Broken and stuck key in ignition switch

Vandals got into my 93 Legacy (just shy of 1/3 of a million kms), aside from trying to set the ceiling on fire with a lighter (failed), they took my rook rack key out of the ashtray and tried to use it to start the car??? Anyway it broke inside the mechanism and jammed pretty good inside there. I tried 2 methods of extraction, mini screwdriver set and jigsaw blades, both to no avail. I am now prepared to hot wire the old girl. Does anyone have the wire combination to get Betsy going again? Thanking you in advance

Reply to
mas
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Betsy? you named your car Betsy!

Call a good locksmith, he will use a stainless steel hook to remove it or will change out the lock cylinder.......

BETSY.......really.......

Reply to
Porgy Tirebiter

So how are you going to steer the car since it has a positional lock until the cylinder gets turned?

Reply to
VanguardLH

You might call a locksmith before you totally screw up that cylinder. They typically have the right nifty little tools to get that thing out of there.

Assuming you have comprehensive coverage on this vehicle, and have filed a police report on the damage, your insurance should be covering all this fun (less the deductible of course).

-- Todd H.

2001 Legacy Outback Wagon, 2.5L H-4 Chicago, Illinois USA
Reply to
Todd H.

Betsy comes from an old cow, a tough one at that, so though, she stood at attention when she got shot for $ 1.92 lb. In respect to the police report, the agent laughed when I answered the car colour question with burgundy. I guess their forms are limited to the generic colours. Insurance wise, at her age, mileage and looks she has only PL and PD. She now sits in the back of the pasture (driveway) since Thor the 05 Outback grazes in front. I've disassembled the column, removed the ignition housing and am about to use the process of elimination with the wires. The locking pin is not an issue. Based on my old stats course, there should be 120 combinations. Can you help in narrowing it down?

mas

81 4X4 wagon 93 Legacy THOR 05 Outback
Reply to
mas

Ah.. a broken key in the ignition...

This stirred up old memories.. within months of the delivery of my Loyale wagon (many years ago...), the key broke in the ignition. The owner of the Subaru dealership from which we bought the car decided he could fix it himself. Three days later, and many visits later, it was finally done. But when I drove it away the steering had a strange kink in it. I took it to a different dealership, whose mechanic, (who I will take my cars to as long as he works...), ended up dismantling, removing and replacing the *entire* steering column. Somehow it was completely bent out of alignment. Even worse, we found that some of the bolts had been replaced with wire twist-ties (like you get with garbage bags!!).

It was under warranty, of course, but we never found out what happened to the 10 page diatribe the good mechanic sent to Subaru headquarters about the bad dealership. Oh yeah! And when we picked up the new car they had replaced the Subaru radio with some 10$ radio, and told us we couldn't complain because the bill of sale didn't *say* the car would come with a "Subaru Radio", so they had the right to substitute. It was a hard lesson for us, and the lack of support from Subaru's headquarters showed us clearly that Subaru had a complete disregard for the quality of service at its dealerships. They completely ignored our protests and requests that the dealership be held accountable.

Luckily I still have that great mechanic; but the spotty dealer network and the variable quality of service that I've encountered makes my buying a third Subaru unlikely.

I suggest you make sure you have someone good take out that key!

Cheers!

P.S. The dealership burned down a couple of years later. Seemed suspicious to me...!

Reply to
Fred Boer

Try the public library. They subscribe to some pub service that can get you all the specs on you car, like all the wiring diagrams. You'll probably find there is a huge number of wire pairs or sets that get closed at different key positions. Don't expect to be like the movies where they yank 2 wires to short them together and the car starts AND runs. Since this is your dumper car, seems like it's time to head to the auto parts stores to get a replacement cylinder. O'Reilly Auto Parts has them for $25 or $65, Advance Auto Parts at around $45, and Napa Auto Parts at $35. You could even buy a rebuilt or salvaged unit. After all, you already have it all apart.

Reply to
VanguardLH

Use a test light to pinpoint the hot wire. Then jump from it to the others one at a time. Eveentually you will engage the starter. Two wires now identified. Last wire needed to identified is the ignition wire. Trail and error from here.

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Reply to
johninKY

Also some switches have the terminals identified on the back of the switch. My old Dodge does.

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Reply to
johninKY

I had a VW stolen, they screwed something in the key hole and were able to start it. When i got it back , I had to replace the cylinder. It wasn't very hard. Had to drill a small hole in the colum, stick a pin in there which released the broken part of the cylinder then just put the new one in, and it locks in place. The hole has to be in a specific location to release the cylinder. I found that info in a Haynes repair manual.

Reply to
Mike

Here's the skinny:

Remove the under-dash cover, and the bottom cover of the steering column trim. Probably easier if you also remove two bolts holding the column to the body and let it drop the 2-3 inches this gains.

Use a small phillips screwdriver to remove the electrical part of the switch from the mechanical. You can then use a medium flat screwdriver to work the switch and start the car. You _still_ won't have steering, tho.

If you can somehow get the key to the "AUX" position, you can remove the entire lock cylinder by inserting a large paperclip or the like into a small hole at the top of the mechanical part of the lock mechanism, and then simply pulling the lock cylinder out.

Final option is to totally remove the steering column. Remove the pinch bolt from the steering "U" joint under the hood. Disconnect any wiring connectors that go to the column, and any others that might be in the way. They're all color-coded and of different configurations, so putting things back won't be a problem. Pull the column towards the driver's seat, and it should easily come free.

From here, you can either attempt to grind off the heads of the tamper-proof bolts holding the ignition switch mechanicals to the column, or probably easier, get another steering column from a salvage yard and install it.

Tips:

Probably easier if you remove the steering wheel before you unbolt the column. Remove the two or three phillips screws that hold the horn/cover on, and remove it. Loosen the retaining nut a couple turns and savagely work the wheel back and forth until it pops loose (that's why you leave the nut on; otherwise you'll be wearing the steering wheel when it comes free ;-). Or use a puller if you have one.

Try to figure a way to retain your steering wheel alignment. If everything is pointed straight this isn't much of a problem, but if not . . .

Everything is easier once the drivers seat is out of the way. 5 bolts, hiding beneath some pesky plastic covers. Simply pry the covers off and throw them at the cat or something.

If your car has air bags (did the early Legacys even have that option? Seems like some might have.) be damn sure you disconnect the battery before messing with the steering wheel. Probably a good idea anyway.

Hope this helps get Betsy goin' again; they cry at night when they're not being driven . . .

ByeBye! S.

Steve Jernigan KG0MB Laboratory Manager Microelectronics Research University of Colorado (719) 262-3101

Reply to
S

Completed the task on the week end. Unfortunately, it consisted of removing the cylinder mechanism, at least I was able to move the car from the back 40. Once I had the plastic cover removed, the key cylinder aluminum/steel ring casing (on-acc-etc) could be removed by using channel locks, the casing is held in by double "C" clip type mechanism which once squeezed loosens the opposite side. I jammed in a slot screwdriver to pry off the remaining C clip. No biggy, however once removed everything inside the cylinder flew out, some parts already starting flying south for the winter. I now start the car with a slot screwdriver.

Thanks for the tips,

Mark

Reply to
mas

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