Broken and stuck key in ignition switch

M

mas

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
 
mas said:
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
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.......
 
in message
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?


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

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).
 
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
 
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...!
 
in message
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?


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

Based on my old stats course, there should be 120 combinations. Can
you help in narrowing it down?

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
 
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
 

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