2003 XC 70 key won't turn in the ignition at all.

[Blacklab467]

I pulled an ignition assembly with a lock cylinder today from the wreckers to dissect and see what the problem with these cars. I'm wondering, the metal plate does not come off unless the key is out of "0" position, the spring function is to push the SW lock in place, that's about all I've figured out so far, will get into it more tomorrow. I'm very curious where these broken pieces of pot metal come from. The unit that I pulled apart today didn't have a key and there was no broken metal under that plate. I think CN90 is right about the tumblers never wearing out though, They are well greased and I pulled all of them out and they look like new.
The trip to the wreckers also yielded a 2001 XC 70 that just arrived with lots of good stuff on it including a tailgate spoiler in Ash Gold Metallic. If anyone's interested in it let me know, I'll probably list it in classifieds.

[cn90]

I just checked the material using a magnet.

The bottom plate is steel.
The broken piece is part of the Steering Lock system.
The broken piece is aluminum, being a softer metal,
it breaks after x cycles of use.

If they made this out of steel, no issues.

Most BMWs don't have this issue.
The BMW tumblers are also made by Valeo.

[Blacklab467]

I did a bit of a deep dive into this problem after I removed the bottom metal plate and had the key stick in position "0" again after about 100 cycles. There is a lengthy detailled thread on how to remove this plate on page one of this posting. I dissected a lock assembly that I pulled from the wreckers for this purpose. Here are my findings that may help others that encounter this problem:

Lock parts.jpg (91.03 KiB) Viewed 293 times

-depending what position your key sticks in may provide some clue as to what the problem is. Position 1 is most likely an issue with the SW lock mechanism being stuck, either from a broken piece of metal jamming the normal operation of the SW lock or an overworn lock cylinder cam that releases the lock.

Lock cyl removal.jpg (99.63 KiB) Viewed 293 times

- stuck in position "0" as was the case with mine, likely a piece of broken metal jamming the cylinder and not falling to the bottom of the assembly. Many people find the broken piece when they remove the bottom metal plate, possibly there is another broken piece that doesn't reveal itself.

SW lock.jpg (81.67 KiB) Viewed 293 times

The spring that falls out pushes the SW lock up and into a slot to lock the wheel. I could imagine something breaking or jamming with this assembly.
-You will not get that plate off the bottom without prying it down with a screwdriver in any key position without breaking the "hook" off of the arm of the metal plate, see below:

Metal plate.jpg (91.28 KiB) Viewed 293 times

-The tumblers are very high quality, as is the key itself. I didn't find any wear marks whatsoever on either after very close inspection, I would agree with CN90, these should never wear out, plus they're well lubricated. The lock cylinder is pot metal or aluminum, prone to wear and breakage.

Tumblers.jpg (98.1 KiB) Viewed 293 times

This donor part that I took apart did not appear to have anything broken in it, in theory I could have used it and transferred my lock tumblers into the cylinder from my car and possibly emerge trouble free. Instead I ordered an entire new column lock (31253385) and 2 shear screws (986940) which comes key coded for the car. Please don't ask me how much it cost. This is my primary vehicle that I routinely drive out in the mountains, most often far from civilization and cell service in the summer and winter. I simply cannot risk this happening again.
In summary I would state that this column lock assembly is very well designed and adequately built but prone to breakage and wear after 20 years and thousands of key cycles.
Many have had success with removing the plate and spring with no problems afterwards, other than loss of the SW lock which didn't really bother me. Some report, like myself, that removing the plate wasn't a permanent solution to the problem. I might have been comfortable leaving it as is and hoping the problem doesn't recur if I was only using the car in town and within cell range.

[cn90]

There are 4 P2 Volvos in my house (wife, kids college).
All of them had the bottom plate removed.
It is a permanent fix.
Zero issues whatsoever.

[abscate]

Picture number two above. Could you document the four hole positions you have to drill to insert the picks to release the lock cylinder at your leisure , please?

[Blacklab467]

The orientation is less important than the depth, which is 3/10 of an inch. I used a digital caliper for the distance from the top measurement. Holes are 90 degrees apart roughly to compress the retainer ring. If you hit the ring "gap" with a hole you can drill a fifth hole in the vicinity. I used a 3/16 bit. You'll need 3 people to compress the ring and pull the lock cylinder out.

[cn90]

BlackLab467...

You are like a neurosurgeon doing brain surgery on this ignition tumblers lol...

Most cars these days have push start button, so this tumbler design is less common now.

I was surprised to see ? 2022 Toyota Camry (forgot the exact year) with the key-type ignition switch.

[Blacklab467]

Well......I just needed to learn about this thing before I pulled the trigger on a new part, see if I missed something and how it all works. Unfortunately I didn't have success with the plate removal keeping the key from being stuck for more than a few days. I surmised that the lock cylinder in mine must be worn out or have a broken piece of pot metal stuck in it somewhere. Fortunately it has been cooperative and will continue to be till I receive the new part!

[abscate]

The orientation is less important than the depth, which is 3/10 of an inch. I used a digital caliper for the distance from the top measurement. Holes are 90 degrees apart roughly to compress the retainer ring. If you hit the ring "gap" with a hole you can drill a fifth hole in the vicinity. I used a 3/16 bit. You'll need 3 people to compress the ring and pull the lock cylinder out.

It’s that critical to lip to cylinder distance I was after

[Blacklab467]

Sorry, 3/10 of an inch from the top of the lock down to where you drill the holes, I called it depth.