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anyone recommend a car mechanic?


Exarch
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I'm looking for someone in the Dayton area that does work for a reasonable price. I think the ignition switch/housing/cylinder on my 07 ion(manual) is busted. I cannot remove the key or turn off the car. Right now I have my car rigged up to bypass this problem, but it's a pain in the ass. I need some other work done on my car, but if I fork out the $6-800 I won't be able to afford the other somewhat major work I need done on my car till work picks back up again.

If anyone knows a good small business or a GOOD backyard mechanic let me know, I'm not 100% sure what part I need, but if its the housing it runs about $180ish I believe. I can probably reprogram the switch myself, but I don't trust myself to properly diagnose the problem and take apart my entire steering column( even if I can get the proper tools, which is more than likely)

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1. Buy the parts.

2. Find someone that knows how to change it. (I would, but your gas expense to get me from Ft. Campbell and back would be rough)

3. Do it yourself.

4. If (When) you fuck it up, call said person to help you put it in.

(I had to do this once with a friend's radiator replacement when we decided a good celebration for removing the radiator was a 5th of vodka. :lol:)

But really, it is the best way to learn. If you can't do it, someone else can always help you finish.

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If u can get the key into the accessory position it literally takes 10 minutes to change one. Take the covers off the steering column and under the lock cylinder there's 2 holes. Stick small screwdrivers or something in the holes, pull cylinder out. Really that simple. I would do it but I'm in columbus.

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Nope standout, key is stuck on the on position. I can start it and it goes back to the on position without budging backwards at all. I think I am going to take andens advice first and try the lock cylinder Sunday since that would be a cheap option. I managed to read up this proboem on the internet and it looks like 50% of the cases are the lock cylinder, so if nothing else I'm only out $15 opposed to a couple hundred or more. the base of the column seems easy to remove, but if I gotta remove the entire thing I'm just gunna put it back together and let someone else fuck with it.

If this fail I guess I'll call up hellmuts mechanic and a few others and see what the damage will be, hopefully not too much otherwise I'll probably wait a month or 2 to fix it.

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Nope standout, key is stuck on the on position. I can start it and it goes back to the on position without budging backwards at all. I think I am going to take andens advice first and try the lock cylinder Sunday since that would be a cheap option. I managed to read up this proboem on the internet and it looks like 50% of the cases are the lock cylinder, so if nothing else I'm only out $15 opposed to a couple hundred or more. the base of the column seems easy to remove, but if I gotta remove the entire thing I'm just gunna put it back together and let someone else fuck with it.

If this fail I guess I'll call up hellmuts mechanic and a few others and see what the damage will be, hopefully not too much otherwise I'll probably wait a month or 2 to fix it.

If u can start the car and the key turns back that is the on/accesory/run position that im talking about. All the lights, radio and stuff on but not running. Sounds like you may be in decent shape. Buy a lock cylinder and key set and give it a try. If the entire housing is screwed it's easier just to buy a column brom a junkyard. Getting the column out is easy. Literally unplug everything and 6 bolts. You just have to be careful with the airbag and clock spring when u switch it over to the new to u column. U would also have to re-learn the pats system. If you go that route i can walk u thru it to.

Oh and please disconnect the battery when u do any of this.....if not record it and put it on youtube.

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O.k., ya you're right, I'm car illiterate, so a new set of keys comes with the lock cylinder or does that need to be special ordered? Also I'm not 100% sure if my key is rdif?(whatever the term for a with a chip in it is called) so would a non chip key work? I know a picture of a car with a lock on it shows up when you start the car on my display... I know how to reprogram a key, but not 100% sure what the conditions of the key needs to be. I just know its a 30minute process that consists of 3 10 minute intervals and a 30second interval(thanks to google)

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Well fuck... It's $75+tax at AutoZone for a new lock cylinder... I will have to program it too, no biggie on that(I hope). Alot of other cars have cheap lock cylinders, but not the Saturn ions :( I don't really wanna take a $75 guess on the cylinder, but may not have a choice. I know if I take it to a mechanic to get it verified it's gunna cost about 1/2 that just for the diagnosis. I may just take it apart today and check it myself if anyone can tell me exactly what a busted cylinder vs a non busted cylinder would look like and if I couls just slip it back in without too much effort.

I know I just need to remove a few screws at the bottom of the column to get to the cylinder and then just use a nail to push out the pin holding in thr cylinder and it will just slip out, but like I said getting it back in busted could be a problem? ugg... 924-718 is the part number, I gotta talk to my uncle to see if he can get me a good deal on one, otherwise I may try a junkyard?

Edit: $46 on Amazon and it is a coded key http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00902G4UE/ref=mw_dp_mpd/177-9850966-4380655?pd=1

Edited by Exarch
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get a lock cylinder either way. If it fixes it great if not your going to want to put a new lock cylinder in the used column anyway.

No your key does not have a chip in it. The passlock is located in the column. Your lock cylinder will come with a new key so u will have a seperate key for the door and ignition.

Tell me what year your car is so i can be sure.

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07 satun ion, but ALL the ions use the same cylinder. I just stoped in CarX and they quoted me $200 cuz apparently you have alot of building to do to get all the tumblers correct, which is what I figured after seeing the pictures from Amazon, although he says I can use the same key if my key isn't worn out, otherwise I would need a new key(no biggie, just means it needs to be reprogrammed vs not being reprogrammed). If they came prebuilt to the key it came with that would be sweet, but that isn't the case(unless you get it from a junk yard obviously). If I can get one prebuilt where all I gotta do is slide it in and reprogram the new key that would be awesome.

Btw no chip in the key, but there is an anti theft device in the key which is why it needs to be reprogrammed with a new key and the guy at carx said I would have to go to a dealership and get some paperwork and show proof of ownership or whatever done for it to be rekeyed, I was kind of confused on that part, but didn't ask too much about it.

Doh I'm dumb, now that I re read your post ya... Purpose of using the same key again is so I won't need a separate key for the ignition vs the rest of the car. And I'm not 100% sure if he was talking about getting the new paper work only if I needed a new key or if I had to get a new key, but that would make sense lol.

Edited by Exarch
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07 That sucks. one year older and u would have been golden. This makes it a little more difficult and expensive. Since your car illiterate i assume u cant build the tumblers in the lock cylinder. U need to go to a dealership with proof of ownership and have a lock cylinder made for your car. Most places charge an hour labor plus the price of the cylinder. Any lock cylinder u get is going to be similar to the one u linked from amazon that has to be built. Even the dealers. If you cant get the key out of the old one your going to have to get a key made as well. Once the cylinder is out though it should be pretty easy to remove the key.

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Ya 06 had the recalls on their cylinders :( I just found a guy that is willing to do the job for $45 if I get the parts, which is cool cuz I don't know anyone with the tools I would need to retumble unfortunately and even jf I did I wouldn't want to do that myself lol. Luckily my uncle works for a dealer so im thinking if I can give him the vin number he can have one sent to me on the cheap, even without the paperwork hopefully, otherwise I will hit up a local dealer(which I'm actually gunna do right now anyhow).

Too bad I cant just get a prebuilt key and cylinder lol :( oh well, thats life.

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I just had a new key coded $42 bucks at the dealship, but atleast I can lock my doors and get in my trunk(battery location) without a hassle. I don't trust my current key cuz they are notorious for wearing out and didn't want to get a new one cut from the old one cuz of that so I guess the extra $$ is worth it. just need to spend another $100ish and I'll be set, beats the $200 quote(without a new key) anyday :)

Thanks for help y'all and I'm glad I found a shop(dixon auto on 741) with some legit info that's not all about the money in the process :) if I can tumble the cylinder myself I'll save another $45, if not I'll gladly pay that for him to tumble and program it.

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After reading all this fuck new cars. My next car will be old as hell.

No, just fuck gm. I had an 06 saturn ion and it was an even worse pos. except for gm cars, my family's new cars have been very good

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