[V8] Key won't release from steering lock

[patrick gillen]

Excellent suggestion, cutting that tumbler trim collar! A tricky cut but a real timesaver; I wish I had found your post back then to shave mandays off the job.

-----Original Message-----
From: V8 [mailto:v8-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of cobram at juno.com
Sent: December 04, 2014 9:49 AM
To: av8ruk at hotmail.com
Cc: v8 at audifans.com
Subject: Re: [V8] Key won't release from steering lock

I seem to recall that unlike the early models, the '93 had a cable going to the ignition tumbler which would cause the key sticking problem.

If you are going to remove the tumber/key assembly along with the switch, here is a repost of a post I put up on the list more years ago then I'd like to remember.

At the time I wrote this I had not actually done the simple procedure at the bottom of the post, but afterwards I have done it twice (this MAY be a problem part, but Audi never admitted it.)  The only thing I would add is to be extra careful when cutting the collar in the car, I let the cutting wheel on the whizzer slip when doing the tumbler in V8Q #2 and scratched up the steering column collar a bit.

Throwback Thursday re-post:

A few observations that will save lots of time and cursing.  I had to change the lock cylinder because the tab on the back which goes into and turns the ignition switch had broken off.
 
This job is relatively easy, especially when you IGNORE most of the procedure in the manual.  I removed and replaced the ignition lock, and only needed to get the kickpanel, cluster, top half of column plastic and the dashpad out of the way.
 
I did NOT remove the Airbag, Column Switches, Console, Trim, Steering Wheel, Glovebox and the rest of the complex scenario I had envisioned necessary for removing the aluminum crossbrace.
 
With the parts in the second sentence out, through the aluminum crossbrace you can get at the two small screws on top and the plug on the back to pull out the ignition switch (plastic part.).  Have a mirror ready.
 
I removed the few screws holding on the wood trim on the left side (wood that goes around lock) too, so I could pull it forward (did not remove it
completely.)   Took the anti-theft torx screw out of ignition lock.
Removed the two lock nuts from the retaining plate on the floor, down by the firewall that hold the steering column to the rack bushing.
Removed the two bolts with the captive nuts (one had a bracket and relay attached to it.) Removed the three side bolts and the four top bolts on the column that hold it to the aluminum crossbrace, pulled the column forward a bit to easily separate the column (mark the column position on the bushing so you can put it back the same way), then put the column shaft to the left and high of where it attaches to the bushing.  This way the column could be pushed in (with some body weight behind it) enough so that the steering lock could be pulled out and turned to clear the aluminum brace to come out.
 
After removing the tumbler mechanism from the rest of the steering lock assembly, (drilled hole etc. as per manual)  I put just the steering lock part back first to make things easy, and pushed the new tumbler part in after the steering lock was installed.  This way you can put something in the tumbler hole of the steering lock to hold the steel locking bar to the right while installing.
 
If you've read this far, this is a payoff here......by doing it the hard way, the easy method revealed itself.  Did not do it on the car of
course, but a bench test with the old lock worked.    If you cut the
black collar that goes around the ignition key cylinder (you'll need a small whizzer, dremel tool or something of the sort), you'll be able to reach the spring that holds the lock cylinder in the steering lock and push it down with a piece of flat hard metal, a lock pick iron worked for me.  Once this spring is pushed down the key tumbler will pull out, no need to do anything more except push in the new piece!  Man, I could have avoided all the above work.  The most you'll have to do is remove a couple of screws and pull the wood trim back so you won't damage it while cutting off the black collar.  You will ruin the old tumbler this way, but if this is the part you're changing it's a moot point.
 
>From what I could see, you cannot re-key the new lock tumbler assembly, so you're stuck with two keys until you get around to re-keying the other locks.  Total time was around 4 hours, most of that spent figuring out
what held what where and who was on first.   The new lock cylinder from
the dealer (Mac at Clair) was $54.00.


BCNU,
Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.

 <av8ruk at hotmail.com> writes:
> 1993 V8, 4.2
> I am resurrecting yet another neglected V8, over here in the UK.
> The ignition lock has 2 problems.  The big one being that I can no 
> longer remove the key.  I've jiggled with the shift lever, between 
> park, drive, neutral, etc. A problem with the ignition lock solenoid?
> The other issue is that the key doesn't move from the 'start' 
> position to the 'run' position when starting the engine.  It can be 
> moved manually, though.
> 
> Are these two separate issues, or part of the same problem?
> 
> If you are interested, I'm running a thread with pictures on both 
> AudiV8.com and Classic-Audi.co.uk.
> This car is named the toxic toad.
> 

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