Posted by Gerry ACT/Oz on October 22, 2004 at 23:49:30 from 202.147.86.62
In Reply to: key-starting switch failure. . . Help Please! posted by Jaime Obando on October 22, 2004 at 21:56:31:
Earlier this year I had exactly that problem - I've even got the same year car. It's the switch at the back of the ignition lock barrel - after all these years it's finally worn out. There are a number of small contacts in there that can now move around just enough to make starting the car a real pain.
The fix is get a new one - don't bother with an spare one - it's likely to be as bad as yours. Pull off the steering wheel, kickboard etc and get in underneath the steering column. If you look at the lock housing from below you should see a very small dab of paint - it covers a small grub screw that holds in the switch. Remove the grub screw carefully - keep something underneath to catch it in case it falls out.
Then you have to fiddle with the wires at the back of the switch to extract it from the housing - it can take a bit of force. Follow the wires to a plug and pull it out. Getting the new one in is the reverse of taking it out - but it helps to have really skinny fingers to get that switch back in.
Gerry