94 Cavalier Ignition Lock Cylinder Replacement

My answer to the question you didn't ask is: The ignition cylinder can be replaced. You don't have to buy it from the dealer either. You can get a replacement ignition cylinder at an auto parts store.

-Bruce

I wish this were true! You can buy a replacement lock cylinder for everything else, but not for a '94 Cavalier. At least that's what I'm being told by the parts houses I've called.

-Bruce

The ignition switch will be a separate part from the lock cylinder.

A 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier uses an Alpha Tec Lock (made in Japan) which is quite a bit different from the Saginaw column lock which sells for around $20 or less.

Alpha Tec locks sell for over $100. and are quite troublesome to remove. They are used on the Grand Am as well as a model of Oldsmobile for the years 1991 through 1994.

Why does the ignition need to be replaced, what is the problem.

The problem with the Alpha Tec setup, the weak link is the electrical ignition switch which is in-line and sits behind the lock housing. The indication of a bad electrical switch is when you start the vehicle, the key springs back and shuts the car off. This is because a very heavy return spring is used in the electrical switch and is incased in cheap plastic, the spring breaks through the plastic and causes the switch to turn back further than it should. The electrical switches sell for around $30 but should be free via a recall as the engineers did a poor design job, I have replaced many over the years, they all go bad eventually. They are junk from the day they were made.

The switch is modular in design and can be taken apart, the spring can be removed and in a pinch, if you are mechanically inclined, a lighter spring can be used for the return function.

To remove the switch you first must remove the steering wheel in order to remove two column shroud fasteners located directly under the wheel. There are also 3 more shroud fasteners on the bottom of different designs depending on model.

After the shroud has been removed, you can easily see the electrical ignition switch and it is held in place by two Torx fasteners. Simply remove the fasteners, unplud the harness connector at the switch and reverse this to install a new switch. The job is basically easy, much like changing a light bulb.

The other problem with the Alpha Tec setup would be a worn key, the ignition is very tight, it is of the sidebar design and once a key is worn, the ignition may stick and become hard to turn. Use a good lubricant in your lock, either a dry silicone or a teflon based lube, WD40 will not lube your lock, it will clean your lock out but the lubricating qualities are very poor. Never use graphite in a vehicle ignition or other lock unless they are brass as the lock will become plugged, the only vehicles with brass locks are Rolls, Bentleys, some old Porsche and a very few other high dollar vehicle locks.

If your key is worn, go to a knowledgable locksmith and have them decode your key and code cut a new one, it can returned to factory specs or can even be made a few thousands higher to take up the slack from tumbler wear. Always get a quote and remember, there may be 100 locksmiths in your town and that usually means you will get 100 different quotes. Always go with the 'smith' who sounds like they understand the problem and solution, they may not be the cheapest but they are no doubt the best.

As for the dealer, having a new key made by vin, some dealers are up on their code cutting equipment but many aren't, I have seen where a code cut key from a dealer is way off from what it should be due to equipment misalignment more times that I can remember. There are probably some exceptions.

The problem is with the key lock cylinder. The original key is long gone and the key currently used is what looks like a very worn Chrysler key (that's the way the car was purchased). The ignition will not go into the "lock" position, only on, off and start.

Let's just say that you are fortunate that the lock will turn at all.

Removal is a bear in any language. There are two style, one for the center console shift, it incorporates a shift lock cable that goes from the shifter, snakes around and goes through the lock itself. The manual shift variety does not incorporate the cable.

On the center console shift variety the cable must be unpeened at the lock and slid out of the back of the housing. Both types require removal of the wheel and shroud. Both types use bolts to lock the cylinder in place and once tightened at the factory, the hex headed bolts break off leaving 'headless' bolts in their place. The Alpha Tec headless bolts were made in hell, I have removed countless headless bolts from a wide variety of vehicles over the years but the Alpha Tec is the worst to remove. They are small, tight and hard to get to for removal.

There are several embedded roll pins holding the cylinder in the housing, even after cylinder removal there is a roll pin through the tailpiece that must also be removed.

Let me put it this way, I have been an active automotive locksmith for the past 28 years and when Alpha Tec came onto the scene, not only I but every smith that I spoke with has a disdain for them. I speak with a lot of smiths on a worldwide basis over the internet. I did talk to one guy who pulls them regularly and he stated that he had their removal down to a half hour because he does so many. That is good, the 3 that I removed, I spent about 3 to 4 hours to remove and replace them plus repair. I get the call when there is no key and the codes are either not available or wrong. I do not need to remove the lock in order to make a key.

You may want to get with the dealer and have them code cut you a new key of the correct variety then clean and lube your lock. The only problems that I see is that the lock needs to be in the full off position before the key will go into the lock and that once the key is off, will it turn on again with the key that you were given?

You say that the lock will not turn to full off, this indicates to me that the shift lock cable that attaches to and goes through your ignition lock is faulty. I am assuming that you have a console automatic. If this is the case and it is fairly common for the shift lock cable to stop working then a temporary cure is easy, pull wheel, remove shroud, you can see the cable end attached to and coming out of the ignition lock housing, it's simple to spot. It is peened in but for our purposes there is no reason to un-peen it. Look in the rear of the lock housing, in-line with the cable, there is a plastic catch that you can pinch with your fingers and slide the cable out. This should allow your lock to turn to off.

If this is the case and your lock turns off, will it turn to on again? That is the question, will it not turn with the key? Will you be stuck with the lock from hell?

I usually quote around $100 to repair one of these locks, $50 to make a key without the benefit of a code. The dealer usually has the codes and can cut you a key for cheap, you need the title to get it unless you know someone.