98 Volvo, S70, T5 (manual tranny), 300K orig. owner

[grr]

Sometimes new battery is drained and needs charging to start vehicle.
Vehicle occasionally balks at road speed. Heater fan occasionally cycles to high then back again.
When starting, sometime key turns all the way around, but usually I only get start and contact in the far end of twisting the key, as if I will soon not make necessary contact.
After starting, warning lights remain on but will disappear if I rotate the key back and forth while engine is running. Car has never failed to start, but the distance the key must be turned make it seem it will not ever make contact and turn over.

Read posts about ignition switch failure and can not decide whether to replace electrical side (left module) or the key insert side.

Thanks for any suggestions.
Jerry

[rspi]

If there is a question about the key situation, I'd repalce the electrical side of the ignition and see what happens.

[jblackburn]

Your ignition collar/ tumbler is bad, but it also sounds like the electrical portion may be as well.

I'm also wondering if perhaps one of your battery cables is having problems as well.

Here's how I would go about it:
1) Change the mechanical part of the ignition. See if things improve.
2) If not, go for the electrical part (takes 5 minutes). See if everything clears up
3) If not, perform a load drop test from battery to fuse box (I may also suggest doing this in combination with #1). This may explain the battery randomly dying and issues driving down the road.

[grr]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Ok, electrical side first.

Can the tumbler be purchased separately or do I have to purchase the whole key side?

Jerry

[jblackburn]

The whole collar thing comes as one piece.

[grr]

So...that mean a new key side?

Thanks to you all for your input. Electrical side going in today.

Jerry

[cn90]

I have a key side (Ignition Tumbler).
It is barely 5K old, essentially brand new.
I totaled my car so I just removed the Ignition Tumbler.