Busted ignition - ignition cylinder rod replacement (1 Viewer)

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I was able to get a long air gun down into the barrel and blew the broken tip out, I tried to catch it with the shopvac but it ended up in the footwell. Anyway, got the replacement shaft in and she's running per normal. I want a better long term fix, it seems these shafts break in like 4 or 5 different spots, so there is no obvious weakspot to fatten up, they are just crap metal. I'm going to mess around with replicating the OEM shaft with something else, maybe like @scottm. Now that it's fixed, it will be a bit, in the middle of a remodel at the house.

I also wanted to add a note since I read through the entire thread and still installed the shaft 180 out.

Once apart and ready to insert new shaft:
  • Set the white ignition switch to horizontal with a screwdriver, this will you to know the seat location for the shaft after it is inserted and re-clocked later.
  • Loosen the white ignition switch at the back of the barrel, this will allow you to re-clock the shaft one you get the key past the key way at the bottom. Will need to be backed almost all the way off.
  • Start shaft with key at 12 o'clock and slide down until it stops (hitting the steering wheel lock)
  • Rotate the shaft counter-clockwise where the key is @ 9 o'clock while pressing in, it should then drop down past the keyed hole ( you can test by rotating off of 9 and try to pull it out, the key should keep it in the barrel
  • Now rotate the shaft to set the key at the 3 o'clock position it should set the tip/blade end of the shaft horizontal and allow you to seat the white ignition switch.
  • Tighten the white ignition switch
  • Clock the front blase to the 11/5 o'clock position, set the key tumbler to match this allows the locking tab to be depressed.
  • Slide the key tumbler over the shaft and it should seat all the way and set the locking tab at the bottom.
  • Re-install the ring and test start the truck, make sure the steering wheel lock is un-locked when started, if it locks you have the blade 180 out.

Hope this helps someone. Keep a steel sleeve, like I posted above, in your tool kit and a long flat-blade screwdriver for the trails.
 
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Super strange issue. Fished out the broken piece, replaced it. Put everything back together and now the truck won't start. It turns over, but its acting like it has no fuel.

Is there a fuel shutoff in our vehicles that I might have missed?

2000 LX
 
Your imobilizer ring needs to be installed and connected, is it?
 
Yeah, turning over but no fire, typically the imobilizer.
 
Still havent got the part ...maybe we can share pics to see diferences between 7853A and 7853B
 
Mine broke on 10/21/18 at the grocery store. Had it towed to the house. 3 miles away.
Ordered part from Nalley Lexus ($197.00). Had it towed to my retired Lexus mechanic on 10/27/18.
2 hours after he received it I was back on the the road. Total repair was $377.00 parts and labor.
Towing was free.

2002 Lx470
200k
 
Hi, guys, just one question, I am lost and a bit desperate.
This happened to me as well.

We replaced the rod with a friend of mine. We are able to start a car, but, when steering wheel lock system works opposite. If I turn the key to the lock position, the steering wheel is released, if I turn it to any other position, it is locked.

Can you please help, what I am doing wrong?

Thank you very much for this.

Best regards
Matej
 
You have the rod clocked 180 degrees out. Reinstall upside down. I posted exact instructions on this.
 
Yay...I just became a member of this exclusive club. My LX got stranded in an office garage and the tow company cant get it out due to height restrictions...so glad that I have found this helpful thread. I got through the easy part of gaining access to the ignition cylinder. Will try to fish the broken part out when the new part arrives.

I called Lindsay Lexus in Northern Virginia to get a quote to have them fixed the problem (before I found out that the truck couldn't be towed out of the garage), and they quoted me $1900 for the job. I called them back later asking to buy the replacement part (whole assembly and not just the broken rod) to do the work myself, and they wouldn't sell it to me. When asked if they could at least confirm the Toyota part number for my Lexus, and they refused that as well.

Great customer service all around...I currently own 2 other Lexus but will definitely stay away from Lindsay Lexus for any future purchases or services for certain.
 
help needed...

so I was able to get the broken piece released from the white plastic starter housing. unfortunately, when the broken piece was released, it fell/turned sideway in the cylinder. spent the last hour trying to fish it out without any luck. does anyone know of how to get the broken piece out when it is on it side?

also, i can't seem to figure out how to get the new rod out of the replacement assembly. can't get the little nub to line up with the little notch on the bottom of the assembly where the little blade sticks out.

thanks in advance for any help offered
 
It's really hard to push the steering wheel lock mechanism to the right and fish the broken piece from the bottom of the bracket. I used a long small screwdriver to push the steering lock mechanism out of the way and a coat hangar with a small 90 degree bend on the end to fish the piece out. Then, to get the rod out of the new bracket, just turn it until the nub on the new rod lines up with the slot on the bottom of the bracket. You'll have to turn the new rod both ways a bit to get it past the steering wheel lock mechanism. Keep messing with it....it'll come out.

I spent a good hour fishing the out the broken part of the rod, then when I thought it would never come out it did!
 
In case this is helpful info, my 2001 LX had p/n 45280-60510 replaced for a total of $511. Happened literally the month before I bought it from the PO, haha. I wonder if that's what made him give up :idea:
 
I used a burst of compressed air to pop it out of there.
 
Finally got the truck running again. Almost gave up on it after a few hours of fishing out the broken pieces unsuccessfully with the bag full of long needle nose pliers, tongs, picks...in the end, a simple cloth hanger with a slightly acute hook in the end did the job.

Big thanks to the forum members who had provided me with the valuable guidance and insights.
 
I just did this...thanks MaineLX470 for the great video. I removed the white plastic piece at the back to be able to rotate and get the broken piece out. Everything works now but a bit of a pain in the ass...start to finish...3 hours with 30 minute dinner in between.

Btw, I think there was an extra wiring terminal near the rear window switches on the driver side when the panel was removed. Does anyone know what that's for? Thanks.
 
My kid's 2000 TLC did the "spinning key" trick with the vehicle stuck in ACC mode tonight at about 5PM.

It was nice enough to do it in the driveway (at home), but it was parked behind all of the other vehicles, so we got to push it out of the driveway and onto the street. Of course this happens just before the vehicle is supposed to head out on a road trip. I guess it could've been much worse, if it had happened out on the road.

I reached out to @ranma21 to see if he happened to have one in stock, fortunately he did, so I got to meet a "faceless 'Mud Internet friend" in person, and get the replacement part. (Thank you, and it was very nice to meet you in person!)

It's too dark, and too cold, to try and swap it tonight, but I know what I will be doing tomorrow. I hope fishing the broken pieces out won't be too much of a hassle, but the process seems to be pretty well documented in this thread.

I sure wish someone sold something like @scottm 's solution to the problem:
Ignition switch broken...help?!
 
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My kid's 2000 TLC did the "spinning key" trick with the vehicle stuck in ACC mode tonight at about 5PM.

It was nice enough to do it in the driveway (at home), but it was parked behind all of the other vehicles, so we got to push it out of the driveway and onto the street. Of course this happens just before the vehicle is supposed to head out on a road trip. I guess it could've been much worse if it had happened out on the road.

I reached out to @ranma21 to see if he happened to have one in stock, fortunately he did and I got to meet a "faceless 'Mud Internet friend" in person and get the replacement part. (Thank you, and it was very nice to meet you in person!)

It's too dark, and too cold to try and swap it tonight, but I know what I will be doing tomorrow. I hope fishing to broken pieces out won't be too much of a hassle, but the process seems to be pretty well documented in this thread.

I sure wish someone sold something like @scottm 's solution to the problem:
Ignition switch broken...help?!

It was nice meeting you too James =) Glad I am able to help. Appreciate your business too :)
 
Question: i am about to embark to replace the shaft only as my 2000 with 217,000 miles often times is tough to twist the key. I fiddle with the steering wheel but it usually takes reinserting the key 5 or 8 times before it releases and allows me to start.

And i prefer to do work like this in my own garage on my time and since i have two 100’s - i can roll the other until its fixed.
If (during the course of this procedure) i want to disable the steering wheel security lock to prevent any of this in the future, can someone post a pic and indicate what piece of the housing, or shaft, i could cut off?

Also, until i get a chance to perform this procedure as a preventative item, is there something i could apply lube to that would free it up any?

Thanks fellers!
 
Question: i am about to embark to replace the shaft only as my 2000 with 217,000 miles often times is tough to twist the key. I fiddle with the steering wheel but it usually takes reinserting the key 5 or 8 times before it releases and allows me to start.

And i prefer to do work like this in my own garage on my time and since i have two 100’s - i can roll the other until its fixed.
If (during the course of this procedure) i want to disable the steering wheel security lock to prevent any of this in the future, can someone post a pic and indicate what piece of the housing, or shaft, i could cut off?

Also, until i get a chance to perform this procedure as a preventative item, is there something i could apply lube to that would free it up any?

Thanks fellers!

You will want to use a dry lubricant on door locks and ignition, like graphite.
 

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