2005 aveo - issues shifting out of park and removing key

[runk8run]

Here's a quick (heh) history of the issues I've had with my 2005 Aveo (110k miles now) -

Summer 2011 - Car would not shift out of park unless I put the key in the shift lock release first. Did that for a while. One day, a driver behind me yelled to me that my brake lights were out as well. I did some internet searching, found out that the brake light switch was probably the issue. Bought and replaced it myself and yay! No more shifting issues.

Late 2011/early 2012 - new problem. Car will now not let me turn the ignition off and remove the key after putting the car in park. Had to wiggle the shifter and that would let me remove the key. Found out online about the BTSI solenoid issue. Bought one online and tried (and failed!) to replace it myself.

I took the car to the dealer and told them about the issue. They agreed to put the solenoid in. It worked fine, but the next day I had the SAME issue. I called the dealer, who told me the solenoid was probably not the issue but they put it in without question because that's what I asked for. He said the issue was that there appeared to be soda spilled in the shifter and the whole thing needed to be replaced, but he had tried to clean it up as best as he could.

I was pretty ticked off that they did NOT communicate this to me. Furthermore, I don't drink soda, most of the time I only drink water in the car (occasionally I have juice or vitamin water but it's in a bottle that's closed unless I'm actively drinking it), and I don't remember ever spilling anything near the gearshift.

However, about a week later, the issue was gone.

Now, a few months later, BOTH issues are happening. I have trouble shifting the car out of park, although a couple of small wiggles and it'll work with me. (I still have brake lights too.) However, it is VERY hard to get the key out of the ignition after shifting it into park. I have to wiggle the gearshift, hard, for a good solid minute or so before I can turn the key all the way to the off position. I can hear lots of clicking when I wiggle it. In the past, I had it down to a science - one nice jerk and the key would release. Now it takes much more effort.

So the brake light switch was recently replaced, as was the BTSI solenoid, and I no longer have a shop that I trust to know what's going on with my car. What's a girl to do???

[wuwei37405]

Don't know if it will help, but it can't hurt: Get some white grease (for some strange reason auto stores, at least in my area, have stopped carrying it) at an Ace type hardware store and apply a small amount to the key before inserting it. You might have to do this several times before you see any results. If that doesn't help, let's try something else. What? I don't know right now. I will have to think about it.

[thehunterooo]

Sounds like the safety swtich is the issue, if it is on, then you can not get your key out, or something like that. When you press the brake pedal, it makes the clicking noise that allows you to take it out of park right? Something is getting stuck, which makes it impossible to remove the key.

[petrified.rabbit]

what hunter said, or even the brake switch that signals the neutral safety.