Technical ignition lock fiat ducato 244 auto

[tonstadhouders]

Who knows what that red lever is for on the steering wheel lock of a fiat ducato model 244 with automatic gearbox. The pin in this lever no longer works automatically, so I cannot remove the key. When I manually push the red lever up, I can turn the key further and remove it. Who recognizes this problem and knows what is going on and what the solution is?

 

[Communicator]

I have researched this matter on Fiat eLearn. I suggest, as you have found, that the lever is a manual release for the key.
In normal operation, you should not be able to remove the key unless the gear selector is in the "P" position.
It seems that the automatic release of the key by a solenoid (the round component attached to the lever) has failed. The solenoid is normally powered via fuse, F37 and controlled by the adjacent gear selector being in the "P" position. This raises the question as to how the solenoid is de-energised when the key is removed.

Here, is a link to an online wiring diagram, and a basic description. See components L057 (solenoid) and H037 (gear selector). I am attaching my colour code translation table.

I am unable to understand the penultimate sentence in the technical description "The unit receives a signal from ignition switch electromagnet L057 at pin 9." How can a solenoid send a signal?" Perhaps it means that the integrity of the solenoid is monitored?

As regards a fix, I can only suggest that there may be a faulty switch contact in gear selector unit. This is more probable than a faulty solenoid. Perhaps the application of contact cleaner?

 

[tonstadhouders]

Thank you very much for the answer. Can you tell me where the switch is by the gear lever?

 

[Communicator]

According to the previously linked diagram,the switch, or contact, may be part of the gear selector unit Alternatively the solenoid could be electronically controlled by data link from the gearbox to the selector unit. That seems unnecessarily complicated, but I do not have a Fiat auto box to compare with.