GM Ignition Switch

Repair & Rekey

 

Repair GM Ignition Switch

Why did it fail?

GM ignitions like many other automotive ignitions can sometimes leave drivers stranded. The picture below shows the a new (wafer) “retainer cap’ being installed on a rebuilt ignition. These caps are pressed into place to place after your vehicles unique pattern of different wafers were installed into it. On top of you nine unique wafers are nine springs which have been pressing up on that cap since day one. If you are the owner of GM product and you key suddenly stopped working it is because the retainer cap on your ignition has slipped out of place. Years of spring pressure pressing against it finally forced it to give way.

How do we repair it?

These ignitions must be turned one last time in order to remove them from the column, that is the tricky part. When I repair a GM ignition I Rebuild it completely. I replace the wafers, springs, and of course a new retainer cap. When I seat the new cap into place I take the time to make sure that it won’t slip out again. Finally it is lubricated and reinstalled. Most customers prefer to keep the same key as before, if you want your ignition rekeyed at the time of the repair it can be done at no extra cost to you.

 

 

Re-key GM Ignition Switch

The photo above shows a GM ignition switch being re-keyed, the truck was stolen then recovered. The truck was recovered without keys, and the owner decided it was best to change the switch. The ignition key was changed so that the stolen keys couldn’t start the car.

Creative options

During this particular job, I gave the owner the option to re-key the doors but he decided to leave the doors as is. So for this particular GM vehicle I was able to change only specific ignition wafers within the ignition, and leave just enough of the ignition wafers the same.  My customer retained one key for the door and ignition after the ignition was rekeyed.