so last night I get home from work, park the xB, then come back to it about a half hour later to work on it. I am relocating the warning lights/clock display to the storage pocket and keeping the speedo in it's normal location.

so it's all torn apart and getting late so I want to start the car to make sure everything will run without the speedo/warning lights cluster being in the car. I try to put my key in the ignition and it goes in a quarter of the way and it feels like it's hitting something. I fiddle with it for about 20 minutes then finally the key will go all the way in, but with some resistance with the key being about halfway in. at this point I can't turn the key, I try turning the steering wheel back and forth thinking the steering wheel lock is stopping it but I can't turn the key at all. the only thing I did was run the speedo/cluster harness down to the pocket. I didn't mess with anything around the steering column or the key cylinder.

I know that some people have driven around with the cluster out of they're car but I can't explain why I can't turn the key. Maybe coincidence? I'm putting the speedo and cluster back together today to see if that has anything to do it. Also I did not put the key in the ignition at all until I tried to start it.

anyone else run into this? if you have an idea what it could be please help me!!!!!!!

thanks,
Bill

 

You know Bill I thought of somthing this morning after I talked to you... I had the cluster out and had to put the key in to move the gear shifter from P to D1.. so I could have room to pull the pocket out.. and the key cylinder worked fine.. Maybe its differnt on an Auto compared to a manual..

Bump for some info SL peeps..

 

so I messed with it tonight and I have to pull the steering wheel off in order to get to the 2 screws that help hold the steering wheel shroud on. I talked to Toyota service and they say it must be a bent locking rod and that is why the key won't turn and it won't unlock the steering wheel.

this is becoming a big pain in the butt and I'm about ready to yank out the key cylinder, bypass the steering wheel lock, and make the xB push button start and switches for the ignition and accesories. A new key cylinder is going to cost a pretty penny.
I'll keep you updated,
Bill

 

Push button all the way... Gitter done B... Hide it somewhere... somwhere good ..

 

well after this weekend my xB is pushbutton start. I took out the ignition key cylinder and wired relays and put a momentary push button in for the starter. I have kill switches installed so that anyone can't just walk up and start the car.

and Billy, found something that doesn't work on my cluster, the speedo. opps! I have to double check and see if there is something else I crossed. Your old cluster works but for the tach, right?

 

That sounds interesting. Pics?

 

so I bring in the ignition key cylinder to work and start messing with it. we ended up cutting out the steering wheel lock mechanism, blow out the key opening, and wouldn't you know it, the key turns. so something must of been wrong with the steering wheel lock piece. so what I'm thing is put the cylinder back in but leave the push button start in, just don't hook the start wire back up to the key cylinder.

one problem fixed, on to the speedometer.

 

try turning the steering wheel back and forth while turning the key. the mechanism that locks the steering wheel often stops you from turning the key if the wheel is turned to the stopping point.

 

I did that for about 20-30 minutes. with the key cylinder out there was definatly something wrong with the steering wheel lock part of the cylinder.