who designed ignition switches in VWs?

[officejunkie 0]

DAMN YOU!!! who ever designed the ignition switch that wears out, and is an absolute pain (obviously i know its secure) needs a slap. damnit!! its the stuff which makes you want to hit the car with a branch.

 

goodness me what an absolute nightmare job, It wasnt so bad on the mk2 polo i used to have, i didnt care if i broke that lol. But bloody hell i sacrificed three screw drivers bending them to get that bloody screw out. :bad-words: :censored:

 

I just thought i would share the pain.

[Supercharged 2]

The new ones are a better part - from a 6N polo

 

People say it's a common fault but it's not - most are replacing a 15 year old plastic part which has had no end of use or have to change it again 6 months after the first time like I did because they used a GSF switch...

 

It's £17 new from VAG and takes 10 mins to fit, large bunches of keys don't help either when it comes to wear!

[boost monkey 0]

You know there are some people who still haven't swapped out their dead ignition switch :bad-words: :bad-words: :bad-words:

 

Just be grateful you managed to get the screw out. I swear someone has threadlocked mine... I might just drop the whole column when I change the PAS rack.

[officejunkie 0]

my brother in law is mortified more than me.

 

he works as a manager in the testing department for a company that supplies a few major manufacturers with switches,

 

They have to pass a validation test.

 

For example in this case on an ignition switch they have to do the following :-

The simulate a million turns of the key in temperatures ranging from proper cold as and then another million times in really hot as conditions!

They rattle and roll, and etc.

 

He says that the company that supplied these igntion switches didnt test them properly. Clearly lol.

[paul20v 0]

its an old car , things wear out

gee !! try a ford you have to replace the door locks every ten minutes because there made of bubble gum ,

then get your welder fired up to weld your 2001 plate fiesta up

i get really fed up with people slating the old vw s especially the c the newest one is 13 years old and the oldest 19 lets see how well modern cars do shall we

rant over :)

[andy 0]

I've had 5 older VWs with 100k plus mileage no issues with ignition switches whatsoever, always have a bigish bunch of keys jangling too. I don't think there's an issue with them at all. Headlight switches on Corrados however is another issue....... Bit like the sunroofs!

[Jim 2]

Funnily enough tried to change my ignition switch yesterday but didn't have a screw driver long / thin enough to get in there. Going to have to head up to Halfords to find a good one. Wonder if you can get one of those bendy screw drivers that is also mega thin...? Hmm....

[Kevin Bacon 5]

You only need to do a switch once in these cars and it's forever ingrained in your memory. Peice of p1ss second time round.

 

Jim, see Halfrords have a watchmakers screwdriver set, those little chrome handled jobbies in a blue and clear case. They are perfect for getting that fecker of a screw out.

[Jim 2]

I did a bit of digging mate and loads of people were saying the watchmakers type screwdrivers were too short.. that's why I didn't even think to try them.

 

Was looking at these mofo's but reckon they'd be too chunky :(

 

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... -set-16pce

[officejunkie 0]

You only need to do a switch once in these cars and it's forever ingrained in your memory. Peice of p1ss second time round.

 

Jim, see Halfrords have a watchmakers screwdriver set, those little chrome handled jobbies in a blue and clear case. They are perfect for getting that fecker of a screw out.

 

haha yeah once you done this job and if it ever needs doing again - set the car on fire!!!

[RaddoMan 0]

I got mine out with a real good normal Stanley and a mate pushing trim in for me :) it took us about 30mins the screw has a lock washer on it also .

 

I got the 6N one it even starts faster

 

 

Raddo man

[awigman 0]

I still havnt got the bloody little screw out. Its the reason i havnt driven my C in two months!! Its just been sitting on my drive all because of one F%%%%ng screw! :mad2:

[Rado_Raj 0]

I've got the same problem. Sometimes I need to wiggle the key just to get the car started.

 

Just wondered how easy/ stupidly hard the switch is to replace and if anyone has done a write-up on this yet. As im going to give it a go this week and it would be really usefull!!!

 

Ps. I have an early Corrado (don't know if that makes a difference).

 

Cheers

[Jim 2]

Changing the switch out isn't that hard - it's just a test of patience because of how ridiculously inaccessible the screw that holds it in place is, and how cramped the footwell is.

 

You really need to find the thinnest screwdrivers you can and be willing to sacrifice one of them to bend it at the end to make accessing the screw a bit easier. I

 

If i'd had a camera, i've have documented the procedure but if I think about it i'll do a little write up later on! :)

[coolrado 0]

best thing i found to get the screw out easily was a screw driver from a marks and spencer christmas cracker :lol:

[Critical_Mass 10]

best thing i found to get the screw out easily was a screw driver from a marks and spencer christmas cracker :lol:

 

you laugh, but those things are quite useful! :lol:

[timg60 0]

I cheated, Starter button :camp:

 

 

Though will change it one day. :grin:

[coolrado 0]

best thing i found to get the screw out easily was a screw driver from a marks and spencer christmas cracker :lol:

 

you laugh, but those things are quite useful! :lol:

And almost everyone will have one, usually to be found in that kitchen draw full of other random crap like those pointless little chrismas cracker padlocks, magnifying glass, plastic puzzles ect.....

[Critical_Mass 10]

best thing i found to get the screw out easily was a screw driver from a marks and spencer christmas cracker :lol:

 

you laugh, but those things are quite useful! :lol:

And almost everyone will have one, usually to be found in that kitchen draw full of other random crap like those pointless little chrismas cracker padlocks, magnifying glass, plastic puzzles ect.....

 

What about the metal puzzles, the ones where you have to get the loop of metal seperate from the rest of the puzzle?

 

Or best one yet, got 2 water pistols last christmas.... the day just flew by :lol: :offtopic:

[Rado_Raj 0]

Changed the switch over after work last night.

 

It wasn't as hard as I've heard it to be. Took about 15 minutes. Just have no indicators now. So will have to open it up again and find a loose connection.

[bigpants baby 0]

I suppose the switch was designed to be removed when the ign barrel is off the column,ie when you take out the sheer off bolts,then you can get to the screw piece of pi$$

[Taggart 0]

There is a write up in the KB.