My son had parked our 1990 Dakota and turned the key to the "off" position, but the engine kept running. To make a long story short, the cause was a broken ignition switch actuator rod. This small metal rod connects the key cylinder to the slide on the ignition switch. The switch is mounted about halfway down the steering column.

The pickup has automatic transmission, with the shifter on the steering column, and the steering wheel is fixed -- it is not a tilt steering wheel. The engine is a 3.9L gas model with throttle body fuel injection.

I've gone to all the usual parts suppliers on the Internet and they now tell me that Dodge has discontinued supplying the rod. The local junkyard isn't interested in going out in the North Dakota winter to look for a Dakota to sell me a steering column.

We took the ignition switch off the column and use an ordinary carpenter's nail-set to operate the slide, so we can drive the pickup, but I'd sure like to get back to using the key for starting.

Does anyone have an actuator rod for sale? Or does anyone know of where I could get a "NOS" Dodge part. ("NOS" meaning "new, old-stock", I think.)

I think I should replace the ignition switch, too. The local Dodge dealer tried operating the switch and said it seemed stiffer than it should be. Maybe that is the root cause for the actuator rod's failing.

 

Tom,

I had the same problem with my 2005 Neon SRT-4. I signed up for this forum just to give you the solution. I found a site online that sells the ignition switch actuator housing online. Here is the website http://www.stolenandrecovered.com/howto/hsg04a.php

They have a pretty good description of step-by-step directions to remove the old one and replace the new one. Its been a while since you posted so I don't know if you fixed it. The dealership I took my Neon to wanted $1500 for a new console...not to mention labor costs! I think $100 is a hell of a deal when compared to that.

I hope this helps you out!

Scott

 

Scott, many thanks for the response. I checked with your man at "Stolen and Recovered", but he didn't have any parts as old as my 1990 Dakota, so I had to go to the local dealer and buy a rod. They got it from another dealer, I think in Michigan, and by the time it was in my hands, it cost almost $100. I also got an OEM ignition switch in case my old one was partly to blame for the actuator rod end hook snapping-off.

The job wasn't actually too bad. I had to take the steering wheel apart right down to the lock disk (never saw one of those before), but I didn't have to take the key cylinder out. In fact, I couldn't figure how to take it out.

The only thing that didn't turn out well was getting the string that connects the gear indicator to the gear selector piece on the steering column properly set. So when I am in neutral, the indication is reverse and so-on. I suppose I'll eventually try to make it work better. Odd how soon you forget the pain and suffering you go through to do a repair once you have the job done and are again driving around as though you have good sense.

It's great to have the turn signal switch back in place. I got tired of having to grab the sharp plastic disc hanging down from the column and twist it to signal turns. I also got tired of using a nail to stick into the old ignition switch (which was also hanging from the column) to start the engine or shut it down!

I really don't notice any difference in the effort required to actuate the new ignition switch, so maybe the old actuator rod just gave up the ghost because of metal fatigue and old age.