to "off " position

stockcar

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Location
Chapel Hill , N.C.
The other day while trying to start my 83 CJ , the key switch would not turn back to the " off " position , the switch will go forward to the " start " and then go back to the " on " position but will not turn back to the " off " . Can someone advise me how to correct this problem ? Thanks in advance for any advice .
 
have you tried turning the steering wheel while moving the key back to off? Kind of sounds like the opposite problem I've encounterd; can't move the key out of the locked position because the steering wheel is bound up against the lock pin. This should be a standard GM column. Is your CJ An automatic with a column shifter?
 
I couldn't tell you anything about the key switch, but it is hooked to a switch near the bottom of the column, by a metal rod. You might look around there just to see if anything looks out of place. See what Goggle has to say.
 
There should be an extra lever you have to push behind and down from the lock cylinder to get the key to return to off.

Make sure it's depressing and returning correctly and not stuck in either position.
 
I've seen gm lock cylinders fail like you're talking about. If that year column uses a gm style rectangular key you may need to get a new lock cylinder.
 
thanks again for the replies , pushing on the lever on the column does not seem to have any effect , it is the gm style rectangular key so you may be correct I may need a new lock cylinder
 
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