Ignition Switch Replacement: HOLY CRAP!!!

[emeraldcity]

So I just did this. First, I tried removing the vent panel on the left of the dash. Got the two torx screws out. Then stuck because could not remove the headlight switch to save my life. No screw on it as described earlier in this thread. Decided to scrap the whole idea of removing that panel. Once underneath, the vent tube pops right off. I removed the wiring easily enough. Orange paint flaked right off the screws without issue, just used a small flathead screwdriver to lightly scrape it. After trying various sizes of screwdriver and getting frustrated, I ended up just trying a flathead hex bit without anything except my two fingers. It worked fine and the screws came right out. The worst part was getting the vent tube back in, actually. I fiddled with it for ten minutes until I figured out the best way to do it. The 90 degree piece that is close to the door should be lifted up just enough to slide the tube on, otherwise the tube will never really get all the way under it.

Total time, start to finish, including fiddling with neg battery cable: about 55 minutes. What a difference it makes though, the key is great now. Thanks for all the contributions in this thread, they helped me get a simple but annoying job done right.

[particlewave]

Originally Posted by emeraldcity

So I just did this. First, I tried removing the vent panel on the left of the dash. Got the two torx screws out. Then stuck because could not remove the headlight switch to save my life. No screw on it as described earlier in this thread. Decided to scrap the whole idea of removing that panel. Once underneath, the vent tube pops right off. I removed the wiring easily enough. Orange paint flaked right off the screws without issue, just used a small flathead screwdriver to lightly scrape it. After trying various sizes of screwdriver and getting frustrated, I ended up just trying a flathead hex bit without anything except my two fingers. It worked fine and the screws came right out. The worst part was getting the vent tube back in, actually. I fiddled with it for ten minutes until I figured out the best way to do it. The 90 degree piece that is close to the door should be lifted up just enough to slide the tube on, otherwise the tube will never really get all the way under it.

Total time, start to finish, including fiddling with neg battery cable: about 55 minutes. What a difference it makes though, the key is great now. Thanks for all the contributions in this thread, they helped me get a simple but annoying job done right.

You should be able to do it in 5 minutes next time.

[BrokenLinkage]

Just did this repair. POS wore out after only 17 yr and 100k miles. Felt it break as I turned the key, after being a little sticky for 2 yrs, but no electrical gremlins.
Project was not fun. Approached from below dash. Difficulties as prev mentioned include 1)awkward tight pos9itioning, even after seat removal 2) inability to move your arms in the tight space, or to get both arms in on the action, 3) the use of threadlocker on the original screws 4) the difficulty in finding a screwdriver of a small enough width blade to fit the screw yet with adequate barrel diameter to allow sufficient torque to unscrew it against any residual threadlocker, and of short enough total screwdriver length of to fit the constraints of the space 5) lighting 6) when you get your head down there, your eyes will be really close to these small screws and if you are at all farsighted you will need fog-free glasses to help focus up close 6) because of the angle of these locking screws, you can't really see the slots on the screw head so you have to carefully engage the set screws by feel.

Technical difficulty: 2
Ergonomic difficulty: 8-9 if avg sized

Recommendations
Figure out your lighting before you start. I used a video scope, more for the light than anything else
Recruit the assistance of any available and reliable small adults or children, bribing them as appropriate.
Don't start this project where your switch died, out in the open with a pending rain storm.
Shut the doors before you disconnect the battery ( which you will do in anticipation of avoiding an airbag code when you remove the seat). This will avoid a battery disconnected with the window in the drop position. See note above about pending rainstorms.
Also make sure not to let the frunk close with the battery disconnected, but lower it gently in case there is a pending rainstorm.
Before you start, make a suitable screwdriver. Get one of those el-cheapo jeweler's screwdriver sets down at Harbor Freight or similar. Take the largest slotted screwdriver out of that set and cut the barrel length down to two inches, using a hacksaw, grinder, or vise-grip cutters. Then smooth off the cut end so you can apply pressure along the axis of rotation without cutting up your sweaty rain-soaked finger. Now you will have cut off most of the ridged barrel that allows you to apply torque to the screw driver shaft. Even if your handshake makes grown men cry, you likely won't be able to spin this nub of a screwdriver against the threadlocker using just your wet fingertips. Make up for this by building up wings with J-B Weld, building up a taped barrel with duct tape, or clipping a micro set of vice grips to it.
Do not back the set screws all the way out. The child that you bribed to help will want to look at them. Do not allow this. They will prove difficult to get back in, and your child will have lost interest by then.
Don't let your igniton fail while out in the open with a pending rainstorm. Only let it fail when you are in a garage, preferably your own or your girlfriend's, since there will be venting and cursing, and you will need forgiveness. (Just don't let your wife see it if the latter, there may not be sufficient forgiveness available).
If you are claustrophobic, steal one your mother's Ativan pills and take it 1 hour prior to starting the project.
If you are removing the seat (highly recommended if no child available), then make sure to protect the sill with something as you take it out, and read up on how to release the electrical connector in advance. Do not try to figure this out while kneeling in the rain, awkwardly lifting the seat with your dominant hand while holding a flashlight in your mouth and trying to work an unfamiliar connector with your left hand.
BOL.

[PaulE]

Good job! Mine only lasted 13-1/2 years and 63,000 miles. I bought one of those miner's headlights with an elastic strap that goes around your head as my mouth won't hold a flashlight anymore.