Sounds like the tumblers are crap ... I'll be workin on mine this weekend, hoping removing the pin and spring from under the plate on the steering column works !!!

 

Yea thats the conclusion Ive come to Stogey. Replacing the whole unit not too cheap man.

However getting in there and doing the work is not too hard with the instructions here. Removing the dash panel is a breeze. Removing the Ignition Assy not too hard. Removing the Plate on the Assy pretty easy. About the hardest part is, if like me you can not move the key outta position 0 is the drilling on the column to get the assy out. Not alot of room in the cabin or on the column. Should have taken care of this when i noticed it starting to go. Thats what being a procratinator gets me.

Oh and Onehundred80, I could not help thinking what was in those deleted posts and what was I missing. Gotta love internet drama :P

 

Well have had the sticky key for a few months. 2005 SRT with only 6500 miles. I have the middle tier extended warranty with the 800 covered parts but apparently the ignition cylinder is not covered. They quoted $235 for the part and $210 for labor, but would not guarantee that price until they verified the diagnosis.

I repaired it myself this morning. It took me about an hour and a half.
The instructions were great and would have taken much longer to do without them and I doubt I would have been able to get the ignition out of the car without them, mainly because the locking pin is hidden behind the steering wheel cover. A few notes: The locking pin that you need to push in will not push unless the key is in position 1. Also it is easier to have the key out when pulling the unit out and I turned it clockwise. I removed the pin and spring from the unit and now everything works normally. The steering wheel locks normally. I don't know what the pin and spring do. I still notice a slight resistance when turning the key after the steering wheel locks now, but none at all if I remove the key and reinstall it again before the steering wheel locks. Before the fix once I removed the key and reinserted it the key would not turn without great effort whether the wheel was locked or not.

If you are not installing a new part, you do not have to remove the tumbers, so you can skip that part.

Thanks again for the detailed instructions. I would say anyone with some mechanical abilty at all would be able to do this. The hardest part for me was getting the unit out. I was lucky because I did not have to drill out the locking pin.

If anyone needs the picutres, I have the PDF file and I'll send it to anyone who needs it. PM me your email address.

 

Hi cirquedaddy - I would make sure that what is left of the drilled pin isn't binding but not sure if that would make a difference. Could you turn the key when it was out of the car - you should be able to.
It doesn't seem to be a common problem but a couple pages back Mophreakous had the same problem - not sure if he figured it out or not.
I still have the new one I bought in a box just in case but the old one is still working great after almost a year.
Keep at it!

 

So I didn't have to drill the locking pin because my key turned to the first position, followed all the instructions to remove dash and switch. Removed the pin under the cover on the switch ... I'm done ! Well except for putting the switch and dash back together Wooo Hooo !

God bless all the contributors to this forum, another trip to the shop aborted !!! We should keep a running tally !!!

 

how is it a thread of this length and detail has all the pictures removed?
It should have been a sticky long ago as it seems to be a very comman issue
pics anyone?

 

Just like it never happened.

 

An entire forum is hijacked by someone who has their panties in a bunch?
ignition key fix!! 188 posts yet pics are deleted

 

I removed my pdf file because a bunch of lazy people were asking "Where are the pictures?" over and over again. I got pissed cause I took my time to take apart my car, which I had previous fix, to take pictures cause the pictures from the original poster was gone. I then made a pdf tutorial to help others, but they don't seem to be able to take 5mins to read the whole thread. All the questions asked after I think page 6 was repeated over and over and over.

Then on my last post I told everyone to read and if one more person asked, "Where are the pictures? that I would take down my pdf file and onehundred80, I guess wanted to be funny, ask the question and I took down my pdf file.

Anyways I started a new thread with my pdf tutorial file back up and everything, hopefully the mods will make a sticky.

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...tml#post504963




Link to post with picture tutorial of Sticky Ignition Fix
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...tml#post504963

 

All I said was,
and you got all hissy, our cars have a TPMS but you must have had PMS.
I was agreeing with you actually, people want to be hand fed these days.

 

lol. I'm not a woman, but you must not be able to tell anymore at your age.

Thanks for agreeing that people are very lazy. I see that no one actually saved a digital copy of the pdf file, at least you had a hard copy; good job.



Link to post with picture tutorial of Sticky Ignition Fix
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...tml#post504963

 

just a suggestion, have mercy on the forum readers and move pdf/pics back before the 190 post

 

That's 180 and the post has gone.

 

I have read the pdf file (great job; kudos to the author) and many of the related postings about the fix. Like others, I too have been quoted $1,000+ by the Chrysler dealer ...

From the comments it appears that the "locking pin" is the item at fault if the key will not turn.

I think that in my case this may be the problem because even when I can turn the key, my steering wheel does not really "lock" (when key is turned to the off position the wheel still rotates. which I interpret to mean that the pin is "jammed").

So it would seem that if someone can live without a "locking" steering wheel (I can, if it means saving some money) then removing/drilling-out the pin per the last page of the pdf instructions (:Re-Using Old Assembly") fixes the problem and will allow the key to rotate.

Am I interpreting this right? Is there another reason, that I've missed, for replacing the assembly with a new one? Has anyone had any problems after removing the pin permanently?

Last and most important, will just drilling the pin out (which can be done with a lot less fuss than taking the assembly out) work, or, does the spring also have to be removed?

I know this is a long running thread but I will appreciate your feedback ...

Thanks !!

 

Close. Earlier posts that suggest you cut off the locking pin with a hacksaw are false. If you pull the covered piece out of the ignition, there is no need to use a hacksaw, and your wheel will still lock. You have just disabled 1 of the 2 mechanisms that makes sure your wheel STAYS locked.

Oh and the steering wheel will not lock until you pull the key out of the ignition. The key in the off position is not a valid test of your wheel lock. You need to pull the key out.

 

@robwm

You will have to remove the whole assembly from your car then open the hatch and remove both the pin and spring that is hidden under this hatch. This pin is part of the locking mechanism.

The pin that has to be drilled out if you can't turn the key at all is a different pin. This pin is mounted on the outside of the assembly, only meant to keep you from turning the assembly. This pin is like the ones on a crutch that lets you adjust the height. Look at pic.

If you are able to turn the key to position 1, then just remove the key tumbler and you dont have to drill the pin.

I am using my old assembly with the pin and spring removed with no problems at all.



Link to post with picture tutorial of Sticky Ignition Fix
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...tml#post504963

 

Thanks, "BoerBoy" and "rekcah", for clarifying how to do this. I am trying to decide whether to do this myself or to try to find someone to do it (I thought maybe a "german cars" garage would work well for this).

I have tinkered with cars in the past and would be confortable doing this were it not for my back (it ain't what it used to be, and, the xfire, lovely as it is, does not have an abundance of working space). The 112F temperature here in Phoenix doesn't help either (no AC'd garage unfortunately).

Anyway, I will stew on it for a while.

Thanks again guys

 

I removed and completed all of the necessary repairs. For some reason I cannot get the ignition back into it's housing. It is the original iginition and it was a little difficult to remove. I can get it half way into the housing but the last 1/2 inch is not possible. I am able to depress the pin and get it into the slot but that is it. The back of the ignition is hitting a bracket that is is mounted on some tubular steel. I have watched the removal video on Youtube. I wiggled mine out the same way. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Mark

 

I had the same problem... a little elbow grease is all thats needed. It is a very tight fit for that last 1/2" but it will go if you coax it. Of course, it has to be clear of any bracket etc.

 

Ok, now, I cleaned, painted and fixed up my garage BEFORE I brought the little Red Roadster home.

I also put a window A/C unit in... I thought everyone here did so! Hang your head in shame, you are NOT obsessed with your Crossfire enough!