[W126 Coupe] SEC Ignition blew up

[Josh Allen]

Hein wrote:

>

> How hard is it to replace the ignition switch itself? Somehow I think 

> that removing the steering wheel is like sticking a coconut up an ants 

> arse.

>


It depends on if you want to replace the whole ignition lock assembly, 
or just the electrical portion.

They both start out the same, but the electrical only one then swaps the 
switch off of the ignition lock for a new switch before you reinstall 
the lock.

You may want to remove the instrument cluster as well, so you can see 
the top of the whole mess, or if you're into contortionist acts, you 
might be able to access the rest from below.

First, remove the knee panel under the steering wheel, around 5 screws, 
maybe 6. (It's been a little since I've had mine installed, just kept 
kneeing it...)
Then remove the little bolt clamping the steering lock shaft.  It's a 
6mm bolt, if I remember correctly, about 2" away from the steering 
column, holding a metal clamp around the steering lock assembly shaft. 
Slide the collar to one side or the other, so you can see the lock pin 
recessed in the side of the shaft.
Unplug the wiring from the back of the switch.  It is a round connector 
with a couple of bumps to keep you from installing it wrong. It should 
just unplug.
Insert the key, rotate one or two positions.
Use a small screw driver, punch, or other stiff object to press the pin 
in the side of the lock shaft.
Pull the lock assembly out of the steering column, rotate and wiggle it 
around the dash supports, and down into your lap. (or onto your face, if 
you're working on your yoga mastery while wrenching...)

If you are going to replace just the electrical portion, turn the 
assembly until you're looking down into the electrical contacts, remove 
the screws that hold it onto the rest of the switch assembly, remove, 
replace with new assembly, reverse prior steps.


Personally, if I were going to be in here, and I had had ANY times where 
I had had to fight, wiggle, or shake the keys to get the ignition to 
unlock, I would seriously look at replacing the whole assembly. 
It may not be as much a problem with the gasser cars where they don't 
tend to rack up the many thousands of miles as fast as the diesel crowd 
does, but the lock pawl (it sticks out the end of the lock shaft, and 
into the steering column) wears a little over the years of use and can 
start to bind up when you go to unlock the steering. 
The way to check if this is the problem versus the cylinder itself being 
on the way out is to turn the cylinder while you have the whole mess 
apart.  If the pawl is the problem, you should have no resistance to 
speak of while it's disassembled.  To fully check it, you could take the 
lock cylinder out of the assembly, and check it separately as well.


I hope I didn't just over explain this whole mess, but I had the fun of 
figuring this out on my SD not too long ago, so I hope it helps you with 
your toy!

-Josh