92 Caravan Ignition Switch/Lock

I went to leave work this evening to find my key would turn but not engage
the spring-loaded part of the process which causes the starter to engage.
It just free-wheeled right thru to a stopping point and that's it. I had my
wife grab my torx safety bits and drop by the auto parts store to get a new
ignition switch on the way to my rescue. Once I got it all apart, I found
that the real problem wasn't the ignition switch, but the lock cylinder that
goes inside the switch. I picked that up on the way home and will try
putting it in tomorrow morning.

Two questions:

1: The instructions for the ignition switch tell me to disarm the air bag.
The worthless Haynes manual I have tells me on the 1991 and up models to
take it to a qualified service facility due to air bag concerns. (I say
worthless as about the only other thing I've yet really needed it for was a
light bulb that it didn't even show - pictures mostly being pre-91 models.)
Anyway...how do I disarm the airbag system? Or is it really that big of a
deal? I've gotten the ignition switch out without problem...but would
obviously prefer not to have it blow up in my face trying to put it back
together. :-) Just wondering if it's that big of a deal, or if everyone is
just being paranoid for legal reasons and a very very very slim chance
something would happen.

2: The new lock cylinder that goes into the ignition switch - how do you
change out the lock "core" so you can use your old key with it? I found a
vague reference on a web site mentioning having the key turned just right
and hitting it just right with a hammer...? It has a new key, but I'd much
prefer not to have to put yet another key on my already overburdened
keychain...

Any other tips on this whole process would be appreciated... :-)

Many thanks in advance!

Wesley

"Wesley" > wrote in message
...
> 1: The instructions for the ignition switch tell me to disarm the air
> bag.
> The worthless Haynes manual I have tells me on the 1991 and up models to
> take it to a qualified service facility due to air bag concerns. (I say
> worthless as about the only other thing I've yet really needed it for was
> a
> light bulb that it didn't even show - pictures mostly being pre-91
> models.)
> Anyway...how do I disarm the airbag system? Or is it really that big of a
> deal? I've gotten the ignition switch out without problem...but would
> obviously prefer not to have it blow up in my face trying to put it back
> together. :-) Just wondering if it's that big of a deal, or if everyone
> is
> just being paranoid for legal reasons and a very very very slim chance
> something would happen.

Disconnect the negative battery terminal.

> 2: The new lock cylinder that goes into the ignition switch - how do you
> change out the lock "core" so you can use your old key with it? I found a
> vague reference on a web site mentioning having the key turned just right
> and hitting it just right with a hammer...? It has a new key, but I'd
> much
> prefer not to have to put yet another key on my already overburdened
> keychain...

My van had a keyless entry so I didn't mess with it.

Thanks for bringing back the memory of the few days I spent having to follow
these steps to use my van:
1)"beep" door locks
2)insert ignition key and turn all the way
3)open hood
4)jump starter relay with a piece of wire
5)close hood
6)check to make sure engine hasn't stalled due to slow idle (possibly repeat
steps 3-5)

--
Scott Ehardt
http://www.scehardt.com