Sticky ignition lock and steering lock not working

Guest · Post Mon Feb 07, 2005 1:52 pm

Hi Chaps,

My ignition key got difficult to get into the ignition barrel. A passenger let the seat belt get trapped in between the door seal and frame; i did not use the car for 3 weeks. It was distinctly moist inside the car, ice on the inside of the screen! After a few days i further noticed that the steering lock was no longer working.

Has anyone else had this problem and if so do they know of a remedy? Hair drying the barrel? I have read that oiling locks is a no no.

cheers

Post Mon Feb 07, 2005 11:30 pm

On my old E34 it started to get hard to turn the ignition lock,i cleaned the lock out with carb cleaner,i then oiled the lock and it was fine after that.

Post Mon Feb 07, 2005 11:59 pm

Use a silicon grease spray to lubricate locks. Don't get mineral oil into the actual ignition switch

Post Tue Feb 08, 2005 12:06 am

i used wd40 worked for me

Guest · Post Tue Feb 08, 2005 7:13 pm

Cheers for the tips.

I stripped the column down to get at the barrel and unpluged the switch at the back of the barrel and noticed that there was nothing wrong with neither the switch nor the barrel. the key glided in easily and the steering lock popped up and went down again. tried everything a few times, vasalined the barrel switch mating link. then put it all back together full expecting it to stop working again. I have tried it a few times and it is still ok. Still no idea about the cause.

The steer wheel had to come off to remove column shroud 4 screws, unscrewed the stalks 2 x 2 screws. unclipped the switch....all done and dusted in around 50 minutes. I did not need to remove the barrel but there was no grub screw holding it in place.

cheers again.