Black lever on m/t steering column?

[Jesse J]

What is this black lever and what does it do off a 92 cherokee

[eaglescout526]

Same thing as the previous years. It lets you lock the cylinder to a position where only the key will unlock it and start the Jeep. Oh and it lets you take your key out too. It becomes and one hand motion deal after a while. 

[Strokermjcomanche]

^^ only found on stick shift vehicles. 

and if you mistakenly turned the key back when you're trying to steer you have to press down on the lever the lock to column

[Jesse J]

wait I'm confused. does this not have a lock plate?

[eaglescout526]

15 minutes ago, Strokermjcomanche said:

only found on stick shift vehicles. 

Now this I did not know. 

[Torq_Shep]

If you decide you want to sell this column I would love to have it for my truck =P
 

You can use an auto one if you hold the lock back down the column. 

[87MJTIM]

It is a key release tab.  When you shut off the engine, press the tab down, it allows you to fully shut off the engine and release the key from the ignition.

[Jesse J]

3 hours ago, Torq_Shep said:

If you decide you want to sell this column I would love to have it for my truck =P
 

You can use an auto one if you hold the lock back down the column. 

lol no its going in my truck =P thats why I pulled it

 

2 hours ago, 87MJTIM said:

It is a key release tab.  When you shut off the engine, press the tab down, it allows you to fully shut off the engine and release the key from the ignition.

oh ok cool

[jdog]

4 hours ago, Torq_Shep said:

You can use an auto one if you hold the lock back down the column. 

Yep just gotta disable the lock rod

[ghetdjc320]

On 7/30/2021 at 7:15 AM, Strokermjcomanche said:

^^ only found on stick shift vehicles. 

and if you mistakenly turned the key back when you're trying to steer you have to press down on the lever the lock to column

Hmm, it’s on my 91 auto which has always been an auto. Was on my 88yj also and 89 xj auto. Just thought it was on all the typical GM steering columns

[Minuit]

Wasn't present on my '91 original column, nor on the '93 auto column that is in it now.

 

I have only ever seen that lever on a manual transmission vehicle, Jeep or not.

[Jeep Driver]

Column looks like it, or a portion of it, is out of a FSJ, never seen that in an XJ.

[fiatslug87]

My 89 non-tilt auto (floor shift) does not have it but my 88 (tilt) and 90 (non-tilt) manuals do have it. Stroker is corrrct, for up to 90 at least.

[Jeep Driver]

Every Wrangler column I can find for sale show the lever.

 

[Torq_Shep]

I remember distinctly that my 1994 5sp Cherokee had it on a non-tilt column. 

[87MJTIM]

87 auto w/ tilt - not present 

84 CJ7 5spd w/ tilt - present 

[ghetdjc320]

Yep, all YJ’s had it. My 91 tilt column auto MJ has it also and the column I am 99.99% sure is original.

[Minuit]

I have seen automatic YJs without the lever.

[watchamakalit]

Fwiw:

 

My 85 CJ-7 factory 5spd. Has no lever.

My 88 MJ factory 5spd. Has a lever.

 

Both have original columns in them.

[kryptronic]

I owned a 95 YJ 2.5L automatic without the lever.  The gear selection indicator was located on the top of the column.

[ghetdjc320]

15 minutes ago, kryptronic said:

I owned a 95 YJ 2.5L automatic without the lever.  The gear selection indicator was located on the top of the column.

That’s probably key there. All mine have been floor shift autos and all had the lever just like the manuals

[Torq_Shep]

My dad's 1990 cherokee with floor shift did not have the lever...

[ghetdjc320]

56 minutes ago, Torq_Shep said:

My dad's 1990 cherokee with floor shift did not have the lever...

Wonder why this is so hit and miss. Seems like every 85-95 jeep I’ve been in has had it. Was it part of some package?

[kryptronic]

Chrystler lists the 'key release lever' as being available for vehicles with manual transmissions and floor shift automatic transmissions.

 

Concerning the YJ, none were ever made with a floor shift automatic.  All were column shift, and they did not have the key release lever.  A large majority of YJs produced were manuals, likely accounting for the claims that all YJs had the key release lever.  No automatic YJs had it.

 

As far as Cherokees and Comanches, the lever would have been present when built on all but column shift automatics.

 

The purpose of the lever is to provide a secondary manual safety guarding against removal of the key prior to putting the car in gear when parking.

[Jeep Driver]

Well what do you know............

 

Looked up a pic of my original and it has it, different but it has one.  Been so long I forgot.