[VR-VS] Replace/rebuild a VS ignition switch with VT-VZ parts

[Hertz Donut]

First, the disclaimers:
- I am in no way an auto electrician, therefore I don't know the technical terms for some parts, so bear with me.
- I'm not a highly trained mechanic, I'm just a backyard DIY monkey who can hit things until they work again, so...
- I take no responsibility for anyone ending up with two or more destroyed switches and a car engulfed in a fireball.
- Contains small parts, not suitable for children under the age of 3 years old.

This may also work for VR, and maybe VN and VP too but someone else will have to try that to find out.

Time to complete: Under 30 minutes if you have a new VS switch, a little longer if you have to build a hybrid switch.

Part 1: Diagnosis
Right, so the ignition switch spring in the Equipe of Doom let go after only 19 years and 289,000km. You just can't get the quality these days eh. Signs of a broken spring are:
- Key won't return to the "ON" position after the engine starts, instead staying in the "START" position. If you don't turn it back manually you will ruin the starter motor.
- Indicators either work intermittently or don't work at all. This is because without the spring returning the key to the "ON" position you're pretty much guessing where the exact position is, and if you don't align the key properly the switch contacts aren't connected, so it's the same as having the key in the "ACC" position.

Part 2: Removing the faulty switch
Removing the switch is easy:
1. Pop the bonnet and disconnect the negative lead from the battery.
2. Drop the bottom half of the steering column cover, which is held in place by five screws on the underside. It's easier if you drop the fuse panel cover first, which is held in place by 3 pop-out plastic bungs. You'll have to gently massage the column cover over the ignition barrel.
3. Put the key in the ignition.
4. Look under the steering column and you will see the metal ignition barrel. On the left end is a black plug with four wires, connected to another black plastic part that is screwed to the ignition barrel. This second part is the ignition switch.
5. Gently lever the plug off the switch with a small flat blade screwdriver. I say "gently" but as long as you don't damage the wiring, the plug or the switch wgaf, it's just everyone uses emotive words like this so I feel obliged to do the same.
6. There is a wire screwed to the bottom of the barrel below the switch. Unscrew this.
7. There are two tiny retaining screws holding the switch in place, unscrew these. You will immediately drop at least one of them somewhere in the footwell, where it will disappear, but try not to, it saves a lot of time.
8. This is the point at which all the manuals and many people get all hyped up about the position of the key. They'll talk about turning it to the "ON" position and giving hysterical warnings like "DO NOT MOVE THE KEY FROM THIS POSITION OR THE GREENS WILL WIN THE NEXT ELECTION" and so on but really it doesn't matter. The interaction between the ignition barrel and the switch is pretty simple - the barrel has a small "key", which I will call Bob, that slots into a "keyhole" in the switch, which I will call Mary. As you turn the car key in the ignition, Bob rotates accordingly, turning Mary through various positions (oo-err...). Since you've removed all the screws holding the switch onto the barrel, it should just pull off as Mary will just slide off Bob (uh...). You may have to try the key in different positions before Bob and Mary come apart.
9. Congratulations, you now have an ignition switch in your hot little hand.

Stay tuned for more...

 

[Hertz Donut]

Part 3: Building a hybrid switch
You can skip this part if your local dealer is at all competent. Sadly mine is not, so gave me a VT-VZ switch instead. At a glance they look the same, however externally the central housing where Mary sits is smaller, while the two lugs either side of her are slightly longer and thicker, which prevent them from slotting into the ignition barrel. More importantly, there is a major internal difference. The key positions in the VT-VZ switch are one step "further along", meaning the VS "ON" position is the VT-VZ "ACC" position, while the VS "START" position is the VT-VZ "ON" position. This means that even if you modified the switch housing to fit into the barrel you'd never get the car started as you can't turn the key to the switch's "START" position.

KEEP CALM AND MacGYVER ON!!

Most of the internals of the switches are the same, with the exception of Mary, which is essentially a plastic rotor, and the part of the shell that Mary sits in and screws to the ignition barrel. These are the two parts you need to salvage from the VS switch, as all the rest are the same as the VT-VZ switch. The shell of the switch is made of two parts that are held together by three tabs. BEFORE YOU START note that there are FOUR springs inside the switch, so be prepared for things to start pushing themselves apart.

1. With a small flathead screwdriver (I use a jeweller's set), CAREFULLY prise the shell part-way off the VS switch using the slot between the two flat edges, until you can see into the switch. Note that "carefully" is important this time round, because no doubt the shell will be a bit brittle after all these years. (***READ EPILOGUE AT THE END OF THIS POST NOW!!***) I managed to slightly crack mine but not enough to affect its integrity. Now work your way around the switch until you feel pressure from the springs, and gently prise the shell apart. Don't be surprised if a small metal piece falls out - this is the end of the spring that has broken off and forced you to do this in the first place. You may need to push a small screwdriver into Mary to help nudge the internals out of the shell. Mary's just a hunk of plastic so you're not likely to damage anything by doing this unless you get brutal.
2. Do the same with the new switch, being careful not to mix up the parts from each.
3. As you look at each switch the first part you see is a metal contact. This is what pivots to touch the spades embedded in the other half of the shell that you just removed, thereby completing the circuit and allowing the car to start. I used the VT-VZ part as it was new and clean.
4. Under this there are two springs, one small and one large. These simply apply even pressure to the contact. Again I used the VT-VZ parts.
5. The big plastic bit you see below this is Mary. Sticking out of Mary will be a small spring-loaded roller. You will need to use the VS Mary, but you can use the VT-VZ roller and spring if you want, as I did.
6. Finally, as you turn Mary over you will see yet another spring. The VS one will probably be missing one end, while the VT-VZ one will still be in place, under tension. Using some needle-nosed pliers, pull the springs out of both Marys. As you remove the VT-VZ spring it will expand as the tension is released, making it larger than the recess in the VS Mary.
7. Using some adjustable grips, pull the end tabs of the VT-VZ spring back under tension and slot the spring into the VS Mary. This can take a little effort as it's a bit fiddly and may involve you hunting for the spring after it fires off into the ether. I recommend doing this step in the corner of a room.
8. Now you just have to reassemble the switch. Slot the VS Mary with the new spring into the VS shell, taking care to push the (VT-VZ) spring-loaded roller back into Mary as you go. Put the two contact springs (one large and one small) into their positions, then put the metal contact on top, and finally push the half of the switch shell with the spades in it (I used the VT-VZ one) on, and voila, you have a VS switch with mostly new internals.

All you need to do now is...

Part 4: Fitting the new switch
No doubt at some point you've removed the car key from the ignition, or moved it. Manuals would have you believe you just killed a million puppies, but no.
1. Take your new switch and try and push it back into the end of the ignition barrel the way you removed it. If it doesn't slot right in, simply turn the key in the ignition until you feel Bob slide into Mary. Should only take a few seconds to get this right.
2. Refit the two tiny retaining screws and the wire on the underside.
3. Push the wiring loom plug into the switch.
4. Refit the steering column cover, taking care to tuck the guide light bulb into its housing, and lift the fuse panel cover back into place.
5. Reconnect the negative terminal of the battery.
6. Fire it up, son!
7. Have a shandy or two, knowing you've just saved yourself hundreds of dollars in stealership labour charges.

Epilogue
As I sit here looking through the leftovers I've noticed a spindle in the back of Mary that formerly was attached to the VT plug-side shell, and Mary would have pivoted on this. I've clearly broken this off when pulling the switch apart, but the switch still works fine as everything is held under tension anyway and there's no slack in the switch, so it's not the end of the world if you also break this off - just use the VS plug-side casing instead if it worries you greatly.