Re: e36 key cylinder won't turn

[Drew Mouton <drew@xxxxxxxxx>]

Can anybody confirm for me that in a '98 3-series the ignition key will 
turn backwards indefinitely?

What I'm working from is that the key I have will open the door lock, 
will fit into the ignition cylinder, will turn backwards, but will not 
turn forwards.

I'm thinking the ignition lock may have been broken. On Alex' comments it 
seem possible it might be the wrong key - but then why would it turn 
backwards but not forwards?

It appears that on 9/11/2002 2:26 PM, Fadeev, Alex at 
alex.fadeev@domain.elided said:

>Does the key rotate to turn on the ignition?
>Does it open/close the doors?
>If not, I would suspect you got a wrong key.
>If it engages the door locks but not the ignition, it is possible the
>previous owner had problems with the original ignition lock and replaced it
>with something other than the properly keyed dealer ordered unit.
>
[snip]

>This has nothing to do with the anti-theft.

I'll take your word for it: I'm just speculating, based on having seen 
that the '98 had a different Forced Entry Anti-Theft series of relays 
that touch the locks. 

>No point.

Well - I'm thinking it the cylinder is broken, I can pull it, and/or pull 
the ignition switch off the cylinder to bypass it and ensure there isn't 
anything else going on.,

>Non-original ignition lock.
>Or damaged original ignition lock. This would be less likely, since the
>single most common failure mode is that they spin freely without starting
>the car. What you describe is exactly the opposite.
[snip]
>Anti-theft stuff (EWS) is all in the DME (computer) expecting a proper code

Cool - thanks for the heads education.

[snip]
>ignition, etc. If the key doesn't turn, it has not been cut for the
>installed ignition lock.

I'll rule out the key tonight - see what happens.

Drew

>
>alex f

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