Jamed Ignition Barrel - Zafira Astra

[ezakimak]

Need some help with the steering lock and ignition barrel?
It should be common to the Holden/Vaxhell/Opel range of small cars, this one is in a Zafira but I know it’s the same in an Astra as well.

The steering wheel is now in the locked position, key barrel is jammed in position “0” and I can’t rotate it with the key. I have tried some graphite as well as some CRC contact cleaner neither have freed it up.

I have also tried tapping with a mallet to try and get the tumblers freed up as well, that hasn’t helped

I was following these instructions from complaints.motorsm.com but can’t get past step 5

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HOLDEN ASTRA TS 2000

TITLE: ASTRA IGNITION BARREL FIXED ... NO COST!

ISSUE: IGNITION *ADVICE*
POST: "I have a TS 2000 Astra and the key kept getting jammed. It won’t turn. It happened about two years ago and cost $300 from memory. I have searched /googled every site in the world or so it seems on this problem. Seems there are Many Astra owners with this problem.

Today - fixed it ... and it didn’t cost a penny.

Step 1. Pop off the front top cover immediately behind the steering wheel. The one which the indicator and wipers stalks go through.

Step 2. Get a star (like an allen key) key and undo one screw from underneath, and two on the top sides (Revealed after step 1).

Step 3. Depress the latch on the side of the wiper stalk assy and slide out the whole assy from the slot, towards you.

Step 4. Get a small nail or very small screw driver and poke it into the small hole revealed by removing the wiper assy.

Step 5. Put your key into the gin and while holding the nail in the small hole (pressing inwards) pull the whole barrel assy out. Easy! (There's a small spring loaded 'catch' on the barrel which locks it inside the steering column.

Step 6. Look at the opp end of the barrel to the key and see a small pin which rotates when the key is turned. The last position of this pin, when you remove the key from the barrel is where the problem lies. There's a small 'ramp' inside the barrel which you can see. It will be burred and pitted from use. (and a 'sharp' end on the pin. Steel pin and soft metal barrel)

Step 7. Use a small file to smooth the metal ramp.

Step 8. Rotate the key all the way "on". Depress the Pin in slightly (against a spring) so you can rotate the barrel to the end and the pin will pop out. (Don’t Lose It, or the small spring inside the hole the pin came out of!)

Step 9. File the fat end of the pin to look rounded, not flat. This makes it easier to ride up the ramp and prevent damaging the *hit metal ramp again.

Step 10 Reinstall the pin and rotate the key so the pin can’t fly out.

Step 11. Put a small amt of grease on the pin and work with the key backwards and forwards to ensure it is working OK.

Step 12. Hold the spring catch (Step 5) down with a small screwdriver and reinsert the barrel. It can only go back in One Way! Trail and error will find it!

Step 13. Reverse assemble the stalks, covers etc.

Saved around $140 in parts.

Good luck "
POSTED BY: ROB ADAMS - SYDNEY, NSW, AUS 3/12/2007

[ezakimak]

cyberface said:

The last pin in the set, you say... sounds like a candidate for 'bumping'... have you tried getting the key in, applying a little bit of torsional pressure (as if you were trying to turn the key, but not forcing), and then giving several small taps to the big end of the key with a rubber mallet or some other plastic clouting tool?

It's a trick (with a blank key) you can use to get into most normal house front door locks (Yale, etc.) so I haven't been that explicit here - but you're already there with the correct key. All you need is a bit of bounce to move that final pin - the technique may work for this.

Yes I have tried that, still doesn’t seem to be moving.

I should also mention that the steering wheel was not locked initially when the key jammed – but has subsequently locked when I tried to roll the car back into the drive and straighten the wheels.

NOTE ambient temperature was 35°C++ yesterday arvo, car was in direct sunlight, and now I have this problem.

The hole that the instructions talk about is in this photo on top of the barrel, you can see some of the residue from the CRC around the outside.



I think there may be another hole underneath the barrel – but I can’t see it because the “security transponder reader” circuit board is in the way and I haven worked out how to remove it yet.

I haven’t tried to remove the contacts from the other end of the switch yet either – they appear to clip of, just not sure what direction to take in disassembly. These plastic things normally break fairly easy when forced, so was hopping to get some instructions. Any other ideas on forums where I should post this info would be helpful as well.

Regards Ryan

[ezakimak]

Well I finally got it out.
Decided that the contact cleaner that I was using was not thick enough and grabbed some WD40, sprayed it inside the lock and also down into the barrel release hole. Then I was able with a bit of giggling, bumping and holding my tong in the right place able to rotate the lock to the I – II and start positions. Once I rotated it to II the barrel release button could be pushed in with my 2.5mm Allen key, and the barrel slid out. Now I can see what the problem is.

I bit of filling, wet-n-dry paper and some wheel bearing grease and it is moving a lot freer.
I haven’t pulled the tumbler out of the barrel, just rounded the last pin on the end. It’s something to do with the way the new cars allow the accessory electrical circuit to kept running until you remove the key. A mechanical interlock device to do something that could be done simply with electronics and the door open switch on the driver’s door.

Now to put it back together, could be another problem, as I didn’t rotate the steering wheel far enough from the lock position before I pulled the barrel out so now that is locked and I cant get the barrel back in.