Disco 2 Ignition switch
- Thread starter Terry
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cipx2
New Member
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- 192
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- Bucharest, Romania
Are you sure the steering lock isn't playing you? Keep moving the steering wheel side to side several times while turning the key. If this doesn't work try the second key.
Thanks for that, but I think it's past that tried both keys to no avail for about 2 hours last night, inserts ok but will not turn, moved steering wheel to make sure the steering lock wasn't causing the problem but it wasn't I'm sorry to say, so it looks like a visit to the main stealers to buy a new one, just wondered if it needed programming in with testbook or whether that is just the keys? I have been told that with the VIN I can get a replacement that will work with my existing key which would be nice!
Mike Whiskey
New Member
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- 311
Bit of a dredge, but I experienced this very same fault on Holiday last week.
Here's how I overcame / fixed it!
The get you going bodge: Take off the column cowlings. Remove the barrell from the column by undoing the two shear bolts. Mine yielded to my mini molegrips, and a lot of small turns. This will remove the steering lock. Then take the switch off the end of the ignition barrel. As long as you keep the transponder key close to the coil that sits around the end of the end of the barrel where the key goes, you can now operate the starter switch with a screwdriver. Car will run and drive this way.
The 'Fix': I took my locked barrel, held it key end down, and gave it a number of sharp taps around the outside of the barrel. Something brass coloured (the broken bit of the mechanism?) fell out, along with some quite sticky balled up bits of graphite lubricant. Lock barrel now feels better than ever, completely smooth, no catching or sticking at all.
Used a hacksaw to cut slots in the shear bolts so I could do them up with a screwdriver, then re-assemble.
Two days later, and lots of starts, and test operations of the key in the barrel, and everything still works.
Just put the cowlings back on. So it is either done for good or will not play tomorrow morning!
MW
Here's how I overcame / fixed it!
The get you going bodge: Take off the column cowlings. Remove the barrell from the column by undoing the two shear bolts. Mine yielded to my mini molegrips, and a lot of small turns. This will remove the steering lock. Then take the switch off the end of the ignition barrel. As long as you keep the transponder key close to the coil that sits around the end of the end of the barrel where the key goes, you can now operate the starter switch with a screwdriver. Car will run and drive this way.
The 'Fix': I took my locked barrel, held it key end down, and gave it a number of sharp taps around the outside of the barrel. Something brass coloured (the broken bit of the mechanism?) fell out, along with some quite sticky balled up bits of graphite lubricant. Lock barrel now feels better than ever, completely smooth, no catching or sticking at all.
Used a hacksaw to cut slots in the shear bolts so I could do them up with a screwdriver, then re-assemble.
Two days later, and lots of starts, and test operations of the key in the barrel, and everything still works.
Just put the cowlings back on. So it is either done for good or will not play tomorrow morning!
MW
thought it was mine!
New Member
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- 8,236
mine did the same afew weeks back used the lead of a pencil ran it over key and then put key in lock did it a few times been ok up till now touch wood
ianrobbo
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- 31
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- West Sussex
Almost exactly how I fixed the exact same snag.
Buying a new key is so complicated/expensive, I'd avoid it if you possibly can.
Use some sort of spray cleaner (carb cleaner maybe?) to get all the old sticky/dirty crud out of there, then re-lubricate - I just used some light grease.
I re-secured mine with some allen headed bolts
I know its an old thread but it worked for me. D2 with keys that suddenly wouldn't turn the ignition/move the tumblers. Called the RAC out but he was unable to help (actually useless all round) so...opened it up as per this thread & tapped the shear bolts loose, disconnected the wiring blocks & took out the philips screws holding the switch at the end of the barrel. Got it indoors under a good light & having extracted the actual barrel from the sleeve I found one of the minute compression springs (which pressure each tumbler) had come adrift. Bit of fiddling to get it back then inserted the barrel into its sleeve, cleaning each tumbler with carb cleaner then re-greasing with light grease. Hacksawed a slot in the shear bolts & re-used them. I'm not particularly mech minded but aren't afraid to try so I'd urge anyone to have a go rather than using a garage/dealer. Only thing that concerned me is that where a rivet is shown on the photos, at the side of the ally barrel sleeve, mine wasn't (& still isn't) rivetted. Not sure if will cause probs but thanks to all who contributed to this thread.
bobupndown
Active Member
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- Stuck in the 1980s
Its a common problem. The brass tumblers in the lock wear and become dislodged so that the key cant turn in the barrell. Removed mine as detailed above and disassembled it, theres a pin holding the barrel into the casting, I removed it by grinding away at the metal around it enough to knock it out, pulled the barrell out and removed lots of broken brass tumblers and minute springs holding them in place. Put the remains back together and reassembled. Now the lock can be turned using virtually any key and in fact the ignition key can be removed in the on / engine running position however not too worried about this because the engine wont start unless the transponder in the key is in close proximity to the ignition switch. Easy fix and so glad didnt have to replace ignition lock and keys which would have been very expensive. Mines been like this for about 5 years now with no issues at all.
sierrafery
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- Arad/Romania
Any kind of bodge is possible but IMO it can't last too much, it's not so hard nor expensive to fix it well, it involves this Steering Lock / Ignition Switch Discovery 2 (Economy) D2LOCK Island 4x4 - Specialists in Land Rover and Range Rover Parts and accessories for all models. UK and worldwide mail order. and a blank key blade which fits the fob(plenty on ebay) to cut it after the keys which came with the barrel...then you can have a fresh start and rest your mind for another 10+ years
bobupndown
Active Member
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- 271
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- Stuck in the 1980s
Any kind of bodge is possible but IMO it can't last too much, it's not so hard nor expensive to fix it well, it involves this Steering Lock / Ignition Switch Discovery 2 (Economy) D2LOCK Island 4x4 - Specialists in Land Rover and Range Rover Parts and accessories for all models. UK and worldwide mail order. and a blank key blade which fits the fob(plenty on ebay) to cut it after the keys which came with the barrel...then you can have a fresh start and rest your mind for another 10+ years
Thats a damn sight cheaper than the £250 or so being asked when I was looking!
discool
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- 13,493
Gordy88
Active Member
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- 221
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- Lisburn, Co Antrim
Had the same problem, as well as the leccy bit being worn
I bought a new disco one lock and key, around 35 quid
Took the key portion off the D2 fob, and keep it on the ring, as long as its close to the exciter ring, its fine
A small straightforward wiring splice and all is fine, new lock came with new shear bolts too
literally a 5 minute job
cheers
I bought a new disco one lock and key, around 35 quid
Took the key portion off the D2 fob, and keep it on the ring, as long as its close to the exciter ring, its fine
A small straightforward wiring splice and all is fine, new lock came with new shear bolts too
literally a 5 minute job
cheers
Disco Moaner
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- 2
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- Essex
Any kind of bodge is possible but IMO it can't last too much, it's not so hard nor expensive to fix it well, it involves this Steering Lock / Ignition Switch Discovery 2 (Economy) D2LOCK Island 4x4 - Specialists in Land Rover and Range Rover Parts and accessories for all models. UK and worldwide mail order. and a blank key blade which fits the fob(plenty on ebay) to cut it after the keys which came with the barrel...then you can have a fresh start and rest your mind for another 10+ years
Disco Moaner
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Thanks for the tip regarding the replacement spare part, Sierrafery. Thanks also to Island 4x4 for their great service.
In case it helps anyone else who has the problem of steering lock / ignition not budging, here's a few things I learnt from the experience:
- When the key would not initially turn the lock, I squirted contact cleaner in to the lock whilst jiggling the key. This did not work immediately, but when I tried it a couple of hours later the key turned.
- This was only a short term fix. It was still difficult to turn the key on subsequent days.
- The Haynes manual for the Disco 2 is incorrect. It says you have to remove the steering column assembly in order to replace the lock assembly - this is not the case.
- The Haynes manual was useful for describing the way to remove the steering column shroud.
- Removing the shear-bolts with a hammer and chisel was easier than anticipated. It helps to have a long, narrow chisel because of the restricted space to work in.
- Removing the immobiliser coil from the old lock assembly was not difficult. It comes off when you twist and pull.
- I was fooled for a bit by the rubber boot that comes on the new lock assembly at the key end. This is not needed, and has to be removed in order for the new lock assembly to fit in the immobiliser coil.
- The ignition bulb has a white plastic surround. If the surround from the old bulb stays in the immobiliser, then you need to remove the surround from the new bulb before inserting it in the immobiliser. If the surround comes out with the old bulb, then you can leave the one on the new bulb in place.
- The description of the replacement part as a "Steering Lock / Ignition Switch" is a bit confusing, as the Haynes manual refers to it as a "Lock Assembly" with the ignition switch being a separate unit which is unscrewed from the end of the old lock assembly and refitted to the new lock assembly.
- Everything worked fine after re-assembly.
In case it helps anyone else who has the problem of steering lock / ignition not budging, here's a few things I learnt from the experience:
- When the key would not initially turn the lock, I squirted contact cleaner in to the lock whilst jiggling the key. This did not work immediately, but when I tried it a couple of hours later the key turned.
- This was only a short term fix. It was still difficult to turn the key on subsequent days.
- The Haynes manual for the Disco 2 is incorrect. It says you have to remove the steering column assembly in order to replace the lock assembly - this is not the case.
- The Haynes manual was useful for describing the way to remove the steering column shroud.
- Removing the shear-bolts with a hammer and chisel was easier than anticipated. It helps to have a long, narrow chisel because of the restricted space to work in.
- Removing the immobiliser coil from the old lock assembly was not difficult. It comes off when you twist and pull.
- I was fooled for a bit by the rubber boot that comes on the new lock assembly at the key end. This is not needed, and has to be removed in order for the new lock assembly to fit in the immobiliser coil.
- The ignition bulb has a white plastic surround. If the surround from the old bulb stays in the immobiliser, then you need to remove the surround from the new bulb before inserting it in the immobiliser. If the surround comes out with the old bulb, then you can leave the one on the new bulb in place.
- The description of the replacement part as a "Steering Lock / Ignition Switch" is a bit confusing, as the Haynes manual refers to it as a "Lock Assembly" with the ignition switch being a separate unit which is unscrewed from the end of the old lock assembly and refitted to the new lock assembly.
- Everything worked fine after re-assembly.
dkl1971
Active Member
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- 306
Dragging this back up again.I'm running into this issue on my soft dash RRC - same ignition set up. You can get new ignition barrels for £30 or so now but I don't really want to have 2 keys for the car - is there anyway to avoid this other than grinding all the poeces down so any long slender bit of metal will start the car.
neilly
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- Oxfordshireness
Take it apart and give it a good clean, try not to lose the little bits when you do strip it as it is fiddly.
But if they are badly worn then it may need either those gates removing ( and who is to know??) or replacing the ignition barrel.
Cheers
But if they are badly worn then it may need either those gates removing ( and who is to know??) or replacing the ignition barrel.
Cheers
brianconwy
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- conwy, north wales
I have got to this stage (see photos) and I am not sure of my next move. I have cleaned it with WD40 and brake cleaner. The deepest plates move freely but the ones nearest the key entry point seem stiff and beyond repair. How do you remove them and will I have enough left to function? Should I get an aftermarket replacement? I need the car for work tomorrow.
neilly
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Hi Brian.
I used this guide. The later pages may help you out.
Cheers
I used this guide. The later pages may help you out.
Cheers
neilly
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- Oxfordshireness
@brianconwy
But in regard to your question with the key removed those brass blades should just slide out, make sure to remove the little springs as well.
Cheers
But in regard to your question with the key removed those brass blades should just slide out, make sure to remove the little springs as well.
Cheers
brianconwy
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- conwy, north wales
Thanks for that. What does the ball-bearing do? I am sure it should be sprung but I can't find the spring.
