As mentioned, I performed this very easy task today as preventative maintenance, start to finish, not a single issue. The actual job took roughly 35 minutes, but I took my time to also clean out dust from under the dash, lube stuff, clean stuff, etc. I had no hiccups, not electronic blips, not troubles with the transponder, no removal or installation issues.
Read through the whole thread; it's self explanatory, so I'm not sure at this point why anyone would have any trouble of any kind unless you didn't heed advice from others to read through the thread in ADDITION to the PDF.
While my mechanical aptitude is high up on the bar, by the time I read through the thread, I felt as if I had already done this job a few times over. so getting into it was as if I had done it a hundred times before - but that has a lot to do with how good this thread has been to reveal anomalies.
If you are new to this, my advice IS to DO IT NOW - IT'S AN EASY FIX! Avoid what I see could be a hell of a hassle later.
READ THROUGH THE WHOLE THREAD, and don't skip things. Various posts' here give good information not in the PDF that will SAVE YOU LOTS OF TIME AND QUESTIONS! - Such as those advising there is no need to remove the tumblers, tips like moving the seat down and back all the way and pulling out the telescopin steering wheel before beginning are very useful best ways to move things around and out of the way, best ways to assemble, what variables to expect, steps not mentioned in the PDF, are ALL VERY IMPORTANT to make this job very easy for you, whether you are doing the modification before things go sour, or your key is stuck.
One of the best posts on additional advice that should somehow be added to the PDF was from
KDW4Him in post 802 - I found this to be extremely helpful which saved time and explained the best way to go about avoiding taking out tumblers and removing/installing in that condition:
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...8-post802.html
BobG's post #660 was also very helpful with incite on tips. https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...5-post660.html
I also took KDW4Him's advice to put a note on the inside of the fuse-box cover; a label citing the fix/modification done and when. See below.
Also want to add a couple of things: having a vise makes the job when not removing the tumblers much easier. A tip I've learned over the years is to keep old phone books for use in fabrication; whether hammering metal into shape, need a soft support, or as soft jaws that form to cup any shaped part you put in the vise without marring the finish, see below how it worked well here.
Originally Posted by
KDW4Him
I have just completed my second "Sticky Ignition Key Fix." For both of them I didn't take the lock cylinder out. Leaving it in can make things easier since you don't have to wrestle with the vice grips in a confined space or maybe not get it back together properly. There is risk however, the risk means you will be pounding on the cover while the key FOB is in the assembly risking a slip and break for the FOB. You have to decide on your own the risk you may be willing to take.
This procedure is based upon the lock cylinder being taken out while in position 1 so the entire internal guts of the assembly must be in that position to remove the assembly from the car and to remove the pin from the assembly. These steps place the internal guts in the right place at the right times and has the key FOB out of the way at the right times.
A) Proceed all the way to step 15 as described minus removing the key cylinder tumblers.
B) Before you loosen the 10mm clamp turn the key to position 1.
C) Loosen the 10mm screw.
D) Rotate the assembly while pushing the silver locking pin in but pull the assembly out just enough to place the locking pin inside the clamp area to keep it retracted. Maybe 1/4"-3/8"
E) Turn key to position 0 and remove key from cylinder.
F) Finish removing the assembly from the steering column.
G) Once completely out of the car put the key back into the cylinder and turn to position 1, Note the locking stem retract from the end.
H) Continue with the instructions on removing the spring loaded hatch BEING VERY CAREFUL NOT TO DAMAGE THE KEY FOB HANGING OFF THE ASSEMBLY.
I) When you have removed the spring and pin and replaced the cover turn the key to position 0 and remove the key FOB.
J) Reinstall the assembly back into the car except not fully pushing the assembly into the steering column leaving maybe 1/4"-3/8" remaining to push back in.
K) Put key in cylinder and turn to position 1 to retract the lock bar.
L) Fully reinstall the assembly into the steering column and align to your dash cutout then tighten the 10mm clamp.
M) Test turn the key to all positions, it should operate as normal.
N) Continue reassembly per instruction sheet.
Note the key FOB in the assembly and in position 1 at the bottom while removing the cover. The vise grips pictured are only tight enough to hold the housing to take this picture. If you are going to use a vice or vice-grips to hold the housing while pounding on the cover do not clamp down so hard as to distort or crack the assembly.
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