My daughter's 88 900 turbo will not let you take the key out of the ignition. The car goes into reverse (5-speed stick), but the interlock to let you turn the key all the way to "off" seems to be stuck, busted, or just plain damn cranky. The key turns as far as the accessory position, but no further.
I have not begun the disassembly process yet - I'll be doing that this weekend. Any easy way to fix this? Anything to watch out for? Any way to just disable the damn interlock?
TIA jeff
First, don't give up trying to remove the key yet - fixing this will be a whole lot easier if you can get the key out. Try this:
Hold the key with one hand, pushing it down and turning it towards "off" gently. Now grab the gear stick, and put it into 5th, then reverse. Wiggle it around in reverse while applying gentle pressure to the key. Keep trying for at least half an hour ;-)
The alternative involves a fiddly removal (because of the key) of the lock mechanism, and drilling out of the cylinder. It'll take you half a day easy.
Let us know how you go.
Yup.
The interlock mechanism will be obvious once you get the cover off from the area. From memory, remove the rubber boot and take out the screws there. At some point, you need a "special tool" to remove some nuts in this process - if so, start with a 12mm, six point socket and remove the flats on 3 of those sides.
The interlock mechanism is driven by a gear mechanism on the part your key turns, moves a fork out of the way of the shifter, and vice versa. Should make sense once you see it. If you're anywhere near Milwaukee, I have a socket that's already cut down (and I know where it is!!!).
Dave Hinz
Well, you can work on it pretty well even with the key in, you just can't take the cover off entirely, right?
I'd work with mirrors first, before drilling out anything...
Yeah, but it's pretty tight - the one time I had to remove the reverse lock mechanism with the key in, I ended up taking the driver's seat out to get enough room. That was good fun.
But if the key really, really won't come out, where is there left to go?
With an 1988 900, I might be tempted to use a duplicate key to lock/unlock the doors and just leave the key in the ignition. Just make sure you place a hat or glove over it so one will see the key in the ignition. This will be no different than the cars that had a push button to start the car.
I think I took the passenger side seat out. You're in the UK, right? So, same seat.
Somewhere between "stuck" and "screwed", I think.
You know, that's not such a bad idea.
Yup, same seat.
Key snapped in my brothers. Now starts with a "key" made from 2 coins (2p pieces for those in UK) and half a teaspoon...
Mike
Dave Hinz wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@individual.net:
Dave
Thanks for the kind offer. Unfortunately (in more ways than one), I'm in the central NC area, so I'll either have to make my own or do without. I've always thought companies that used some stupid shaped screw, bolt, or nut fastener that requires an "available in only one place on the planet" tool should be taken out and shot, or at least made to spend eternity in purgatory with a philips head screwdriver and nothing but hex bolts as far as the eye can see. No reason for it (other than job security for the mechanics). I have yet to find an instance where a screw with an odd-sized torx (or robertson drive or hex head or ...) could not really be replaced by a simple slotted or phillips.
I just tried the shift-and-jiggle to no avail. Normally, if you move the shift around while you're twisting the key you can feel somehting at least bumping up against the key cylinder. Nada. As far as the key is concerned, there is no "off" position. That's as far as it wants to go. So... I'll start the disassembly process tomorrow. If I get stuck, and can't get the motherforker off then I'll buy her a hat to put over the key.
I'll let you folks know how I fare.
thanks so much! jeff
The reason for the special tri-point nuts on the C900 shifter is security - so that if someone breaks into your car, they can't simply disable the anti-theft reverse lock using a philips screwdriver. They are the only special fasteners ever used on a C900.
Actually, it makes it inconvenient for someone to steal your car, in exchange for a few percent of people who ever have to deal with it. The times when it's a _gratuitous_ use of a special tool (torx with that pin in the center), yes. But this isn't one of those cases.
Slotted screws are nearly impossible to use in an assembly line. Phillips screws "cam out" badly and have extremely poor torque control and repeatability. Any of the drive types with vertical sides (Robertson, Allen, Torx) don't have cam-out problems, and can work properly with an assembly-line tooling. And bits are 25 cents each... So, sorry, but there are good reasons for fasteners that are other than what your grandfather used.
Not the worst solution. If she can lock the doors, the fact that the key is in the ignition doesn't really detract all that much, especially since (a) it's unlikely to be a high-value target, (b) most cars that are stolen have automatic transmissions, and (c) your average low-life who is stealing cars probably doesn't know about the whole "key in the floor" thing.
If you want pics of that socket, I can take some & put 'em online. Get me before 1:PM central time and I'll do it today.
Dave Hinz
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