I just bought a 95 gt convertible as a project car. The ignition key will start the car but you can't shut the car off by turning the key back as you normally would. I've removed the lock cylinder and have a replacement in hand. I've seen a you tube video that makes the replacement look simple, especially if you've successfully removed the old cylinder. The replacement is basically described as reversing the removal steps but no video addresses how to get the bottom pin to depress when installing the new lock. The new cylinder comes with instruction that says it is shipped ready for installation and that the key and/or cylinder should not be rotated clockwise prior to installation. The problem is that the little pin at the bottom of the cylinder that needs to be depressed in order to slide the cylinder into the column is not depressible in the configuration that the cylinder is shipped in. I've already had the experience of ignoring the instruction and in fact turned the cylinder in order to get the pin to depress only to have pieces fall apart from the cylinder. I'm probably missing some simple obvious step but does anyone out there know how to properly re-install the ignition lock cylinder?I've since gotten another cylinder but don't want to touch it until I know what I'm doing. Thanks for your help.
Ignition Key Cylinder 95 Gt
- Thread starter jim chambers
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I moved this to the tech threads to generate some traffic so look both ways for incoming help.
And welcome to stangnet.
Now to the problem at hand, once the lock cylinder is removed you should be able to just slide the new one in its place, the pin can be depressed with a finger if needed, if the first one would not depress then it was defective or it was not oriented in the correct place, it should not have fallen apart. Make sure the pin sets before turing the key.
And welcome to stangnet.
Now to the problem at hand, once the lock cylinder is removed you should be able to just slide the new one in its place, the pin can be depressed with a finger if needed, if the first one would not depress then it was defective or it was not oriented in the correct place, it should not have fallen apart. Make sure the pin sets before turing the key.
To add to karthief's post, you remove the cylinder by turning the key to "ON" without starting the car. You can then push the pin in with a small or narrow screwdriver or something similar. If the pin won't move, twist the key back and forth a little. Once the pin is in far enough, the ignition cylinder will just pull out with the key.
The new ignition lock cylinder should have the key in and the pin pushed up. The pin will automatically depress when you turn the key back. Try it with the ignition lock cylinder out of the steering column: hold on to the ignition lock cylinder, with the key facing you. Then rotate the key to the left. The pin should push down with little effort. To push the pin back in, rotate the key back to the right until the pin goes back in.
To install, slide the lock cylinder in to the steering column and turn the key to "OFF", where you'd normally be able to pull out the key. If the key won't turn back, you may have to wiggle the ignition lock cylinder to make sure the pin lines up properly with the hole in the steering column. Once you can remove the key, you're done.
The new ignition lock cylinder should have the key in and the pin pushed up. The pin will automatically depress when you turn the key back. Try it with the ignition lock cylinder out of the steering column: hold on to the ignition lock cylinder, with the key facing you. Then rotate the key to the left. The pin should push down with little effort. To push the pin back in, rotate the key back to the right until the pin goes back in.
To install, slide the lock cylinder in to the steering column and turn the key to "OFF", where you'd normally be able to pull out the key. If the key won't turn back, you may have to wiggle the ignition lock cylinder to make sure the pin lines up properly with the hole in the steering column. Once you can remove the key, you're done.
jozsefsz
15 Year Member
The one you had probably just rotated a little during shipping and the retaining button popped back out. If needed put the key in, rotate a little (go counter-clockwise first there's no harm doing that) while applying gentle pressure to the retaining button. It should get to a point where it easily pushes back in.
If you've exhausted the possibilities going counter-clockwise, and the button doesn't press in easily, you have no choice but to go clockwise. Go slowly, applying gentle pressure, until you find the place it pops back in easily.
If you go way too far, like a full 180 degrees of rotation, the inner mechanism can slide out (it's lightly spring-loaded). Just don't lose those springs or the little metal pins on top of them and it easily goes back together. Or just don't pull the inner mechanism out of the outer sleeve and it'll be fine.
I did this just about a month ago and re-keyed the inner portion of the lock too (borrowing the pins from my original lock cylinder). It's working fine.
EDIT: Unfortunately your problem probably isn't the lock cylinder at all if it starts the car properly. There's a plastic shaft between the lock mechanism and the ignition switch (the 'ignition actuator').
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFAXRw6vyT0
It appears to be a bear to replace.
If you've exhausted the possibilities going counter-clockwise, and the button doesn't press in easily, you have no choice but to go clockwise. Go slowly, applying gentle pressure, until you find the place it pops back in easily.
If you go way too far, like a full 180 degrees of rotation, the inner mechanism can slide out (it's lightly spring-loaded). Just don't lose those springs or the little metal pins on top of them and it easily goes back together. Or just don't pull the inner mechanism out of the outer sleeve and it'll be fine.
I did this just about a month ago and re-keyed the inner portion of the lock too (borrowing the pins from my original lock cylinder). It's working fine.
EDIT: Unfortunately your problem probably isn't the lock cylinder at all if it starts the car properly. There's a plastic shaft between the lock mechanism and the ignition switch (the 'ignition actuator').
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFAXRw6vyT0
It appears to be a bear to replace.
Last edited:
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