Created on: 2014-07-19
This video will show how to remove the dash and steering wheel panels to access and replace the ignition lock cylinder. Follow the steps and DIY
Socket Extensions
Flat Blade Screwdriver
E5 Socket
8mm Socket
7mm Socket
10mm Socket
Ratchet
T25 Torx Driver
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Hi, I'm Mike from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.
In this video, we're going to show you how to replace the ignition lock cylinder on this 2003 Chevy Monte Carlo. It's the same part and similar process on these Monte Carlos from 2000 to 2005. For this you'll need a new ignition lock cylinder from 1AAuto.com, a 7mm socket, 8mm socket, 10mm socket, ratchet, socket extensions, T25 Torx bit, flat blade screwdriver, and an E5 external Torx bit.
Start off by disconnecting your negative battery cable. Just use the 8mm socket and ratchet to remove it. Underneath your steering wheel, you'll see this panel. You just want to push in these two tabs, pull it down, and then twist this socket free and pull the bulb out. Then you want to remove these two 7mm screws. Pull out your fuse panel door, especially make sure that the lower clip comes out, and then pull straight back on the lower panel on both sides. Use a small flat blade screwdriver to help you release the clip on the harness and remove the harness.
Inside here, there's a T25 screw. Just go ahead and remove that. Then pry out on this lever and it pulls free. Then you can pull the panel straight down, unhook it, and pull it forward. Next, you want to remove these two E5 External Torx bolts. There's one right here and one right here on the other side. We'll just fast-forward as Mike removes those. Once those are removed, you can pull this upper panel up and off.
Now, pull this panel off the rest of the way and remove this 7mm bolt right here. Pull down your glove box and remove this 7mm bolt right up here. Pry off this bezel. Then pull out on either side of the dash panel. You just want to feel for the clips back behind it and pull out. Once you get it free, just pull it forward, use a flat blade screwdriver to disconnect the hazard switch, and be careful while doing this cause you can break the bezel fairly easily. Now put your keys in the ignition, turn it to the on position, pull your shifter back all the way, and then lift your dash panel up and out. Next, you want to remove a series of bolts that hold on this panel. You can see there are three 7mm on this side and one 7mm bolt over here.
Then, back behind this plate, you can see there are 10mm bolts up there. They're slightly gold color, and you're going to want to remove those and the ones behind them as well. To get these ones, you can go up through here and to get the one back behind it. You can just go on the other side of the plate, reach up from underneath, and get them that way. We'll fast-forward as Mike removes those.
Next, remove these two 10mm bolts that hold in your ignition switch. Now, pull your ignition switch down through the hole where the plate was. Then push the tabs on this harness and disconnect it. Using a flat-blade screwdriver, pry out on this tab and disconnect this harness. Then put your key in the ignition and turn it to the on position. Then push in on this tab and pull that free. Then push in on this tab and pull your lock cylinder free. Now you can push the tabs on this harness and disconnect it.
On the left is the old ignition lock cylinder; on the right is a new one from 1A Auto. You can see they're identical, and they'll fit exactly the same. To reinsert, reconnect the bottom harness on the switch if you took it off. You need to make sure that your assembly is in an on position so that that little tab on top will move up and down freely. Insert it back in, and it remains in the on position. Connect the cable, and then you can move it to the off position and reconnect your harnesses. Now, reconnect your negative battery cable and just tighten it up.
On a lot of these cars, when you replace the ignition lock cylinder, you will have to reset the security. When you try to start the car, and you realize it doesn't work, and on your message center you'll see a blinking security light right there. What you want to do is just wait until that light goes off, leave the car in the on position until that light goes off, and it can take about 10 minutes. Then, when the light goes off, turn the key off, wait six seconds, and then turn the key on and attempt to start the car once. Let off, and the security light will come back on and start blinking again. You want to repeat the entire process, waiting until it goes off again and just keep doing this.
It does take about 30 minutes, so you may need to jump start your car, but after you've done it three times when you go to start your car it starts up. Now, just feed your ignition switch back up into place. Once you've got it in place, replace those two 10mm bolts. Replace this panel and the ten and 7mm bolts that hold it in place.
To reinstall the dash panel, open up your glove box, turn the key to the on position, and pull the shifter all the way back. Pull your steering wheel down and then tuck the dash panel back behind the steering wheel. Now reconnect your harness. Then you can slide your shifter forward and remove the key. Then push the dash panel back in the rest of the way. Then just push in the clips all the way around it. We'll fast-forward as Mike replaces those two 7mm bolts and tightens them up. Then just push this bezel back into place. Tilt the steering wheel back down, feed this upper panel back into place, and push it back down and replace those two E5 inverted Torx bolts.
Now, feed in the lower panel. You want to push the back back behind, and re-clip those two hooks. Then swing up the front, push it into place, and then just replace that T25 Torx screw. Reconnect the harness to your switch, line up the panel, and push it back into place. Then replace the two 7mm bolts at the bottom of the panel. Push the bulb back into the socket, and twist it back into this panel, and then feed the panel back. Then you just push it back up into place. Next, push your tilt lever back into place. Then take your fuse panel, line up those tabs, and just hit them back into place. You're all set.
We hope this video helps you out. Brought to you by www.1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet. Please feel free to call us toll-free, 888-844-3393. We're the company that's here for you on the Internet and in person.
This video will show how to remove and install the ignition lock cylinder and how to disassemble and assemble the tumblers on the old and new lock cylinder