DIY: 1998 Volvo V70 Ignition Switch & Cylinder Lock

[clarkandrew45]

DIY: 1998 Volvo V70 Ignition Switch & Cylinder Lock Replacement

Car is 1998 Volvo V70 with 106K miles.
- Symptoms: sometimes cannot crank the engine, after wiggling the key a few times, then I can start the engine. It was intermittent, then it became permanent.
- Key can turn to Position I and Position II but not Position III (crank).
- Initially I thought it was the Ignition Switch (Electrical Portion to the LEFT of Steering Column), which was replaced but same symptoms! It turned out to be the Ignition Tumbler Lock (where you insert the key).

The links below are very good DIYs but both of these DIYs mentioned Steering Wheel Removal (not needed IMHO). These are 1999-2000 S70, S80 Ignition Tumbler DIYs:

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... hp?t=13514

http://volvospeed.com/Repair/ignition_S80.html

---> If you replace the Ignition Tumbler Lock (where you insert the key), there is NO need to remove the Steering Wheel at all! Read on.

------
Parts/Tools:

1. Igntition Switch (Electrical Portion is PN 9447804, $50 at Volvo dealer. Do not use aftermarket part).

2. Ignition Tumbler Assembly (where you insert the key, Volvo PN is 8626325). I bought it for $210 from (ordered Monday and got it by Fedex on Saturday, wow fast service!):
Don Snyder
Darrell Waltrip Volvo Subaru
615-599-6294 Direct
Tel. 1-800-679-6124
Fax 615-599-6253
[email protected]

3. Tools:
- Torx set
- “Trim” Hammer (this hammer is used for carpentry trim job) is useful in this tight space
- 1/32” Nail Set
- Flat Screwdriver.
.....
This is all boy and girls, the good news is you don’t have to remove the Steering Wheel if you replace the Ignition Tumbler Assembly!!!

This is a very helpful write up mate. A lot of people like me are depending on articles like this when doing a mechanical job. Thanks for sharing.

[c70_lindsay]

Good right up. I just did the cylinder lock on my 2000 C70 after reading this post (had I not read this I probably would have brought it to the dealer). I was unable to tap out the bolts. I don't know if the were tighter or the nail set I had was to cheap, I may have bean able to do it with a good set of chisel and punches but I didn't have any. I ended up resorting to filing, hacksawing, and hammering the thing off. Crude I know but it eventually worked. The steel the cylinder is made off is very soft otherwise this wouldn't have been possible.

As a side note the volvo dealer charged my $540 for the cylinder, after I bought the part(non-refundable) I thought maybe a locksmith could fix the cylinder its to late for me to try this but anyone else might wanna give it a try. That is of course if they don't mangle the original like I did removing it. And If anybody has any opinions about bringing it to a locksmith I'd love to hear them! Happy wrenching!

[cn90]

Actually the picture I posted above did not do justice, it was there just to show the nailset and hammer.

The trick is to angle the nailset about 45 degrees or so and hammer it so that the bolt rotates COUNTERCLOCKWISE.

[dahammer]

This is a repair that I will eventually need to do, on occasion the key just spins, but I have been lucky up to now. A local mechanic that specializes in Volvos quoted me $500 to do this repair.

[22volvo]

I successfully performed this procedure on a 2004 V70 w/ 140k miles. The slight difference in the 04 is there is no loose upper half bracket for the lock cylinder. Instead, on the 04, there is a welded plate on the steering column that the lock cylinder assembly bolts to. Otherwise, identical. The removal of the shear bolts required drilling - they would not budge when tapping. An easy task to drill when the steering wheel is extended away from the dash.

Instead of the shear (security) bolts I found some M8x1.25x16mm hex bolts (local Lowes store) to go back in.
The VIN number provided to the folks at TASCA had a new unit keyed to our existing keys delivered in 10 calender days ($220 us).

[pluto168]

Hi cn90, I cannot turn the key past the Position I on my 2006 XC90. I tried two different keys, same issue. Do you think I should also replace the ignition switch and lock cylinder to fix the issue? Appreciate your advice.

[cn90]

pluto168,

I don't know much about 2006 XC90 (b/c I don't own an XC model), but your symptom (can't go past Position I) points to ignition lock problem.
Go to (or call) your Volvo dealer and ask to speak to a tech, very often you get great advices on what to do.
Then order appropriate parts and replace them.

This is not only a safety item (car may stall) but also a nuisance problem (can't start the car), so take care of it promptly.

[LamboSE5]

Actually the picture I posted above did not do justice, it was there just to show the nailset and hammer.

The trick is to angle the nailset about 45 degrees or so and hammer it so that the bolt rotates COUNTERCLOCKWISE.

Until I came to this sentence I was lost as to what the heck was missing (or I was missing) from this write up. It didn't make sense that you were suggesting to hammer out a threaded bolt man. :/

Now I think I know what you meant by it.
Thanks for this write up! It's great.

Curious why not just use a "nail set/punch" to make an indentation for a driver bit (Robertson, flathead, square etc), and then just "unscrew" the shear bolt with the corresponding bit? (will this work)?
But the CCW hammering/tapping is smart. EDIT: I thought the nail set had different pattern, i.e.: robertson 'square'. never mind

I have a have a '98 S70 t5 se, where occasionally the key will just turn in the slot. I didn't know the repair was so expensive and as involved as this whole tumbler.
Anyway, I thought it was the ignition switch I needed (and thought that was probably part of the key slot or behind it, and that would solve my problem)...I have a parts car (same exact, t5 se) that I started to take the ignition stuff apart on.

Anyway, question is: I can just swap the tumbler and ignition assembly from my beloved parts car over to the new (not-so-loved) S70 right? And then use the keys from said beloved parts car? Please say yes...
And I guess I would want to swap the driver door keyhole/lock, and trunk keyhole/lock from the parts car into the new car - this would work too, right?

Thank you!

Edit: ps - when you say "angle nail set at a 45 degree angle, I assume you mean on the outer circumference of the shear bolt's head/top. Not the center.

[LamboSE5]

How do I get this off? (Ignition Switch)

IMG_1238.JPG

IMG_1239.JPG

I'm waiting for a ride to the store to get a nail set, and whatever else.

If my symptom is that sometimes the key will just turn and turn in the slot, do I have less to replace? I mean, is that "tumbler assembly made up of two parts that are held together by those shear bolts? And I just need the bottom half?

Destroying/damaging any part of this assembly is not an option. I need to swap it into another car. So if by "drilling out" you guys mean "wrangling it completely", then that's not an option either.
I'd like to make some sort of pattern on the top of the shear bolts (+ or x or | or "a square") so I can extract them with a screw driver/bit... I don't know if a small cold chisel would be good for that? The small flat portion on top of the shear bolt is just that - "small".

Thanks

[cn90]

...But the CCW hammering/tapping is smart. EDIT: I thought the nail set had different pattern, i.e.: robertson 'square'. never mind...
Edit: ps - when you say "angle nail set at a 45 degree angle, I assume you mean on the outer circumference of the shear bolt's head/top. Not the center.

Correct,

Just use common sense, as long as the nail set hits the outer part of the bolt in a CCW manner, it will come off.
The nail set will angle at 45 degrees or so.
See pic below, nail set is drawn as "blue color":

nailset.JPG (44.4 KiB) Viewed 4663 times