Busted ignition - ignition cylinder rod replacement (4 Viewers)

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... but then again I do things so much slower than the times others post - I swear that It takes me about 2x as long as the longest mentioned by anyone for any repair - am I the only one???!
uh, no. I am, by FAR, the world's slowest mechanic.
 
add me to the list...actually, add my wife to the list of who it happened to and me to the list of the one to fix it.

If you see a guy wrenching on a hundred series at James Madison University tomorrow, bring me a beer :)
 
well, today as my wife is leaving, she complains that she turns the key and nothing happens. I go out to see, and it seems like the ignition or tumbler has borken off in the "off" position. Turning the key does nothing, cant even get accessory power. I now have to tow it in to my mechanics for him to look at it :frown:
Not overly common but have seen quite a few. The shaft behind the ign lock cylinder has broken. The shaft connects the lock cyl to the electrical part of the ign switch and also controls the mechanical steering lock. Two ways to fix - same parts involved.

Parts needed, Steering column collar (piece that ign lock cyl fits into)
2 break away bolts.

need to remove the ign lock cyl, and elec ign switch. You can either fineagle the shaft out of the collar housing and fish it out of the new on and reinstall or remove the whole collar. Need to chisel out old break away bolts and remove collar. Be careful on LX models because it is very easy to get the tele steering guides all screwed at this step.
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hope this helps, ben


Yeah..... Happened to my 2000 Avalon last week...... Steering wheel locked and starter doesn't go.... Key turns freely, BUT nothing happensI I NIGHTMARE.... So I google & find this forum... Read it through once.... I read how if I can (find?) "push" a button on (bottom of) lock cylinder the ignition lock (the part the key goez in) will pull effortllesslyyout... I look for about 1 Hr. (bad flashlight and wires & other s*** obscuring view of lock cylinder) but find button, push it and pull.... with ignition in ACC. position... and bingo... it comes out.... With lock out I look in and see ignition lock to ignition switch linkage rod (AKA as "cam").... I reach in with needle nose and grab the tab that goes into lock and pull this linkage rod/cam out too. In my avalon the rod broke at the hole in the end (bottom) of the lock housing through which the rod exits into the white plastic ignition SWITCH. Get a mirror and light.... look at the back of this squareish white switch. attached with two No. two Phillips screws. Remove them to clear any remainder of broken rod You can make the starter run by putting a screw driver into the slot of the switch that faces up and turning to the far right...You Now look down the cylinder that held the lock the key goez into AND the rod (cam?) (before you removed it. in the bottom on the right side is a tab that sticks out of this right side and goes to about the center of this cyl Put an 8 or 10 inch flat screw driver in to the bottom of the cylinder...about center and try to push the tab on the right over in the right direction about 1/4 or 3/8s of an inch... once over the wheel lock should disengage.... Only problem... It would be very hard to drive while holding this screwdriver just right to keep the wheel unlocked..... Once you get the knack of prying/holding the tab over to keep the wheel unlocked you are ready to try to put a + or minus 5/16 I.D.-. 9/16 O.D. standard flat washer on the end of a 5/16 + or - screwdrive. take the screw driver and insert the tip into the 5/16 hole in the washer. Push the washer up the tapered tip till it jams. Now try to force the washer, while jambed on the taoered tip os close as possible to 45 degrees to the screw drivers shaft while still jambed. the idea is to push the washer down the cylinder so that the leading edge of the washer contacts the face of the tab, and as you push the washer down farther the washer pushes that wheel unlocking tab to the right. Next get a baloon stick, or another stick or metal rod and push the washer down flat on the bottom of the cylinder by pushing the rod down on the washer on the left side of the screwdriver............... When the washer is wedged between the left wall of the cylinder and the unlock tab, flat on the bottom of the cylinder, the wheel should be unlocked. If the wheel doesn't unlock, the washer is too small...and if you can't get the washer to lie flat at the bottom of the cylinder (while keeping the tab over far enough to unlock the wheel)... the washer is too large... Once you get the washer flat in the bottom of the cylinder as it holds the wheel unlocked, you can put a #10 24 or 10 32 machine screw and a #10 and 1/4 " through the hole in the bottom of the cylinder and tighten them up hard to keep the washer not to jump out while driving. the 1/4 " and # 10 washer sit on top of your washer holding the tab back.... It's easiest to get a 6 0r 8 inch # 10 mach, screw, put the #10 washer on first, then the 1/4" one and insert the screw while holding the washers with the head of the screw until the end of the screw goes through the hole in 9/16 washer and the hole in the bottom of the lock cylinder where the rod went through the bottom to engage the switch.

Next, put your transponder type ignition key in the lighted ring just the same way it sat when the lock was there, put a screw driver in the slot in the white plastic switch Turn right till starter goes... (you may have to fiddle with the keys position while starting..) When it starts, DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR A FREE REPLACEMENT OF THE "IGNITION ASSEMBLY" Or at least my 2000 Avalon was free because it's a FEDERAL RECALL Total cost, $1.68 for # 10 mac. screw and two washers ..Tom at five oh eight, six nine three..for oh to seven
 
I joined the "busted ignition" club this past week. 2001 LX470. Same exact issue with broken camshaft in steering lock assembly. I searched around, and did not see any videos for this fix. So, I decided to make on with my brother. Here's the youtube link:



I hope this helps anyone doing the repair themselves. I also included the PNs in the text.

Thanks to everyone on this post who guided this repair. Saved me hundreds of dollars.


Thank you for this!
This just happened to my TLC while my wife was using it for work. I know this is an older post, but can I just order the camshaft part or do i have to replace the whole ignition cylinder? Do you have the part number by chance?

Gator!
 
Thank you for this!
This just happened to my TLC while my wife was using it for work. I know this is an older post, but can I just order the camshaft part or do i have to replace the whole ignition cylinder? Do you have the part number by chance?

Gator!
If you look at the comments to the youtube video, one person did find a site that sells only the camshaft instead of the entire assembly. However, the picture on that site showed the weaker version (i.e. the one that will break again), and the price was roughly the same as buying the entire assembly. Unless they can confirm that it's the new design (i.e. the stronger one), I would avoid them, and just get the assembly. I got mine at parts.com, but I'm sure there are multiple places to get them (like ranma21 who posted right above :)).
 
Sorry if this has been asked before, but are there specific years of 100 series affected? I have an 03.
 
I
Sorry if this has been asked before, but are there specific years of 100 series affected? I have an 03.

It pretty much affect all 100 series cruiser from 98-07 model.
 
This is a club I really didn't want to join.... argh. Busted at my wife's work, so it's sitting in the parking lot. Will need to squeeze this repair in tomorrow afternoon if that is possible. HUGE thanks for all the insight on this board. Unfathomable that a stout truck can have such an achilles heel.

Thanks again guys,

Ryan
 
Im joining the club here , I just got my replacement part , I got the whole assembly power tilt one on landcruiser.net
Now does anyone know a way to get the rod out of the new assembly? so I can just put it the one that still in my lx470?
from youtube video I see how he had to hold the left side with a flat head to take the rod out , but what about a new one? how can I take it out?
 
Had same thing happen to me this morning transfer shaft broke, i orderd the housing from toyota since the transfer shaft is not available. I plan on simply changing the shaft and avoid removing the housing from the column and avoid dealing with those special screws.
 
It is easy to get the shaft out of the new housing when in hand, but it is a bit tricky to get it back in, but doable. So don't bother with grinding bolts and removing housing from column. I'm all fix now!
 
It's easy to get the shaft out of the new bracket housing. Just depress the "dead bold" between the semi-circle bracket, twist and turn the shaft with a long-nose plier, you should be able to get it out.

I found a website that sells just the shaft for dirt cheap. It's aftermarket from overseas but it looks just like the broken one I have removed.

Search the internet for Bross BSP36

This one is $8.99
Ignition Lock Cylinder Barrel Rod For TOYOTA No:6

or this $24.99:

Ignition Lock Cylinder Barrel Rod:4528060510 For Toyota Land Cruiser,Lexus LX

NOTE: For either one of these aftermarket parts, you will be re-using the brass parts from your old shaft. So be sure note the exact position of those parts on the broken shaft to put on the new shaft. Just slide the horizontal part to one side and pull it straight up. There is a TINY spring underneath, don't loose that!)

Although, the prices are different, look at the ID stamped on the shaft, they are the same.

My car is a 2001 LX470 with only 98,000 miles when this happened.

I ordered the cheaper one and added J&B welder to the new part to re-inforce the point where it could possibly break and after installation, I was not able to start the car. After struggling with it for a while, I was able to take it back out and realized that the tip that enters the ignition switch is wider and did not fit the ignition switch properly. This can easily be overcome by grinding the tip to make it fit. If you are looking for a cheap way to fix your car, this the best way to go. However, my wife convinced me to go for the real Toyota part and I decided to get the part "45280-60510" for $225.00 at the local dealer (ouch!). And it really is a "beefier" shaft so it should last much longer.

Once you get the shaft out of the new housing, it's not that difficult to put in in the cylinder. Just find a small diameter metal rod that's stiff enough for you to push the cam to one side, line up the new shaft with the notch at the tip and push it in, at the same time, pull the metal rod out. I don't think using a screw driver would work because it would be way too thick for it and the new shaft to be in the cylinder at the same time...

Here is another entire new but related issue, in case someone else runs into the same problem:

Another problem I encountered was that after everything was in place, I was able to start the car but for some reasons, there was no light in the instrument panel and I could not shift out of park! After pulling my hair out for a while, I noticed that while the car was running, if I wiggled the key a tiny bit (just a hair), the instrument light would light up and I was able to shift the transmission! Then I realized that must have something to do with the ignition switch. I removed the ignition switch at the end of the key cylinder, and with the key in "start" position, turned the switch with a screwdriver to start the car. Again the there was no light on the panel (This is something I wish I had known before so I did not have to have the car towed home!). I wiggled the switch with the screwdriver (very slight movements) and there was lights! So definitely, my ignition switch just happened to wear out along with the broken shaft.

So I got a new ignition switch (# 84450-12200), for another $105 and after installation, all was FIXED!

Hope this can help someone else with the problems. Get the aftermarket part for cheap or get the OEM part, it's your call. It's not that difficult, and you don't have to remove the entire housing. See the Youtube video posted above, it's a GREAT help!.
 
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Just to add my .02. When trying to fish out the broken piece in mine it somehow flipped 90 degrees and was sitting at the bottom of the tube sideways. I somehow miraculously still managed to get it out but just wanted to warn everyone about this possibility. I thought for certain I would have to remove the whole assembly to get the broken piece out.
 
It happened.

'03. In my drive, luckily in the off position. It is my only vehicle, so I didn't have time to order from the UAE to get another skinny one.

Tried multiple online sites, none had it in stock but if you have time you can get the whole assembly for about $237. I couldn't wait for them to order, and then ship to me so I bought from the local Toyota dealer for $309.

Only reason I'm posting is because I had a heck of a time with limited tools trying to fish the broken chunk out. So while I was dreading taking the back piece off , I had to. If you are careful, and hold that assembly up, you can take that back piece completely off instead of just loosening the two screws without it spitting the little pieces in there out. Once that was out of the way, I was able to get to and help push out the broken cam from the backside in 30 secs.

I plan on ordering the $22 part from the UAE, waiting the two weeks for it to get here, and put in the $300+ housing, and sell it on Ebay for the $230 or so these are bringing....
 
It happened.

'03. In my drive, luckily in the off position. It is my only vehicle, so I didn't have time to order from the UAE to get another skinny one.

Tried multiple online sites, none had it in stock but if you have time you can get the whole assembly for about $237. I couldn't wait for them to order, and then ship to me so I bought from the local Toyota dealer for $309.

Only reason I'm posting is because I had a heck of a time with limited tools trying to fish the broken chunk out. So while I was dreading taking the back piece off , I had to. If you are careful, and hold that assembly up, you can take that back piece completely off instead of just loosening the two screws without it spitting the little pieces in there out. Once that was out of the way, I was able to get to and help push out the broken cam from the backside in 30 secs.

I plan on ordering the $22 part from the UAE, waiting the two weeks for it to get here, and put in the $300+ housing, and sell it on Ebay for the $230 or so these are bringing....

I have this in stock for $217 ready to ship ;)
For Sale: - 98-2007 100 Series Ignition Bracket Assembly MUST HAVE
 
I'm now a member of this club. Happened to me this afternoon in my driveway and to my 2003 TLC with 215k miles (and I've put 185k on it since I bought it in 2004). Nice thread and thanks for documenting over the years. I'll try to do it myself and start this week. It's hot here so not looking forward to working in the heat. In the meantime I'll be driving the 40!
 
Thanks MaineLX470 for the video and thanks to (Ian) ranma21 for the replacement part. I went to work on Saturday and everything was going smooth until it came to "fishing" the broken part out. I worked on that little part for almost 2 hours. I finally decided to unscrew the two back screws until they were almost out and the broken part was free and came right out. What an experience....really didn't think I could do it. Thanks again for the documentation guys.
 
i'm a new club member!!! YES! i have a 99 TLC with manual steering column

the truck is stuck at my kid's summer day camp parking lot. that is supposed to not allow overnight parking. Please correct me if i've missed anything, from a DIY perspective:
1. disassemble and fish out part per MaineLX470's awesome video.
2. confirm issue
3. start truck and drive home per labcab's post (busted ignition
(how do i turn the truck off when i get home, or is it obvious?)
4. order part from ranma21 (is this the beefier part version??) or pay almost double from the toyota parts dept that's 30 miles away, but would arrive on Wednesday)
5. receive part
6. complete the steps in the video (except maybe the stuff at 6:44)

correct?

ps. if necessary, how difficult is it to tow this with this problem? TLC's should only be towed via flatbed truck, right?

cheers
 
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Wow. it took me maybe 15-30 minutes to pull gently apart stuff and remove the ignition cylinder and more than 3 hours to get that broken piece out. i was using grabbers, long needle nose pliers, mechanic's picks, the works. the thing kept rotating on me. i'm surprised the OEM part lasted this long ('99 TLC with 220k miles). my neighbor, who is a career mechanic (and gladly loaned my the picks), told me that he sees this most commonly with camry's and has seen repeat offenders.

i got the thievery style operations going to get us by while obtaining the replacement part. @ranma21, how do i order the part from you?

i'm really glad that this didn't happen out in the middle of nowhere at a FS parking lot at the end of a deadend FS "trail". our TLC is still relatively new to my family. what other preventative maintenance type items do i need to think about? is there a list? I haven't noticed one before in this forum.

cheer
 

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