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    #1

    Ignition switch actuator issue

    New here... hello all. Forgive me if this is the wrong forum to post this in, but I have a small issue (at least I hope so).

    I have a 2001 Crown Vic CVPI, all stock, 184k miles. Either way, I went to visit a friend in another state and as soon as I pulled into the driveway the actuator rod between the ignition lock and the switch broke. I pulled ignition lock and switch to verify. Right now switch is hanging under dash so I can at least use the car, yet the steering wheel and shift locks do not function which makes me nervous as I am in the mountains now.

    Also, internet is horrible here and it was hard enough to get this thread posted in the first place and searching for answers has been a 3 day headache with dropped service and such, so please don't beat me up for lack of use of the search function and I cannot seem to get crownvic.net to accept my registration.

    With that said, I do own factory service manuals as a friend of mine and myself purchase these cars at auction for resale, yet it didn't occur to me to bring along 3 large books for a simple trip.

    Three questions please:

    Will the steering wheel suddenly lock if used in it's present condition?

    Is the actuator available as a replacement part? If so, where?

    Does anyone have instructions/pictures for the repair?

    I truly appreciate your assistance with this, and thanks in advance.
    Last edited by Lonestar; 09-22-2012, 03:07 PM. Reason: Missed info
    Tags: None
    #2
    been there done that with my 93... same general idea all the way to the last model... It's fine to drive though. The actuator won't interfere with anything.

    I don't know if you can get the actuator, but ebay and Ford would probably be a good place to start looking. Mine just dropped the link pin between the two segments. I cleaned it up and slotted it back in place and it's worked ever since. Major PITA though.

    Originally posted by slymer
    with the help of the pics here and the thread over on CVN here, my 93 vic now starts with the key AND turns off with the key. The little aluminum rod that links the ignition actuator rods had fallen out. I managed to put it back without removing the steering wheel. I took the T30 bolts out of the tilt hinge to give me some room and used a flat head screwdriver to fish the pin out of the rod channel. I aligned the rods and carefully placed the pin near where it needed to be with some duck bill needle nose pliers. I then used the same flat head screwdriver to massage the pin into position and very carefully levered the screwdriver against the steering shaft to push the pin into place. Took me about 3 hours to figure out all the angles and replace the ignition switch, including a run to Autozone (damn brittle old plastic... tightened down the screw in the wire harness and the nut broke off the switch). Now my wife can use the key in her DD to actually start and stop it now instead of thumbing the ignition switch that was hanging down from the dash.
    Last edited by sly; 09-22-2012, 09:48 PM.

    Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
    rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)

    Originally posted by gadget73
    ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.

    Originally posted by dmccaig
    Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

    Comment

      #3
      Thanks very much! I haven't messed with it much over the weekend, but am calling a dealership this morning to see about a replacement. Maybe I'll get lucky and find the pin in there as well. Question though... if it fell out once, what's keeping it from happening again?

      Edit: So you can get enough movement on the shaft to do this repair by simply removing the 2 tilt bolts? I have at my use a small cheap socket set, a couple screwdrivers and an allen wrench set. The allens will loosen the torx screws if used carefully. It's an hour drive to the nearest parts store! Gotta love seclusion sometimes!
      Last edited by Lonestar; 09-24-2012, 09:01 AM.

      Comment

        #4
        the tilt bolts are torx head IIRC. large ones too. Like a T40 or something. It's VERY difficult to do it the way I did it, but I'm an electronics engineer and very mechanically inclined, so it wasn't that bad for me. If it's just the connecting pin that's fallen out, you can fix it my way. If the actuator rods are broken (broken teeth on the gears, etc) you'll need to remove the steering wheel to get it all out.

        Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
        rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)

        Originally posted by gadget73
        ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.

        Originally posted by dmccaig
        Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

        Comment

          #5
          Yep, they are torx alright... T-30 if the posts you sent me to are correct. Luckily, I am an experienced mechanic as well as a structural engineer and pretty good at things myself. I was wondering if the pin fell out once, what's to stop it from happening again? I would assume there must be an interference fit to the parts...

          Comment

            #6
            yeah... it should be an interference fit... I can't remember off the top of my head if I glued it back in or not. I think there was too much grease on it to effectively glue the pin back in place and just pressed it back in.

            Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
            rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)

            Originally posted by gadget73
            ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.

            Originally posted by dmccaig
            Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

            Comment

              #7
              Either way, thanks for the links! I should be able to get this done without too much difficulty. Just takes time. Probably deal with it this weekend.

              Comment

                #8
                you could always put the pin back in and use a punch to flare the ends out so it won't fall out again. That would make it more of a rivet than a pin, but as long as it works, why not
                86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                Originally posted by phayzer5
                I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                Comment

                  #9
                  I agree, yet getting in there to put the pin in is a pita, no room for a punch. Parts are cheap... if I have to do complete diss-assembly might as well replace with new.

                  Comment

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