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Re: Help - I cannot remove the ignition key lock cylinder Posted by thomas333639 [Email] (#1880) [Profile/Gallery] (more from thomas333639) on Mon, 8 Feb 2021 12:14:48 In Reply to: Re: Help - I cannot remove the ignition key lock cylinder, crawdad [Profile/Gallery] , Fri, 15 Jan 2021 14:28:58 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
Dear all who sought to help, and hopefully others with ignition key lock cylinder issues, I have answered all of my questions and resolved the issues:
As set forth in earlier messages, after turning my car (2001 Saab 9-3 SE) off (key in "Lock" position) and removing the key, i could re-insert the key, but could not turn the key at all clockwise. I tried dry lube (recommended mostly by saabnet members (rather than WD-40) and jiggled the key hundreds of times trying to make it turn - no luck. Although no new ignition lock cylinders were available that would have been set to my keys, i ordered a new ignition key lock cylinder from Village Motors (http://www.crsaab.com for about $125. Comes with two keys, and all you need to do is remove the electronic bits from your old keys into the new ones. You will need to keep the old ones, in the event that you need to mechanically unlock the doors or the hatch (secure one somewhere on the vehicle, e.g. - the key never will be able to start the car, anyway, once you remove the electronic bits).
Ok, now to removal of the old, stuck lock cylinder. None of the three locksmiths that i contacted (one of which received referrals from two automotive repair places) would go near a Saab, even though all that I wanted was to have someone remove the lock cylinder.
I did not know if the electronic ignition switch portion into which the lock cylinder is inserted was stopping the key from turning. It does not, by the way.
As i discovered, the ignition lock cylinder has an internal cylinder which can be removed with a certain amount of force. I would recommend always applying sideways or upwards force, as one would not wish to damage the electronic ignition switch below it.
Take a screw driver and insert it into the key hole, and then lever it sideways to remove the top of the key lock cylinder. Re-insert the screwdriver into the keyhole deeper and lever it again sideways with some force to remove as much of the top of that internal cylinder as you can. Continue on down, prying out bits and pieces of the internal cylinder, using a combination of the screwdriver and a convenient drill. Eventually, you will have removed enough of the locking mechanisms for you to turn the internal cylinder clockwise to be able to insert a very small screwdriver or other pokey piece of metal into the hold, which is at roughly 4:00 o'clock (with noon at the dashboard) on the outside of the cylinder housing, which will release the entire cylinder to be pulled out. (I suppose also that one could keep drilling out the internal cylinder, but probably safer to try to push in the small bit of curved rectangular metal piece that extrudes from the key lock cylinder into a slot (about 3 mm x 1 cm) on the side of the ignition housing, about 2/3 of the way down the cylinder). Vacuum out all of the metal bits, and insert the new ignition key lock cylinder (being careful to align the male part of the lock cylinder with the female part of the electric ignition switch), using the new keys and the inserted old electrics, and, voila!, your Saab will start once again.
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