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Need help - replacing ignition cylinder/key programming/ignition switch
I own a 2004 ES 330 and had it listed for sale and long story. Short car wouldn’t crank. Two locksmiths looked at it quoted me an exorbitant price and said that it needed a new ignition. Initially there was miscommunication and I believed that it needed a new ignition switch. I replaced the ignition switch successfully but the car would still not crank. I am able to get the key to the ACC position. Ultimately, I understood that it needed a new ignition cylinder. Truth be told, I had absolutely no idea how insanely time-consuming the process was for this specific car , but so far so good, I think! Yesterday I managed to remove the antitheft tapered bolts and was able to get the transmitter piece and the cylinder out. Basically I removed the entire ignition assembly. I’m now seeing that I can’t get the new cylinder into the ACC position in order to insert it in to the ignition assembly. There’s nothing wrong with the key, the chip is in, etc. I have no problem reinserting the bad cylinder because I’m able to get it to the ACC position with the key but no luck with the new one. A couple of thoughts and questions: I did disconnect my battery before I started working so I’d be working with the airbag and multiple other parts, disconnecting them, etc. so I wanted to make sure I was safe. How do I get the ignition cylinder into the ignition assembly? If I can’t get it into the ACC position? doesn’t need some sort of special software in order to program it? If I reconnect the transmitter and the ignition switch without putting everything back together once the batteries connected will I be able to do this is something that I can do myself?
Or is rebuilding the ignition ignition cylinder an option? I do have the service manual for this and I’m pretty capable and confident even with things that are new to me so if it can be done uncomfortable doing it but just need some guidance. I was of the belief that I got a new cylinder I would be able to install it and then once everything was put back together and I reconnected the battery, if it needed some programming at that point, I was confident I could handle it but now I’m stuck because I can’t put the car back together until I’m able to get the ignition cylinder into the ignition assembly which I can’t do because I can’t get it into the ACC position . I hope this makes sense, the terminology, etc. and any help that woman can offer would be very much appreciated. If there’s one thing I realized when researching and troubleshooting how to go about fixing this. I realized that this specific year make and model of a vehicle makes replacing the ignition cylinder, a complete and total huge pain in the *** versus other vehicles and fingers crossed. I’m hoping I can still finish it successfully.
The story is a little confusing frankly. Some pictures would be helpful.
Were you able to turn the Old Ignition (the one that came from the factory) to the On or Start position?
Can you turn the Old Ignition to Start position while Lock Cylinder is out of the car?
Is the issue in the Ignition Lock Cylinder (the parts that accepts the key) or the actual Switch (what is secured by the Shear Bolts)?
Can you turn the Ignition On with the Switch on the end of the Ignition Assembly? You should be able to remove it, and use a screwdriver to turn it.
If I understand correctly, you have a New Ignition assembly from a different car, but you don't have the key for said assembly, hence no way of removing the Lock Cylinder out of it.
Unless you need the New Lock Cylinder for some reason, probably the easiest option would be to use a hardened turning tool and use it in place of the key, snapping all the wafers inside of the lock. That will ruin the lock, but you will be able to turn it to ACC position and take the Cylinder out.
Other option is to try the Lock Pick for TOY48 locks like this one, which may require some good patience to get to work, but as a result, you will get an intact Cylinder with none of the violence.
Some people resort to drilling out the Pin that holds the Cylinder, but it is the riskiest option, as the pin is hardened, and the housing is very soft, I would only try it if nothing else works out.
Pictures would be very useful, it is hard to understand if the Lock Assembly itself is what causing your issues, the question is if you need to replace it at all..
Hi, Thank you so much for the response and I am so sorry about the confusing post as I was in a rush and using speech to text. I will upload pics in just a second. Yes, I was able to turn the key into the ACC position with the old cylinder both while it was installed in the vehicle, and once I removed the cylinder from the vehicle. The issue is with the cylinder I believe a stuck wafer per the locksmith, but before removing the cylinder replaced the ignition switch just to be on the safe side and that required a lot less work and it did not allow the vehicle to crank confirming that it is in fact the cylinder. I don’t have a new assembly. I just had a new cylinder. The issue is inserting the new cylinder into the assembly. Because I can’t get the key to move to the ACC position on the new cylinder it won’t allow me to fully engage the cylinder into the assembly.
I’m going to upload pics now of the problem. Again, thanks so much!
Originally Posted by Arsenii
Hello,
The story is a little confusing frankly. Some pictures would be helpful.
Were you able to turn the Old Ignition (the one that came from the factory) to the On or Start position?
Can you turn the Old Ignition to Start position while Lock Cylinder is out of the car?
Is the issue in the Ignition Lock Cylinder (the parts that accepts the key) or the actual Switch (what is secured by the Shear Bolts)?
Can you turn the Ignition On with the Switch on the end of the Ignition Assembly? You should be able to remove it, and use a screwdriver to turn it.
If I understand correctly, you have a New Ignition assembly from a different car, but you don't have the key for said assembly, hence no way of removing the Lock Cylinder out of it.
Unless you need the New Lock Cylinder for some reason, probably the easiest option would be to use a hardened turning tool and use it in place of the key, snapping all the wafers inside of the lock. That will ruin the lock, but you will be able to turn it to ACC position and take the Cylinder out.
Other option is to try the Lock Pick for TOY48 locks like this one, which may require some good patience to get to work, but as a result, you will get an intact Cylinder with none of the violence.
Some people resort to drilling out the Pin that holds the Cylinder, but it is the riskiest option, as the pin is hardened, and the housing is very soft, I would only try it if nothing else works out.
Pictures would be very useful, it is hard to understand if the Lock Assembly itself is what causing your issues, the question is if you need to replace it at all..
Thank you so much for the response and I am so sorry about the confusing post as I was in a rush and using speech to text.
I will upload pics in just a second.
Yes, I was able to turn the key into the ACC position with the old cylinder both while it was installed in the vehicle, and once I removed the cylinder from the vehicle.
The issue is with the cylinder I believe a stuck wafer per the locksmith, but before removing the cylinder replaced the ignition switch just to be on the safe side and that required a lot less work and it did not allow the vehicle to crank confirming that it is in fact the cylinder.
I don’t have a new assembly. I just had a new cylinder. The issue is inserting the new cylinder into the assembly. Because I can’t get the key to move to the ACC position on the new cylinder it won’t allow me to fully engage the cylinder into the assembly.
I’m going to upload pics now of the problem.
Again, thanks so much!
The first pic is the old cylinder, which does move to the ACC position, but has a stuck.
The second pic is the new cylinder and shows as far as I can insert into the assembly because the key will not move to the ACC position. Period.
If you managed to take the Lock Cylinder out of the Ignition Assembly, you should be able to get a pair of pliers in place of the Lock Cylinder and use them as a key, try cranking the engine to find out if the Lock Cylinder is indeed your issue.
To actually start the car though, before you turn the Ignition Switch, you will have to bring the Ignition Key close to the black ring that was bolted to the Ignition Assembly, with the light bulb on it, otherwise the Immobilizer won't let you start the engine, only crank it.
Part of my confusion comes from the fact that you are trying to install a Lock Cylinder that you have no way of turning, and I can't work out why.
If nothing else, the simplest option to get a working key in your case would be to get a Lock Cylinder out of a Camry with no immobilizer, those should be compatible and are quite inexpensive, then either bring your Original key near the lock to start the car, or secure your Original Key Chip to the black ring mentioned before and tuck it away somewhere without bolting it back in place, this will ensure that the immobilizer is bypassed and would be able to start the car without Original key, but you will lose the wireless door lock function now that the transmitter is stuck permanently inside the car.
Former option is safer and easier, the latter is more convenient. This can be used as a stop-gap measure until you find a Lock Cylinder with a matching key
04-17-24, 12:48 PM
Need help - replacing ignition cylinder/key programming/ignition switch
