Went to pull my truck from underneath a fallen tree after an ice storm. I warmed it up yesterday to clear some ice. It fired right up. Went to move it today and everything came on, like the heater fan, radio and so on. However, turning to start did nothing. When I let go, the key stayed in the start position until I turned it back. I'm thinking the cold caused the starting switch to fail from getting stiff. Since I have to clear about 8 inches of sleet and frozen rain, as well as a little snow, off the hood to disconnect the battery, it's going to take a bit.
I thought I'd throw this out and see if anybody can think of something else it might be. I seem to remember 1995 and '96 require anti-tamper tools to remove the switch too.
I had this happen! You need and new lock cylinder and key. They are made of some kind of pot metal and the tab that engages the starter on the tumbler brakes off. You can't get the tumbler out because it's swedged together and no way to get it apart. Here is a pic i found of somebody else that had the problem. In the middle you can see where it is swedged together. You can get another cylinder and key anywhere but then you have separate keys for the door and ignition. I would imagine you could get one from the dealer but who knows how much they charge. In 97 or 98 they changed the design and you can get them apart to match the key. I was lucky this happened at work and i had the tamper torx bits to take it apart. Started with the cylinder out, Put it back together and was able to drive home.
I had this happen! You need and new lock cylinder and key. They are made of some kind of pot metal and the tab that engages the starter on the tumbler brakes off. You can't get the tumbler out because it's swedged together and no way to get it apart. Here is a pic i found of somebody else that had the problem. In the middle you can see where it is swedged together. You can get another cylinder and key anywhere but then you have separate keys for the door and ignition. I would imagine you could get one from the dealer but who knows how much they charge. In 97 or 98 they changed the design and you can get them apart to match the key. I was lucky this happened at work and i had the tamper torx bits to take it apart. Started with the cylinder out, Put it back together and was able to drive home.
That might be the cul[prit. The design on mine is different but exactly the same symptoms.I bought a switch local as it was close to what Fleabay sellers wanted. The lock cylinder itself though, I'm finding them for $10-$25 on Ebay and $90-112 at Vatozone. I'll probably not buy local on that. As for two keys, I usually take a key and the cylinder to a lock smith and they can rekey the tumblers to use my old key. $25-30 to keep from dealing with two keys.
I'll decide once I pull the assembly. Of course it's when the worst winter weather in years rolls in.
I had this happen! You need and new lock cylinder and key. They are made of some kind of pot metal and the tab that engages the starter on the tumbler brakes off. You can't get the tumbler out because it's swedged together and no way to get it apart. Here is a pic i found of somebody else that had the problem. In the middle you can see where it is swedged together. You can get another cylinder and key anywhere but then you have separate keys for the door and ignition. I would imagine you could get one from the dealer but who knows how much they charge. In 97 or 98 they changed the design and you can get them apart to match the key. I was lucky this happened at work and i had the tamper torx bits to take it apart. Started with the cylinder out, Put it back together and was able to drive home.
You nailed it on the head. The photo you took could have been my cylinder. It is broken in EXACTLY the same way. Evidently, it's a flaw they redesigned around. The cylinder pictures I saw were a later model ignition. I'm just trying to decide if I want to wait a few days for an Ebay delivery ($10-$13) or buy local at AutoZone or O'Reilly's for $70-$92. The locksmith will need to rekay the tumblers regardless of what I get.
Since I don't drive my truck everyday, it would be eBay to save those coins..
I need to get up to my tree farm and check for damage. It's way out in the boonies and while the Expedition is capable, it doesn't have the clearance of the truck. I got a new cylinder from AutoZone and took it to the lock smith. They were unable to get it apart to rekey it. When they get them, the cylinder is unassembled. The pot metal likes to break and putting it in a vise might cause the same damage wear did. No I now have two keys.
I got the new cylinder in and moved the truck so the power company could get back to some downed lines. I'm just wondering what I'll find in the woods.
The second gens are fairly stout. The ice popped some of the filled holes open from when I painted it. I plan to repaint it this coming summer. I don't see any new dents, but with such a thick coating of ice, it's hard to say.
That looks familiar...... Gotta love ice storms....
At a previous residence, when we first moved in, the yard was a mess..... (several years of neglect...) I spent the entire summer getting it clean up, and mowed. Late winter/almost spring, we got two ice storms back to back. Half an inch of ice on everything, followed by high winds, gusting up to 60mph..... Come spring, you couldn't tell I had done a darn thing in the yard. FAR worse than it was when we moved in..... Guess what I spent the following summer doing.
