Saturn sl2 key stuck in ignition

remove steering wheel and when you get to the ignition switch there is a small pin slide out and pull ignition switch that's how I did it in my Chevy
the auto parts store have a special wrench you need to remove the clip in the column find a store with loaners so you don't have to buy one

Saturn Sc1, Sc2, SL1, SL2 Automatic Transmission codes when turning right after a reset or when hitting third gear. Intermittant dash lights dead, fuel pump failure and check engine light says various codes having to do with car starting in gear. Mine had a bad ignition switch which burned up the wires connected to the automatic transmission start satety switch. On the back of the transmission a black plastic device connected to the shifter cable. You must remove the black plastic shield from the upper wire to see if the wires inside are burned on the top connector that has six wires. If they are get a junkyard replacement connector and wires. Replace the ignition switch first to avoid same problem.

Put some pressure on the steering wheel in one direction or the other this may take the pressure off the cylinder itself and allow you to do what is needed...hope this works.

I had difficulty with my key in my 98 sl1 too but I discovered that I just had to push on the shifter until you hear it click, then you could jimmy the key a bit to get it out.

There is a switch between brake pedal and shifter that can fails. Also from ignition

hmm..you could try the remote to disactivate the alarm..thats wat i did to my jeep and its never happends since :)..hope i solved oyur problem

You may have the same problem the Chevy Cobalt had with it's shifter.
There is a pin the shifter that activates a micro switch and the pin will miss-align that the key's will not release. Ask the dealer if there is a micro switch like the cobalt in the shifter that may have gone bad. All you need to do is take the center console apart where the shifter is and line up the pin again.
Good luck and keep me posted.

your tumbles are going bad so you are going to have to change the ignition switch
Thank you

Occasionally the shift lock cable can stick and cause this problem. Try jiggling the shifter and see if that helps. You may need to replace the cable.

The chip in the key is purely electrical and will not prevent the key from mechanically turning the ignition switch.

the brushes and magnets in the ingnition cyl. are worn and have to replace entire switch.