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I think your instincts about taking the ignition linkage apart were correct, but just your timing is off. Who wants to work on this stuff in the frigid cold? Things are humid (but snowy) in New England right now, so perhaps the wetness reacted with the ingnition linkage gunk. So, what to do?
You will need about 1-2 hours to do this if you have never done it before. You need to remove your driver's seat, and the plastic console over the lock. I hope you have plenty of Torx screwdrivers. There are lots of screws, including under the rear seat ashtray, in the shifter area, and under the striped/rippled rubber piece that fits between the shifter console and the lower dash console.
Now the tough part. The linkage is held down by 3 strange shaped bolts that require a Saab ratchet/socket. Decision time. You can remove them with the special tool and lift the linkage up, or you can get a small "Dremmel" tool. You need to look carefully. To the left of the cylinder and down about 1.5 inches on the side of the linkage there is a metal plug. You can drill it out with the dremmel if you don't loosen the bolts, and with a drill if you do. You can also drill a tiny little hole and pry it out. This exposes a long tube. You need to insert a long thin strong thing like an icepick or super thin screwdriver into this hole, and while pressing it in forcefully, turn the key to the accessory position. You will feel the icepick depress inward by about 2 millimeters. Once this happens pull up in the key up and it will come out with the lock cylinder attached to it. Clean the lock, and the hollow cylinder it came out of. I would actually place the cylinder into a bath of brake cleaning solution overnight. Then relubricvate it with something like speedometer cable lubricant which is mostly graphite. As with all pleasurable things in life, you need to lubricate it well. Notice the spring loaded piece on the cylinder when you insert and turn the key. Turn the key to allow this spring loaded piece to fall in, and now re-insert the cylinder into the socket and jiggle around until it fits back properly. Reinstall the plastic bits AND don't forget your driver's side seat.
That should do it! If it is still stiff, then the linkage needs lubrication with lithium grease, so if you decide to get the special Saab tool, you might as well lift up and lubricate it to begin with. Usually though the problem is just in the lock cylinder.
posted by 24.66.94...
, Sun, 5 Sep 2004 20:53:02
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