sterring column lock/ignition switch

[Les Barbeux]

Am at present stuck in a garden centre car park with an ignition switch jammed on my 480 ....at least, I can't get the damned key to turn!

Managed to get my tools brought to me and am in the process of taking out the steering column with the intention of getting it back to the workshop in the morning and drilling out the bolts to remove the lock. I tried (as the book suggested) to remove the lock barrel, but could not move the pin to release it. Does anyone know if this can be depressed while the steering lock is engaged and whilst (as in my position) I can't move the key position??? and if I do manage to remove the barrel, would this enable me to drive away, albeit with some sort of temporary lash up?

Any other help would be appreciated before I return to the car in the morning when the garden centre re-opens...

Cheers guys!

Trevor

[glasgowjim]

This contains virtually everything you need to know

http://volvo-480-europe.org/forum/viewt ... 24&t=18370

read it carefully then post up on this thread if there is anything else you need to know.

[Les Barbeux]

Hi Glasgow jim,

many thanks indeed...the article was a great help, specially the clear and relevant pictures.

Just a suggestion, it may be worth considering an addendum.....I feel that your suggestion of leaving the switch in place is probably the safest option as with the grub screw slackend and the switch out, the steering lock can still operate....the lock mechanism could possibly move back into the locked position due to road/driving vibration without the switch holding it in the open position.........I dread to think what that might cause!

Anyway, thanks again!

Regards,
Trevor

[Les Barbeux]

Hi All.....again!
on replacing the barrel, have found that it will not go in far enough whilst the spindle that operates the steering lock and connects the barrel to the switch is in place.

The appropriate slots all line up and fit together easily enough. but the spindle does not allow the barrel in quite far enough. The barrel is the correct one and fits easily without the spindle in place, but even when the barrel is not in and the switch is in place, it is very stiff to turn to position 3. There is nothing obvious in the mechanism or indeed on the spindle.....

Any ideas will be gratefully recieved!

Regards,
T

[glasgowjim]

what year is your car ?

[Les Barbeux]

Hi all......after some time away from the forum.

I only managed to sort out this problem satisfactorily by removing the spring loaded upward moving lock bolt.....I now don't have a steering lock at all, but it does at least "feel" as though it's not going to jam at any moment!......However, I'm now informed that as from 2012 the M.O.T. will include the steering lock!!!!! doahhhhh!

[glasgowjim]

does your car have an airbag ?

[Les Barbeux]

No air bag.....a "K" reg,

Does that make a difference with the MOT next year do you thinkl?

[glasgowjim]

to push the pin in you need to be able to turn the key to position 1 or 2 I forget which.

A thing I did not realise was that there are 2 lengths of ignition lock barrels depending on year of car.

[Les Barbeux]

Hi again Glasgow Jim.....or is it Dr. Who???? I'll bet that's not the first time someone has likened your photo to the famous Dr.!

Yes, originally the pin was a problem so I had to drill out the barrel as the key would not budge....it was at this point that I could drive away with the mechanism wedged and starting it with a screwdriver, hence my ealier post suggesting an adendum to your excellent photo assisted tutorial about leaving the switch in place to stop the locking mechanism activating.

However, I did manage to get the correct barrel and had awful problems getting it to work properly and ended up modifying the inner "bar" to assist the operation of the spring loaded deadlock. I used this for a while but always felt a distinct lack of confidence that I wouldn't have another jammed key. I then took out the deadlock by prising out the access plate on the underside of the column part of the mechanism and it, along with the spring just dropped out....obviously I now don't have a steering lock but at least the whole key operation is totally smooth and reliable.
I think that if I were faced with this again, I would seriously consider replacing the whole assembly.

On another forum.....I have a classic camper van......someone has detailed some of the new regs re the MOT changes....a real problem regarding chipping it seems!....but also that if a steering lock is fitted, it has to work.....I can see that I may have to re-visit this issue!

Regards,
Les Barbeux

[glasgowjim]

On the chipping issue cars with OBDC connectors can be tested but that is impossible to check on older cars such as the 480.

So I have no worries there.