C5 Ignition Switch Repair
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 18,643
Likes: 14
From: Norman Oklahoma - The Only State in the Union with no Blue Counties!
Bill sorry I haven't gotten back to you, I have done the switch thing, relay replacements, chassis ground thing, checked out the battery seems OK, will load test tomorrow. I cleared the following codes Sunday:
BO-RFA U1096H
U1064H
U1016H
Just checked for codes and those same three are back after taking the wife to dinner and a movie!
p.s. After 23 years together I don't expect to get lucky tonite after the dinner and a movie thing!
Kent
BO-RFA U1096H
U1064H
U1016H
Just checked for codes and those same three are back after taking the wife to dinner and a movie!
p.s. After 23 years together I don't expect to get lucky tonite after the dinner and a movie thing!
Kent
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,286
Likes: 0
From: Southwestern OH
St. Jude Donor '08
I've been frustated,,my Z06 starts sometimes. I've tried cleaning the contacts but I still have problems starting it. The key is vey loose in the lock....I have a heavy key chain, maybe that's the problem.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,286
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From: Southwestern OH
St. Jude Donor '08
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Heavy crap hanging off the ignition key will GREATLY accelerate wear/tear on the lock cylinder assembly. Especially on a fairly stiffly sprung car like a Corvette.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,286
Likes: 0
From: Southwestern OH
St. Jude Donor '08
So Bill should I replace it?
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 925
Likes: 4
From: EXTON PA
Once I bent the movable contacts to add more contact pressure the switch has a more pronounced feel and the resistance readings were very good.
With the additional contact pressure there should be less contact arcing and deformation from heating. Hell,,,
,, for the price of that switch and the 30 min it took to fix it, it was WELL WORTH the effort. It will also allow you to troubleshoot and see if that switch was the ROOT cause of the problem. I love free repairs!
If this helps ONE person it was well worth the effort.
The next thing that I want to do is make a detailed list of the what each contact in the switch goes to and what symptoms/ faults are seen when that contact fails!
BC
With the additional contact pressure there should be less contact arcing and deformation from heating. Hell,,,
,, for the price of that switch and the 30 min it took to fix it, it was WELL WORTH the effort. It will also allow you to troubleshoot and see if that switch was the ROOT cause of the problem. I love free repairs! If this helps ONE person it was well worth the effort.
The next thing that I want to do is make a detailed list of the what each contact in the switch goes to and what symptoms/ faults are seen when that contact fails!
BC
the write up was "out of the park". I have what I believe to be a switch problem because I have the security light on 95% of the time and a strange need to switch a key to the spare to stop the car from cutting the engine. If one key starts the engine and cuts out I switch to the other key and everytime is fine. It is not that one key is bad because just the opposite key start up can be used and the same results are experienced. The problem is not all the time but seems to be increasing. My car is a 98 coupe and I wonder what I need to do to limit my fault search to the switch.
Thanks
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,564
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From: Brookfield Wisconsin
Thread Starter
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Bill
the write up was "out of the park". I have what I believe to be a switch problem because I have the security light on 95% of the time and a strange need to switch a key to the spare to stop the car from cutting the engine. If one key starts the engine and cuts out I switch to the other key and everytime is fine. It is not that one key is bad because just the opposite key start up can be used and the same results are experienced. The problem is not all the time but seems to be increasing. My car is a 98 coupe and I wonder what I need to do to limit my fault search to the switch.
Thanks
the write up was "out of the park". I have what I believe to be a switch problem because I have the security light on 95% of the time and a strange need to switch a key to the spare to stop the car from cutting the engine. If one key starts the engine and cuts out I switch to the other key and everytime is fine. It is not that one key is bad because just the opposite key start up can be used and the same results are experienced. The problem is not all the time but seems to be increasing. My car is a 98 coupe and I wonder what I need to do to limit my fault search to the switch.
Thanks
The Innition Switch for Our C5's has THREE parts:
- The electrical switch part which I detail how to fix.
- The mechanical part of the switch (behind the electrical part) that has the cams in it that open and close the electrical contacts and a spring that returns the switch to the run position after you go to start.
- The VATS switch module which contains a set of silver plated contacts which contact the resistor pellet on your key. The module has two wires that connect to the harness and connect to the BCM.
It is possible for those contacts to get dirty or even become weak and not make proper contact on the pellet. Having a 5 lb key chain really stresses that module and the key switch.
Bill
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,851
Likes: 1
From: San Bruno Ca
Bill, once again you come to the rescue! I hear GM wants to add you to their payroll so you will stop helping out Vette Forum members from getting hosed. LOL, just kidding. I want to thank you for the time you have taken to investigate and solve the problem, not to mention taking the time to sitdown and write this article to help out your Vette brothers!
Thread Starter
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Bill, once again you come to the rescue! I hear GM wants to add you to their payroll so you will stop helping out Vette Forum members from getting hosed. LOL, just kidding. I want to thank you for the time you have taken to investigate and solve the problem, not to mention taking the time to sitdown and write this article to help out your Vette brothers!
I forgot to include the automatic corvettes to my breakdown of the switch.
They have a brake release cable that connects to their switch.
Here is the picture of the VATS module on the switch. I went out and disassembled my car for this pic:
JUST KIDDING!
Bill
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,286
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From: Southwestern OH
St. Jude Donor '08
The car's unusable as it is
Thread Starter
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
I would just disassemble it and clean and adjust it. Save the cash for cool stuff. It's fun. C5 bonding!!! If you disassembel it and it all botched up, then you will know that you need to lay out the cash.
You will be very surprised how much better the electrical functions on your car will be.
Bill
You will be very surprised how much better the electrical functions on your car will be.
Bill
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
From: Kentucky
My C5 is having the same issues, we've cleaned the contacts as you recommended but still "Security" light comes on. What other things should we be looking at?
Last edited by ClydeC6; Sep 28, 2008 at 10:58 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 18,643
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From: Norman Oklahoma - The Only State in the Union with no Blue Counties!
Thread Starter
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Clean ALL the under hood grounds. ESPECIALLY G-101 and G-102. make sure that you completely dissemble the ground connector plugs.
BC