Another ignition switch question
 

I did a search and found quite a bit on replacing the ignition electrical switch, but not on replacing the whole ignition (part that looks like a gun). Lately when I go to start the car the ignition is pretty stiff to turn. It always starts but needs more pressure than normal. Is this the ignition shaft or the electrical part that needs replacing? Is there anything I can do to "fix" this issue or should I simply replace the gun and electrical switch.

Thanks for any thoughts.

others may be more knowledgeable, but this was the same symptom I had & this was fixed by changing the electronic part & not the whole ignition. Change the switch & based on others' advice previously, this will likely fix your problem for a fraction of the cost & difficulty. Get prepared to dive upside down in driver cockpit well & wrap the handle of the small slot screwdriver with tape so you can get more leverage to "break" the red paint on the surface of the screw if you haven't had this part changed before. Good luck & let us know how it works out.

I replaced mine in 13 minutes and could have done it a lot faster. The hard part is you can't get your arm in a position to have any real leverage. My solution was to use both hands. With my right I held the screwdriver in place and pushed firmly in toward the screw. With my left I used a pair of pliers to grip and rotate the shaft of the screw driver. The inward pressure on my right hand was just to keep the screwdriver in place and avoid stripping the screw. Without using two hands (and the pliers) I can't see how one can get enough leverage to get the screws off.

I still have a cramp in my fingers from replacing it 6 months ago ...:(

You guys are lucky - on R/H drive cars. the switch holding screws are reversed with the slotted head @ the top where you cant see them.......
I'm reasonably small but no way could I get under the dash, see where the screw head slots were orientated to fit the screwdriver (shortend to about 3" long to clear the dash) & then hold a pair of pliers to rotate the scredriver !!
In the end I removed the dash air vent and went in from the top where I could see the screw heads to undo the ignition switch.
Any person with big hands will have a major problem going in from the bottom.....

Sounds like the electrical portion. Mine became hard to turn, then a little notchy, and then went south altogether. Replace it now.

switch housing
 

My key is getting a little sticky, and I suspect I'll be doing this fix soon.
The whole metal ignition housing gun-shaped thing apparently has an original and an updated version, both of which fit, but will not take the same replacement electrical ignition switch component.
How does one tell the difference between the original and the updated housing, so as to know which electrical switch to order? Can this be discerned prior to removing it from the car, so I don't have to "go in" twice?
Is there any advantage to updating to the later housing? If it is a more durable assembly, it may be worth the extra moolah to go ahead and update it while I am in there, as I'm pretty sure I'm sticking with this car for a long time!

The original switch in the 2001 like mine was black, but was eventually updated to the newer one with a white switch on the end toward the windshield.

The only way to tell for sure is to take out the electrical part of the switch and look at the part number. There is a physical shape difference, but I haven't had a chance to compare them side by side to know what the difference is. The old one and the newer style ones on the Pelican site are both black colored. I have seen the original type switches in both black and white, just depends on the manufacturer, so going by color won't be very useful to you.
There have been posts on the forum about switch failures, and the owners buying the old style switch part, only to find out that a previous owner had already updated to the newer style unit. So the new ones fail also. It is up to you to decide how much money you want to spend. Spend the $200+ to upgrade and still have it fail, or spend $12 and just change it when it breaks again.
The same switch is used on the VW/Audi cars. If you go on the VW/Audi forum sites, they are flooded with posts with the same issues with failures.
I just consider it a maintenance item that has to be replaced periodically. At $12-15 each, they won't break the bank. I carry a spare in the car, along with the small screwdriver, so I won't be caught with a failure away from home. Once you have changed it once, it gets alot easier. I am on my third switch.
I find it a lot easier to go in from the vent opening in the dash, instead of from underneath. For this you will need a short T15 driver, and a phillips screwdriver, in addition to the small screw driver for the set screws on the switch. You can take it apart to check the part number and leave the dash disassembled until you get the replacement part to put back in.
There is a diagram on how to do this at this link.
http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/46411-ignition-switch-replacement-holy-crap-2.html#post346988