Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Andrew McColley

Andrew McColley shows you how to repair an ignition switch on a 2006 Honda Element after the owner had lost the key to the car. These ignition switches can be a little tricky to get some of the original manufacturer bolts off of the steering console in order to release the ignition. But Andrew, who has been a mobile locksmith in Mesa for the last 16 years immediately jumped into action and grabbed a flat blade screw driver and a hammer and tapped the bolts out.

After the ignition was removed from the Honda Element Andrew got in his mobile locksmith van to remove the switch and cut a new key for the car. He first starts off by removing the four screws on the side of it holding on the immobilizer antenna ring and the indicator and lighting for the switch. Then he tries to remove the roll pin by using an extractor tool put he ends up having to drill a small hole in the housing in order to get the roll pin out to release the switch. From there Andrew is able to read the code on the side of the switch which provides the key cuts that the Ninja Keyline Cutter will find and replicate. 

Andrew shows the switch housing having one code on it and the switch having a different key code. He points out the importance of making sure that you don't lose the spring that is on the back of the switch and also talks about how not being prepared led to him having to cut the Ilco key blank instead of a service key because none were on the truck at the time. Once the key is cut he rebuilds the switch making sure to lubricate the internal mechanisms with White Lithium Grease and loads the switch back into the housing then puts the roll pin back in securing the switch cylinder and puts the light and antenna ring back on.  

Take a look at the video: