A hearty thank you to DaveinSaltLake for talking me off the ledge today...
08-31-2007, 08:44 PM
#1
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A hearty thank you to DaveinSaltLake for talking me off the ledge today...
I decided to replace my ignition switch since it was really starting to stick and my remote locking had begun to get flaky, etc.
After reading a few posts in the FAQ I decided it would be fairly straight-forward, maybe take an hour or so. Famous last words...
Four hours later and several frantic phone calls to Dave I managed to extract and replace that son of a bitch, absolutely hands-down the most evil thing I've ever worked on in my car!
You have almost ZERO room to manuever in that tight space behind the keyhole and reconnecting the wire loom was extremely trying.
All in all it came together but here's my advice on how to do it if it helps, best to get this off my chest while my memory's fresh and before I get too drunk:
1. Disconnect battery (after confirming you have your radio code)
2. Take out the instrument cluster, make sure you know where the wires all go. Cover your steering column to avoid scratches.
3. Take out the knee bolster under the steering wheel, it has 5 or 6 10mm bolts I believe. This will give you better access down below. I couldn't have done it w/o this.
4. Locate the purple wire loom that feeds the switch. Grab on to the black plastic housing it connects to and pull back to loosen the loom from the switch itself. This should be much easier than trying to loosen the loom off the switch with it hanging there. If you prefer this method, grab the front of the old switch with pliers from down below, grab the loom from above and pull it apart. I did it this way, should have done the other way first.
5.Once the loom is free with a small flashlight locate the two small set screws that hold the switch in the lock cylinder, loosen them a bit but not completely (!!!), this is important since you don't want them to fall out, you'll never find 'em.
6. The switch will come out freely and with it off the wire loom you can manuever it out from the top but it's a very tight fit.
7. Put the new switch in, you'll probably need to locate it into the lock cylinder from underneath, easier to see. It only fits one way, make sure before it goes in that the little "screwdriver slot" in the new switch is almost vertical, around 6 o'clock. Use a screwdriver to turn it to this position.
8. Once it is seated in the correct fashion tighten the set screws into the slots on the new switch and I tested my key at this point to make sure it functions ok. If the key sticks and won't come out, you've mislocated it.
Pop it out and do it again, it took me a couple of tries.
9. With a flashlight make sure you have the locater pins and plugs from the new switch line up correctly with the wire loom, this is a tough procedure since it's so hard to see. A small flashlight is a godsend here.
10. Once it's back on correctly reattach the instrument cluster wiring, reconnect the battery and make sure it all works before you button things up.
11. Pat yourself on the back (and Dave) and realize how much money (and sanity) you saved.
After reading a few posts in the FAQ I decided it would be fairly straight-forward, maybe take an hour or so. Famous last words...
Four hours later and several frantic phone calls to Dave I managed to extract and replace that son of a bitch, absolutely hands-down the most evil thing I've ever worked on in my car!
You have almost ZERO room to manuever in that tight space behind the keyhole and reconnecting the wire loom was extremely trying.
All in all it came together but here's my advice on how to do it if it helps, best to get this off my chest while my memory's fresh and before I get too drunk:
1. Disconnect battery (after confirming you have your radio code)
2. Take out the instrument cluster, make sure you know where the wires all go. Cover your steering column to avoid scratches.
3. Take out the knee bolster under the steering wheel, it has 5 or 6 10mm bolts I believe. This will give you better access down below. I couldn't have done it w/o this.
4. Locate the purple wire loom that feeds the switch. Grab on to the black plastic housing it connects to and pull back to loosen the loom from the switch itself. This should be much easier than trying to loosen the loom off the switch with it hanging there. If you prefer this method, grab the front of the old switch with pliers from down below, grab the loom from above and pull it apart. I did it this way, should have done the other way first.
5.Once the loom is free with a small flashlight locate the two small set screws that hold the switch in the lock cylinder, loosen them a bit but not completely (!!!), this is important since you don't want them to fall out, you'll never find 'em.
6. The switch will come out freely and with it off the wire loom you can manuever it out from the top but it's a very tight fit.
7. Put the new switch in, you'll probably need to locate it into the lock cylinder from underneath, easier to see. It only fits one way, make sure before it goes in that the little "screwdriver slot" in the new switch is almost vertical, around 6 o'clock. Use a screwdriver to turn it to this position.
8. Once it is seated in the correct fashion tighten the set screws into the slots on the new switch and I tested my key at this point to make sure it functions ok. If the key sticks and won't come out, you've mislocated it.
Pop it out and do it again, it took me a couple of tries.
9. With a flashlight make sure you have the locater pins and plugs from the new switch line up correctly with the wire loom, this is a tough procedure since it's so hard to see. A small flashlight is a godsend here.
10. Once it's back on correctly reattach the instrument cluster wiring, reconnect the battery and make sure it all works before you button things up.
11. Pat yourself on the back (and Dave) and realize how much money (and sanity) you saved.
09-01-2007, 07:40 AM
#3
Sounds like you had a hell of a time!
The ones I've done, I've done from the top only. No disco-ing the battery or dropping the lower dash bolster. Seriously, 30min at the most.
On assemblies like this sometimes it's a good idea to use something to scrape a line from the black connector across the old switch and then on the metal lock cylinder housing. That way, you have a reference mark and you don't have to remember how things lined up.
A small screwdriver will help in prying the black electrical housing away from the old ignition switch. Just put the tip of the screwdriver inbetween the 2 in several places and give a gentle pry.
On assemblies like this sometimes it's a good idea to use something to scrape a line from the black connector across the old switch and then on the metal lock cylinder housing. That way, you have a reference mark and you don't have to remember how things lined up.
A small screwdriver will help in prying the black electrical housing away from the old ignition switch. Just put the tip of the screwdriver inbetween the 2 in several places and give a gentle pry.
09-01-2007, 07:47 AM
#4
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Doug, You sounded pretty good on the phone, given the frustration you were experiencing
at least you didn't have to pull an 'all nighter' to get it back together so you could go to work today.
It will go 4x faster the next time you have to do it...
It will go 4x faster the next time you have to do it...
09-01-2007, 09:15 AM
#6
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Yeah! I just struggled with it w/ the toolkit in my car in the dorm parking lot - my hands hurt!
I DID loosen the set screws fully and drop one...oops. That took a long *** time to find. And then I used my hammer and pliers a lot more than your FAQ advises :-p
But now i can start my car again! I had a 100% failure, key wouldn't even turn without pliers.
If I'd seen this post before I did it, I probably would have chickened out, hah.
-Jeff
But now i can start my car again! I had a 100% failure, key wouldn't even turn without pliers.
If I'd seen this post before I did it, I probably would have chickened out, hah.
-Jeff
09-01-2007, 02:13 PM
#7
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Thread Starter
It can be a real suffer-fest without the right tools and insight. Dave was a big help, he....
went to the trouble to take out his i.c. so he could give me some advice. A nice guy, I owe him one if I'm in Salt Lake in a couple of weeks...