locked ignition switch

[michel482]

just finished putting it all back together and went to start it and i have a locked ignition switch...

i do not have a key for the car because it broke, but you can start it with a dime or a screw driver.

How do you unlock the ignition. The steering wheel is also locked into place.

thanks for the help

[scottxd45]

Try taking pressure off of it by turning the steering wheel a little one way or another while you turn the key.

[michel482]

well. i dont have a key. because it broke off and i tried doing that and it still didnt budge

[scottxd45]

Oh ok I don't know then. It sounded like the column was just in a bind but...Is the broken piece still in the ignition? Is that why it usually turn with a screw driver? Maybe the broken piece is out of position and so the ignition lock it doing it's job. Just a guess, I don't know

[michel482]

no this key never really worked anyways. i think i just need to replace the ignition switch. do you just pull off the housing around the steering wheel to do that, do you know??

[GenevaDirt]

take off the housing and then the complete assembly for the headlight/wiper switch. You will see 2 cap nuts that hold the ignition tight on the column. You will need to slot them and use a flat head screwdriver or get a set of needlenose vicegrips and try and turn them off.

[m715]

The two bolts that hold the switch on are break away bolts that were made to snap the head off when they were tightened down while the column was assembled to "prevent tampering".Like Geneva said, you can cut slots, or you can do like I always have, and take a cold chisel, and tap the direction (Lefty Loosey), to back them off while the column is still in the vehicle. They are not very tight at all, and this will unlock the column too. The actual ignition switch itself is screwed onto the cylinder set, so you can split the two apart to check if the electrical switch is still good.

HTH
Michael

[stefan]

I've taken a few off with needle-nose vice-grips. Once you get it off that will bypass the steering lock, and you can separate the electrical switch from the back and start the car and use it temporarily like that.

[SimonTuffGuy]

Everyone here's already hit the nail on the head. One of our members did a little howto of getting those bolts out with the use of a Dremmel and screwdriver.

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13303

Find a replacement ignition switch and key at the junkyard or find a member on here who's parting out theirs...