[V6-12v] 1995 90Q Ignition switch/Starter motor...

[Tom Christiansen]

Gary,

Here's what happened: You started the car, the key stuck in the START
position and now your starter is fried. All this because of a faulty
ignition switch. Same thing happened to me a couple of years back. I
had the car towed to a shop to get the starter replaced. I had no way
of moving the car or even to get a jack under it and couldn't from
where it was parked figure out how to get the starter out. However, I
imagine it's a relatively straight-forward job.

Replacing the ignition switch is pretty easy:

1) Remove upper trim piece around the steering column switches.
2) Remove the two screws holding the instrument cluster.
3) With a little care and/or luck, you should be able to wiggle the
instrument cluster out far enough to allow you to unplug the
connectors. Note that some of them have colorful clips on their backs
that need to be popped out with a small screwdriver. No violence on
the connectors should be needed. Watch out for the airbag light as
it's on its own harness.
4) With the instrument cluster out you should be able to see the
ignition switch. Remove (or at least loosen) the two setscrews and
pull the electrical part of the ignition switch out. Disconnect from
harness.
5) Assembly is reverse of removal.

For the parts, I suggest shopping at www.autohausaz.com. I'm not
affiliated with the place, but they've served me well over the past
couple of years.

Tom

On 9/24/06, Dr. Gary E. RAFE <drgerlists at gmail.com> wrote:
> Our (usually trusty) 1995 90Q with nearly 140K miles
> gave us some trouble the other night during an excursion
> to Ann Arbor (45 miles north of here).
> Following our uneventful drive up, we stopped for about
> 30 minutes to do some shopping.
> When we restarted the car to head for our destination
> in town (about 10 minutes away), what sounded like a
> failing shaft bearing (water pump, alternator, etc.)
> was heard from the front of the car.
> We also noted that certain electrics were not working
> either: turn signals, fresh air fan, A/C system controls,
> and, as it turned out, the radiator fans.
> As we made our way to our destination, the engine temp
> rose just above the middle tick on the temp gauge,
> with no sign of the radiator fans running.
> We found a parking spot on the street quickly enough,
> shut the engine down, and opened the hood for a look
> (and to let it cool).
> After waiting a minute or two with the hood open,
> we switched the ignition back "on"
> (without trying to start the engine),
> and all the previously not-working electrics were
> working again: the radiator fans came on high,
> then switched to slow after several seconds and continued
> to run until the temp dropped, the turn signals,
> and the fresh air fan)
> With that, we locked the car & continued on to our
> evening event.
>
> When we returned in the rain a few hours later to leave,
> we found that the starter motor would not engage
> (i.e., turn the key to "start" and the starter
> motor did nothing), although all the electrics
> appeared normal: voltage was at least 12VDC measured
> at the cigarette lighter plug, and everything else
> seemed to work as it should.
>
> We had the car transported home that night,
> and it's now back in our garage.
>
> I've since had a look at my schematic diagrams
> for the car, and have a few questions for the list:
>
>  1. Before pulling the splash pan off and poking around
>     the starter motor itself, I wanted to check for ignition
>     "start" voltage, say, in the relay panel.
>     According to my schematic, I should be able to measure
>     this at contacts 37 & 38 of relay position [8],
>     which is supposed to be empty except for a jumper between
>     contacts 36 & 38 (pg 4).
>     The relay panel, however, has a "standard" relay
>     (431 951 253H) in that position.
>     The panel labels that position "Shift Lock".
>     The 5-speed, of course, doesn't need this "feature".
>
>     Does anyone know what purpose that relay is supposed to serve ?
>     What happened to the jumper ?
>
>  2. I suspect that the starter motor problem & the problem
>     with the electrics are related, since they share the
>     ignition switch at some point.
>     My wife experienced the same problem with the electrics
>     twice this summer, both on very warm days (although I drive
>     the car mostly, and hadn't seen the problem before yesterday).
>     I put a voltmeter on contact 38 of relay position [8]
>     today (after removing the relay), and found +12VDC with
>     the ignition switch in the "start" position.
>     I also noted the "key doesn't return when released"
>     problem, which could explain the noise we heard the last
>     time we actually started the car (i.e., interference from
>     a still-engaged starter motor).
>
>     Assuming that I need to replace the ignition switch,
>     does anyone have any "been-there-done-that" comments on
>     the replacement procedure ?
>
>  3. I also expect that replacing the starter motor should
>     be more-or-less straight-forward, though comments on
>     this might be useful, too.
>
> Regards --Gary
> --
> Dr Gary E RAFE: drgerlists at gmail dot com
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