Technical Eco Active Ignition Barrel

[EcoActive]

Hi all, very pleased with my 09 Eco Active 1.1 collected on Monday. I notice the ignition key barrel is difficult to turn and sometimes takes 2 or 3 tries to start the car. Is it a good idea to spray lube into the lock? Would it be difficult or expensive to replace the ignition switch and keys?

 

[koalar]

Hi all, very pleased with my 09 Eco Active 1.1 collected on Monday. I notice the ignition key barrel is difficult to turn

Have you tried wiggling the steering wheel slightly as you rotate the key

and sometimes takes 2 or 3 tries to start the car. I

Does the car turn over but not start

Or

Do you turn the key and nothing happens (often the gearbox earth)

s it a good idea to spray lube into the lock?

No

May work in short term. But will gum up eventually. You can put some thinned oil on a key and insert the key in the lock, you can buy special carbon powder. I use engine oil thinned in meths

Would it be difficult

No

or expensive to replace the ignition switch

Cheap

and keys?

You don't need new keys if just the ignition switch is changed

 

[EcoActive]

Have you tried wiggling the steering wheel slightly as you rotate the key


Does the car turn over but not start

Or

Do you turn the key and nothing happens (often the gearbox earth)



No

May work in short term. But will gum up eventually. You can put some thinned oil on a key and insert the key in the lock, you can buy special carbon powder. I use engine oil thinned in meths


No

Cheap

You don't need new keys if just the ignition switch is changed

Hi Koalar, Thank you for that. I had an idea spraying lube into the barrel was not necessarily a good idea. The lock barrel is the actual problem, it is obviously worn causing stiction. Provided I can rotate the key far enough the car starts fine. I can cope with this but I am afraid my significant other will likely freak out and possibly break the key rather than patiently wiggling it to achieve the required rotation. I assume new barrel and keys will be expensive?

 

[koalar]

Make sure it's not a worn key

Changing a ignition barrel and key is easy

You will just have two different key

About £20

Doing it properly with a complete set and changing the ignition block as well would be a right pain

 

[DaveMcT]

I’ve had my ignition lock and switch apart. I stripped and rebuilt the switch before discovering that new ones are cheap. My lock was fine. It’s not a difficult job.