I own/drive/love a 2004 Crossfire and I am just now getting the sticky key syndrome. I have downloaded the sheets that show how to get at the offending pin and drill it out, or replace it. As I always use "The Club" when I park my little beauty, the steering locking pin is redundant and I will just have it done away with. But this now begs the question, has anyone simply tried to give the locked steering wheel a good hard twist (perhaps with the extra torque generated by "The Club") and simply snap the little guy off? Does anyone see anything wrong with doing this? Or am I risking damage to the column itself?

 

The force required to shear a 1/8" diameter pin is really considerable, especially as it is not held down too well. If you want to screw up things really well then I say go for it.
You can always come back here and ask for help to correct the damage, naturally the help will come after the laughter dies down.

 

I'm laughing myself right now. ))

 

You bould crack open the ignition housing before you would snap off the lock stud.

 

I don't know but it only takes 20 minutes to make the modification, I was going to take it in until Pizza Guy told me it is so easy we have female members who have done it themselves!
Well that's all it took for me to read the threads and listen to the experienced ones!
I also found out we have some very talented female Crossfire owners who know there car stuff!

 

Whose got 20 minutes!!! Seriously, I suspected as much, but I have so little confidence in my mechanical aptitude that I will most likely drop it off to my guy to do it for me...and he can charge me for 3 hours!!

 

I paid a local import shop $200 to do mine and it took 45 min.

 

Hi all, I to am thinking of doing this sticky lock thing to my 06 limited. But I neen to know
1) when the pin is removed I am assuming that the steering wheel can no longer be locked, therefor you can no longer have the car towed
2) does any one know why the pin sticks in the first place, is the pin at fault , the housing, or would taking it apart and lubing it up with graphite help
Thanks
Mongoose 57

 

wrong!!!!every thing works like it did when the car was new,,

even with the steering wheel locked always tie off the steering wheel so it can not move . jim

 

Hi Mongoose, I had my Crossfire towed once by AMA (Alberta's version of AAA). They asked me what kind of car it was then sent a flat bed, like they would for an expensive sports car. Even if they hadn't, all tow trucks now place your wheels in a trolley rather than pulling them along the road. Nobody wants to be sued for messing up anything in your vehicle.
As for explanations as to what is happening with the pin and the most comprehensive instructions to remove or replace it you will ever see, look at the attached files and many thanks to rekcah

 

so I want to know who are these talented ladies that have done the sticky key issue ????? Any of them want to show me up & do mine ????

 

You have a sense of humor, I like that.

 

Thank to all for the help, my 06 limited key works fine but with all the warnings around this I will want to do it sooner rather than later. The sticky key fix PDF does not explain why it sticks in the first place. AMX 1397 says wrong!!! Do you mean even without the pin the steering wheel will still lock? Last tow I had a few months back ( Bronco II fuel pump ) truck did not bother to use wheel dollies and I will keep this in mind should I have the need to tow the Crossfire .
Cheers
Mongoose57

 

I took my sticky ignition housing apart so I know exactly why it sticks and locks up but it's hard to explain if you have not seen the inside workings of the housing. The bottom line is after the mod, (removal of the pin block and spring) the ignition functions as it did before and the steering wheel locks as well.
The culprit in the whole thing is that the small pin on the pin block that pushes into a small recess inside the housing will wear down and eventually start to be in the way of the sliding mechanism in the housing. You start to feel a hitch as the slide pushes the pin block out of the way as it travels backwards to unlock the steering wheel. Eventually when the pin on the block wears down to the point that the pin block will not be able to be pushed up out of the way and instead the slide buts up against the block unable to push it up out of the way and then your stuck The removal of the pin block as described in the mod means there is nothing in the way of the slide in it's travel backwards.
As I see it there is only one function or purpose of the pin block. That is to be in the way of the slide should someone be able to access the steering column to try to push the steering wheel lock slide out of the way or backwards into the housing. This security measure is not really necessary as getting to the steering wheel lock at the end of the housing and slide is nearly impossible.

 

very good , now people will know why it happens,, it is/was an anti theft , I saw everything you did (worn parts) but never put 2&2 together , that pin jumps in if the steering lock is forced, and will not let the key turn.. after the fix everything is normal except that, which is fine. with most everyone because who would want to steal a crossfire,,,most don't know what it is. thanks pjm for your answer. jim

 

Your welcome. Hope that helped everyone understand.

 

see some of us old dogs can still learn something. not much but something LOL. jim

 

ignition lock.jpg
Top view of slide inside ignition housing. Tab at far left circled in pic sticks out from housing and locks steering wheel. Block in center of picture is what we remove in the mod. In this position the ignition is on the steering wheel lock is retracted into the housing and the slide rails go under the lock block.


ignition2.jpg
Side view of slide in ignition on position as above

Ignition3.jpg
Here the slide is locked locking the steering wheel. Notice the slide is blocked by the lock block. Notice the silver marks worn into the slide circled in blue this is where the slide runs under the lock block. This is what happens when you have the stuck ignition. The block will not come up enough to allow the slide to run underneath it.

Ignition4.jpg
Here is the slide in the ignition "on" position with the slide riding under the lock block as it should allowing the steering wheel lock tab to retract into the housing.



Here are pictures of the slide inside the ignition housing. The tab on the left end is what sticks out of the housing and locks the steering wheel. When the ignition is turned on the slide moves right and the tab retracts into the housing. The block with the pin on the bottom that we remove in the mod is what is in the middle of the slide. The pin on the bottom keeps it from being to deep and blocking the slide when the ignition is turned on. With the ignition off the spring on the top of the block that we remove in the mod pushes the block down thus blocking the slide from retracting.
When worn the block wont ride high enough in the slide groove for the slide to go under it. The slide rails start to catch the underside of the block causing the hitch you feel when you start to have a problem until finally the block blocks the slide completely and jams the ignition.

 

Totally awesome write up ,thanks so much to all for the info
Cheers
And happy holidays
Mongoose57

 

This is the best explanation we have of what goes on. Could you show the first picture and underneath it say what is going on. Then show the second picture etc. Use full size pics, not too big so that they fill two screens. Also if possible show pics a bit sharper.
This is a great explanation but gets an old guy like me confused.