I've learned the basics of car repair and I have no fear, but I've also learned not to fix what ain't broke. I'd appreciate the board's advice on whether or not to fix an ignition condition.
Last week our kid snapped off the key in the ignition of our '94 Ford Taurus station wagon. Like all Fords in my experience, the car runs OK but the auxiliaries & interior are turning into crap. I've never seen a car allow this before, but its ignition has never held on to the key. We've always been able to insert the ignition key, start the car up, and pull the key back out with no effects. In fact the key comes out of the ignition at any position and is only required to start/stop the engine. I don't know if this is design or malfunction.
Now that the business end of the key is snapped off in the ignition, we no longer need a key at all. I can turn the ignition to all positions and I can start/stop the car just as if there was a real key dangling out of the steering column. Our biggest problem is remembering to carry a key to unlock the doors!
So my first question is-- is there a problem worth the repair effort/expense? We plan to keep this car as long as it runs (at least another decade of Hawaii driving) and our kid will "inherit" it in four more years.
My second question, assuming the first answer is "Yes!" is how to extract the *!^#ing key. It's at least an inch deeper than the entrance and it's tightly wedged. I can't even touch it with pliers and I can't move it with a dental pick. I don't know of a tool that can get in there, get a grip, and hold on during extraction. While my Haynes manual assures me that I can tear the cylinder out of the lock, it's mute on whether I'll be able to extract the key or if I'll just have to buy a new cylinder.
Let's just say that the kid has temporarily backed off on her insistence to learn how to drive, and she's happy to assist with the repairs.
Last week our kid snapped off the key in the ignition of our '94 Ford Taurus station wagon. Like all Fords in my experience, the car runs OK but the auxiliaries & interior are turning into crap. I've never seen a car allow this before, but its ignition has never held on to the key. We've always been able to insert the ignition key, start the car up, and pull the key back out with no effects. In fact the key comes out of the ignition at any position and is only required to start/stop the engine. I don't know if this is design or malfunction.
Now that the business end of the key is snapped off in the ignition, we no longer need a key at all. I can turn the ignition to all positions and I can start/stop the car just as if there was a real key dangling out of the steering column. Our biggest problem is remembering to carry a key to unlock the doors!
So my first question is-- is there a problem worth the repair effort/expense? We plan to keep this car as long as it runs (at least another decade of Hawaii driving) and our kid will "inherit" it in four more years.
My second question, assuming the first answer is "Yes!" is how to extract the *!^#ing key. It's at least an inch deeper than the entrance and it's tightly wedged. I can't even touch it with pliers and I can't move it with a dental pick. I don't know of a tool that can get in there, get a grip, and hold on during extraction. While my Haynes manual assures me that I can tear the cylinder out of the lock, it's mute on whether I'll be able to extract the key or if I'll just have to buy a new cylinder.
Let's just say that the kid has temporarily backed off on her insistence to learn how to drive, and she's happy to assist with the repairs.