4th gen, starts fine, release key, turns off :(

grant_day · Post by **grant_day** » Fri May 18, 2012 8:24 am

Hey all, just wondered if anybody has had this happen before,
I put the key into the ignition, I turn the key, the car starts, when I release the key so it sits in the usual on position it turns off.
I can turn the key again, it starts fine. I hold the key just slightly more than the on position it runs perfect, but as soon as I allow the key to sit in position it turns off.
Only happened today, its very annoing as I was trying to keep her started for about 10 mins this morning, but I gave up and took my bike to work instead. :
Could it be the ignition barrel is out of line? something to do with immobiliser? Or is there something I am missing?

skyrocket · Post by **skyrocket** » Fri May 18, 2012 8:53 am

there was a recall on 5th gens due to wear on the contact points on the ignition barrel...could be a similar thing??

littlefeller · Post by **littlefeller** » Fri May 18, 2012 9:04 am

yep had same with mine, melted contacts. you dont need the barrel, just the plastic contact part at the back. i brought a spare to replace mine when mine went, i never got arround to fit it as when waiting for the delivery i decided to heath robinson it. it was easy, i just adjusted the contacts inside with some clever bending with a pair of pliers, been fine since, 3 years and counting

when i removed the plastic cover at the rear or the barrel terminals a large piece of solder fell out, think maybe the arc caused at start-up melts the solder, you may just be able to resolder it

if not i have a spare

i was lucky as mine is an auto, so i drove home with one hand on the key holding it at just the right angle to make contact, a real pain

if you trawl through the archives you will find its a real common issue

but easly fixed

grant_day · Post by **grant_day** » Fri May 18, 2012 9:25 am

If I could give millions of rep I would, but for now I send love and hugs! I'll have a go wen in home from work. Fingers crossed its fixed.soon!
Thanks

littlefeller · Post by **littlefeller** » Fri May 18, 2012 9:38 am

i will post a picy of my spare so you know what to remove

grant_day · Post by **grant_day** » Fri May 18, 2012 9:51 am

Please do

littlefeller · Post by **littlefeller** » Fri May 18, 2012 10:29 am

cant find my spare, so found this on google, its mounted onto the rear of the ignition barrel (oposite end to key hole on the left hand side of steering column) there is a small plastic cover over it, it was inside this cover i found the melted solder.

By littlefeller2010 at 2012-05-18

i disconected mine and ran a bulb and battery to locate which contact was fualty (in fairness it was visable)

ok just had a look at my switch, you have to remove the bottom cover on the steering column, the black plastic cover is situated just behind (or you could say underneath) the column addjuster (assuming yours is 4g) the plastic cover is a kind of circular shape, easly spotted

grant_day · Post by **grant_day** » Fri May 18, 2012 10:40 am

Ok, ill have a look when I get home from work. Cheers,

grant_day · Post by **grant_day** » Fri May 18, 2012 1:02 pm

i just found this, http://techauto.awardspace.com/ignitionswitch.html

quite useful

littlefeller · Post by **littlefeller** » Fri May 18, 2012 1:26 pm

thats the fella, i was tempted to just put a switch inline if i couldnt fix it, it would have to be a high current one though, or an electro magnet switch (this uses a small current to energize an electromagnet which in turn throws a high current switch) if you try and use a normal common switch it can weld the contacts together

if you get stuck i will hunt around for my spare

once you have opened the white part (fualty part) you will find a metal disk with bumps on it, this disc rotates and makes contact with those flat pieces you see in the pics on that site. you can see which is the ignition as it will be the larges wire. i simply bent the bumps (raised edge part) on my disc to make contact again, works a good un

can that link be added to the wiki or something as it is a common fault