ignition cylinder, replace ignition cylinder, key broke off
Folks-
I always knew this might happen at some point: my wife went to drive the van and the old worn out key broke off in the ignition.
Luckily this baby starts up and shuts down just fine with a flat head screwdriver, but I need to have the van inspected in Maine very soon and need to get the broken key out.
I've put the ignition in neutral and I can see the broken piece inside, I can move it around with small screwdrivers etc but I can't seem to get it out.
I was thinking if I can pull the whole thing out it might be real easy to remove, but I can' find any reference for removing the ignition in the FSM, I've looked all over!
You can pull the cylinder easily enough, sort of.
With the column covers off you will see the bolts that secure the 2 halves of the housing, they are designed so the heads break off as they are tightened.
So hammer and chisel are required to extract them, that or try cutting a slot in the remaining portion and use a flat blade screw driver.
There also may be the possibility of removing the cylinder with the housing intact, usually a detent the has to be depressed to remove the cylinder.
Personally I would use a sharp skinny pick and try to grab the broken piece without disassembling anything, sometimes 2 picks can be used in concert to grab and extract. Have also seen crazy glue on the broken stub used successfully but is a dangerous past time as sometimes you can end up making things a whole lot worse (if the glue gets on the tumblers it makes everything "one").
Or call a locksmith, they have lots of practice doing this sort of thing and will have it out in no time, but with a hefty financial penalty.
I've fished out broken parts of keys before with a dental pick, but it's usually challenging and not always possible. These vans have weak ignition tumblers anyhow, so it's often best to change it out with a new one. Changing the entire tumbler is pretty easy. For hopeless cases when you can't even turn it with a screwdriver you can resort to a slide-hammer, but that's not recommended as it can damage the column. Since you can still rotate with a screwdriver, you will be able to change it the proper way. All you have to do is remove the plastic cover from the column and use your screwdriver to put the tumbler into the "accessory" position.
Looking at the picture below, when a key (even a broken key) is placed into the key slot, the arm lever thing moves slightly closer to the body. Then when it's turned to the "accessory" position the little button marked with a red arrow can be pushed in. It's accessible from a hole on the top of the column (when the plastic column cover is off). As long as you are able get it into the accessory position, the next step would be to stick something down that hole and push the button. When you push it, the tumbler assy will pop right out.
The new tumbler is Toyota part #69057-28010 and retails for around $150. Internet sites like www.1stToyotaParts.com will sell the OEM part for around $110 + whatever for shipping. Aftermarket is also available and several sellers on eBay have them for around $90 - $100..........but IMHO the $20 or so you save isn't worth potential quality issues. Here's a link to an eBay auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMP-STANDARD...618f85&vxp=mtr
If you're concerned about having the new cylinder match your door locks (so one key will still do everything), take the new cylinder down to a locksmith before installation. If you bring him an old key he can match the new cylinder to it. Most locksmiths will charge about $25 to $50 for this service. When you're ready to install, just put the key into the new tumbler, rotate to the "accessory" position, orient it correctly to the bore, and push it in. When it gets to the correct position the little button pops up and locks it into place. That's it! Very, very easy. Have fun. Tim
Well I've been working at this here and there to fish the broken piece out. I can see the piece inside and it moves freely, but, i can't get behind it to catch it enough to drag it out.
I REALLY can't afford to change the whole thing out right now, I just got pulled over by a state trooper and ticketed for not having Maine plates (I've lived here too long!!). So now I gotta get my van legalized which is of course a pain in the butt, excise tax, registration, new plates, new drivers licenses AND the real kicker is the awesomely stupid Main yearly vehicle inspection where they make sure your vehicle is safe for the road by checking things like windshield wiper fluid, rust spots, etc.
So, if I can't get the darn key out, I'll just have to start the sucker with the screwdriver til I can't do it anymore!
Another thought I had was this: The other half of the key fits in the ignition and its actually what we've been using to start the van. I was thinking if I get a thin layer of JB Weld on the end of that and get it up against the broken piece, let it sit overnight.....well, it might work right? of course the trick being not using too much glue so as not to glue the whole thing in......
Can't say if these are available through Toyota or not, but the cylinder with key is Toyota part #69057-28010. The ignition switch (electrical end of things) is Toyota #84450-35060. If OEM isn't available, both parts should be available via aftermarket. Tim
I can't get the little button to depress, so i can't get the key to turn back all the way to pull it out. Any ideas? I tried moving the wheel around and fiddling with the key.
My first thought was the interlock key solenoid was acting up that requires you to put your foot on the brake in order to release the key if you are in any other position than Park or Neutral . Sometimes the system thinks you are still in drive and won't release the key. But that was only on the 1989 Model. For those who have 89's the shift lock override button is just for this scenario in the event the solenoid stops working properly.
Probably a bad ignition lock with a stuck tumbler but this usually is the opposite of what happens. usually the key practically falls out and you can turn the ignition with a paperclip
89 4WD, 87 le 4WD, 85 2wd , 87 2wd cargo , 88 2wd cargo. 76 International Harvester school bus,
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Re: Key stuck in ignition
Interesting. I have a problem which is kinda opposite but the same. When I bought this van , the PO told me not to take the key out of the ignition. Apparently she had to walk many miles out of the forest after not being able to re insert the key. Upon return with a friend, they were able to push the key back in and get it to work. Flash forward 15+ years. I buy the van and I heed her advice for a few months. Then one day I forget and I take the key out of the ignition. After a very cold and aggravating half hour, I manage to find the sweet spot, allowing me to get home with out a long walk.
I made some copies of the original key that came with the van. Some of them work in the doors and ignition. Some of them only work in one or the other. The ones that work in the ignition all have the same issue. I haven't got around to changing it out yet. I haven't checked to see if those are even available. I need one for my 89 4WD also. That one has the loose key problem. Key can be removed with the engine running. Also it clicks a few times while attempting to crank the starter motor. It has not failed to start, but it is not a reassuring feeling when you are 20 miles back in the woods. Question is, are the lock cylinders replaceable with out having to remove steering lock mechanism? Or is it all one unit? I mind a different ignition key, as I plan to replace all three of my vans door lock cylinders with the same key. I think they have about 6 different locks between them.
Checking around, ignition locks are only available via web. I didn't want to wait a week and hoped
for a cheaper fix than the $150 I was seeing for a reasonable lock. (I assumed that the $30 ones I
saw would be POS and/or unreliable.)
Taking a flier, I pulled the lock out and brought it to a local locksmith. For about $30 he's going
to take it apart, replace the wafers to fit my key again and make me a 3rd key. I expect to get it
back later this afternoon and pop it back in the van. (Digging around his shop he found a used one
that he had previously rebuilt. But, I decided to keep the one I had instead since $30 seemed
pretty cheap to me, I wanted to get back my factory key, and, the van only has 40k miles, so I knew
the usage was relatively light.)
The most difficult part for me was finding the tab/button that I needed to push to remove the lock.
For future reference, it's just behind where the turn signal reaches the steering wheel column.
I could barely see it -- needed a bright flashlight to catch a glimpse of it. Used a right-angled
pick to push it in. Second hardest part was finding the 4th screw that held together the trim pieces
that cover the ignition lock.
So, that's my suggesion for people with ignition lock issues. Once you know where to find the
button and all 4 screws, it should take about 15 minutes to pull it. Then, find a good locksmith
to repair it. He estimated 1/2 hour of labor.
Last reference: the lock cylinder for 88/89 Van is Toyota part: 69057-28021. According to the local Toyota dealer
they are completely unavailable through Toyota. Aftermarket only.
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Re: Key stuck in ignition
The tumblers wear out in the Ignition Lock Cylinder making it difficult to slide the key in and out and even get it to turn and crank, I dealt with that for the first few months of owning my van and then took the ILC into the lock smith and he was showing me because of the angel of the key and how we crank to start it eventually wears them out not to mention they're going on 25 plus years of usage, he ordered me a new one for $75 with 2 new keys and then set the tumblers on the new unit to match the old ILC so I didn't need to have separate keys for the ignition and doors.... so far so good
Key head angled up and it fits and cranks, key head angled down amd it needs to be wiggled and giggled to slide in and then it won't turn and crank.
I got a new ignition lock cylinder but am having trouble figuring out how to get the old one out and the shop service manual doesnt seem to have a section on it. Anyone do this repair?
edit: I feel like an idiot, there is a little button behind the turn signal, you need to turn the key part way, push the button in and it pulls right out.
Last edited by SpaceToaster; 04-02-2017 at 06:28 PM.
when i first bought my van, i could not for the life of me figure out how to remove the key from the ignition. after some swearing and frustration i finally noticed the little button - pushed it and out came the key
i think a lot of this have probably experienced this embarrassment lol
Hey SpaceToaster. I'm curious, where did you get your new cylinder? I assume that came with a working key (as opposed to a blank)? I've replaced the ignition switch, but the actual cylinder is shot on mine. I'm weighing my options... buying new or taking the cylinder to a locksmith to see what they can do with it.
RockAuto sells them new -- that said, the quality doesn't seem near as nice as the original unit. Mine requires a key jiggle a lot of the time to get it fully engaged, and it's only about 1-2 years old.
I paid around $25 for mine, but they seem to be in the 70-80 range now, boooooooo. Luckily, my ignition key works on the locks as well.
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