Remove ignition lock cylinder

Apparently it's not documented anywhere on Tacomaworld, or youtube, or anywhere on the internet, how to remove the ignition lock cylinder from a 2nd gen Taco or a Camry of the same vintage. After spending an hour trying to figure it out, I finally found the trick. This is like something out of an Indiana Jones movie. Every ignition lock since about 1950 has had the same removal procedure. Turn the key to accessory and poke the pin with a paperclip. Well Toyota threw a trap into it. After you poke the pin on the front side of the lock housing (towards the front of the truck) and pull on the lock, it only comes out about 1/4" and then it stops. If you look at the bottom of the lock housing, there is a 3/16" hole. Poke a 1/8" rod into that hole and push the bottom of the rod towards the front of the truck. When you get it, the locking steering mechanism will go THUNK! After you hear this, you can pull the lock cylinder out. To reinstall it, you just make sure the lock is turned to accessory and push it in.

If you look close at this pic, you will see that I ground away the part where the 1st pin is that you push. I didn't have a key for this lock, and I wanted to use the lock cylinder. After I ground it away, the lock pulled right out. So, here's how the trap works. As soon as you put the key in, it activates the trap. When you turn it to acc, push the pin, and pull, you can't remove the key. You can't turn it back to lock, and even if you could somehow get the key out, the trap is still activated. The problem happens when you try to remove the lock cylinder the proper way, and not with a grinder. The rod is poked in there to show where the hole is to deactivate the trap.

 

Good information! Thanks.

 

I had to do this the other day and did not find a video. So hear is mine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLETKEXAtlE&feature=youtu.be

 

Here's my question...I drilled out the entire cylinder after it got screwed up from a theft attempt. Horrible idea. I can not get it into the Acc position. I've heard you can sort of punch in the hole that releases it. In this case two holes....any ideas?

 

If you can't get it to the acc position, at this point, your best choice would be to replace the whole assembly. There are 2 breakoff bolts that you need to spin with a sharp punch and a hammer.

 

This is timely I'm having issues with my tumbler sticking with my key. I have to rap it a few times with my knuckles in order to be able to turn my key. If this is like my focus I'll have to replace and key the lock to my keys.

 

A good locksmith can repair your lock cylinder. Get it fixed before it siezes up completely.

 

Yepper, going to call Monday. I'm dealing with a terminal brother at the moment. Tad distracted. I'm seeing the dorman can be had for $49. May do the rekey myself I used to work at this locksmith and did my focus replacement.

 

Did you have to break the column down that far? I wonder if just removing the shroud would do it?

 

When my spare key was misplaced (by that I mean my wife had a suspected thief working in her workplace) I had mine rekeyed and I don't remember it being that far torn apart.

 

I'm guessing that's the two weird voltb on top and bottom that hold it together. How do I go about doing that?

 

When the bolts are new, they look kind of like a double headed nail. The top head has a hex. The bottom head is round. They tighten them up till the hex head breaks off. To remove it, you take a sharp punch and pound the edge, perpendicular to the bolt to spin it out.

 

I left the hospital today and went to lunch. I had to ding the key quite a bit to get the key to turn. Once I got going I called a locksmith. The removal was/is pretty straight forward. The hardest part to me was the sensor but it did come off with no issues. My holes are 3 and 9 o'clock. I had them rekey and make me a third key with no programing. It's just a key to get in. I'll hide it someplace on the truck. Thanks for the info on removing the cylinder.

Removing is just unscrewing the cowling and separating from the steering shaft, (top stayed on) unplugging and disonnecting the sensor. Push the detent (took some finagling). Went better than I thought. I'm emotionally exhausted so that had some bearing on my energy levels. It had to be done. I can't be down a car at the moment.