[V8] Ignition lock replaced

[Jason Bass]

Happy Holidays to all

While trying to start my car, the key switch suddenly broke free. Leaving the car unable to start and stuck in accessory mode. I knew instantly that this most likely was the dreaded broken lock tumbler tab that I previously had read about on the audifans V8 list. AAA towed her home..

I followed an old post from cobram. See below. Thanks bud.

 He described a shortcut method of cutting the black trim off the key tumbler then using a lock pick to slide in and depress a hidden spring, releasing the lock cylinder.
 After three hours of trying, I gave up on the shortcut and used the longer method outlined in his post. Separating the steering column, removing dash, etc..
As described, I found the small metal tab on the back of the key tumbler which engages the ignition switch broke off. The ignition switch was also cracked but appeared to still be functional.

Took me days, but she's all back together. Cleaned up. New ignition switch,  lock (and key). Back on the road and looking good. I've completed many repairs on my V8. Steering rack, timing belt, heater core, control arms...(Many thanks to all the contributors on this list). I found this repair challenging. 

-Jason 

Original post..

From: cobram at juno.com
 >  To: v8 at audifans.com
 >  Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2003
 21:50:15 -0400
 >  Subject: [V8] Ignition Lock
 >  
 >  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.