hellbelly

The lock on my focus was sticking a bit even though I lubed it
with graphite. So I removed the parts that lock the cylinder. It
was easy. Now any focus key or even a screwdriver can be used to
turn the lock. This means that I am relying on the electronic
chip in the key to keep the car from being started. Those with a
manual transmission might want to find out if the car can still
be push started without this chip.

How I did it: separate the two steering column covers just behind
the steering wheel. The upper one is attached to the lower with
some tabs that can be pushed in. The lower one is attached front
and rear by several screws. Remove the screws on the steering
wheel side with a star driver. You can buy a whole set packaged
like a pocket knife for a few bucks at wallymart. Separate the
covers a inch or so and locate a hole on the driver's side of the
housing that holds the lock cylinder. I used a long thin allen
wrench to poke a button through the hole while the key was in the
accessories position. The lock cylinder then falls out.

Pry off the clip on the back of the lock cylinder. It then falls
out of the second housing. Then you see a lock bar that pops up
when you stick the key in the cylinder. On either end of this
bar, pry off two staples that hold it in and remove the bastard.
Opposite this space, on the other side of the cylinder is a thin
metal plate. Pry it off with a pocket knife and all sorts of
metal parts fall out.

Put the cylinder back into the second housing, use pliers to
squeeze the clip back on to the post and snap it back into the
housing attached to the steering column. Now your key will insert
without any resistance and there's nothing to jam the lock. Have
a shot of moonshine.

Chris Whelan

hellbelly wrote:

> The lock on my focus was sticking a bit even though I lubed it
> with graphite. So I removed the parts that lock the cylinder. It
> was easy. Now any focus key or even a screwdriver can be used to
> turn the lock. This means that I am relying on the electronic
> chip in the key to keep the car from being started. Those with a
> manual transmission might want to find out if the car can still
> be push started without this chip.
>
[...]

I'm guessing you are in the US where lock failure seems to be a problem.

If you were to disable the lock in the UK, it is likely that in the event of
your car being stolen the insurance company would refuse to pay out. It
might be worth checking that out before you try this.

HTH

Chris
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Alan

In message <e4pyf.44007$zt1.33523@newsfe5-gui.ntli.net>, Chris Whelan
<cawhelan@prejudicentlworld.com> wrote
>hellbelly wrote:
>
>> The lock on my focus was sticking a bit even though I lubed it
>> with graphite. So I removed the parts that lock the cylinder. It
>> was easy. Now any focus key or even a screwdriver can be used to
>> turn the lock. This means that I am relying on the electronic
>> chip in the key to keep the car from being started. Those with a
>> manual transmission might want to find out if the car can still
>> be push started without this chip.
>>
>[...]
>
>I'm guessing you are in the US where lock failure seems to be a problem.
>
>If you were to disable the lock in the UK, it is likely that in the event of
>your car being stolen the insurance company would refuse to pay out. It
>might be worth checking that out before you try this.
>

The locks fitted to European cars are completely different and don't
have the same problems as seen in the US.

The type of key/lock on a European car can be seen at
<http://www.amacleod.clara.co.uk/focus3/>



--
Alan
news2006 {at} amac {dot} f2s {dot} com

Vic Dura

On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 12:27:24 +0000, Alan <junk_reply@amac.f2s.com>
wrote Re Re: How to prevent the ignition lock from jamming:

>The locks fitted to European cars are completely different and don't
>have the same problems as seen in the US.
>
>The type of key/lock on a European car can be seen at
><http://www.amacleod.clara.co.uk/focus3/>

Wow! That is an entirely different kind of key. I wonder what the
origin of the differences is?
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Dave Gower

"hellbelly" <hb@ozark.com> wrote in message
news:52kyf.36884$7S.2404@tornado.rdc-kc.rr.com...
> The lock on my focus was sticking a bit even though I lubed it
> with graphite. So I removed the parts that lock the cylinder. It
> was easy. Now any focus key or even a screwdriver can be used to
> turn the lock. This means that I am relying on the electronic
> chip in the key to keep the car from being started.

Interesting idea. I haven't had a problem with this part since my original
failure going on three years ago, but I'll keep it in mind.

Another way to get around this whole thing is to bypass the factory start
system completely and install a starter switch in a hidden or disguised
location. Most unlikely that a thief would figure this out, so it probably
theft-proofs the car (unless you don't trust all your friends and family
members).

Thanks for sharing.

Chris Whelan

Alan wrote:

> The locks fitted to European cars are completely different and don't
> have the same problems as seen in the US.
>
> The type of key/lock on a European car can be seen at
> <http://www.amacleod.clara.co.uk/focus3/>
>

Purely out of interest, is anyone able to post a link to a picture of a US
key/lock please?

Chris


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Blinky the Shark

On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 16:01:32 +0000, Chris Whelan wrote:

> Alan wrote:
>
>> The locks fitted to European cars are completely different and don't
>> have the same problems as seen in the US.
>>
>> The type of key/lock on a European car can be seen at
>> <http://www.amacleod.clara.co.uk/focus3/>
>>
>>
> Purely out of interest, is anyone able to post a link to a picture of a US
> key/lock please?

My key and lock:

http://blinkynet.net/stuff/uskey.jpg
http://blinkynet.net/stuff/uslock.jpg


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Killing all posts from Google Groups
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Tony Wesley

Blinky the Shark wrote:
> My key and lock:
>
> http://blinkynet.net/stuff/uskey.jpg
> http://blinkynet.net/stuff/uslock.jpg

I got this:

Forbidden
You don't have permission to access /stuff/uskey.jpg on this server.

Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use
an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

Chris Whelan

Blinky the Shark wrote:

> On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 16:01:32 +0000, Chris Whelan wrote:
>
>> Alan wrote:
>>
>>> The locks fitted to European cars are completely different and don't
>>> have the same problems as seen in the US.
>>>
>>> The type of key/lock on a European car can be seen at
>>> <http://www.amacleod.clara.co.uk/focus3/>
>>>
>>>
>> Purely out of interest, is anyone able to post a link to a picture of a
>> US key/lock please?
>
> My key and lock:
>
> http://blinkynet.net/stuff/uskey.jpg
> http://blinkynet.net/stuff/uslock.jpg
>
>
Thanks for posting that. Your key looks like a very old design by European
standards, and has not been used by Ford here for perhaps a couple of
decades.

I think the ones we have are called "Tibbe" keys, and are presumably more
secure to mitigate the high levels of car theft we have.

This is so high in the UK that when you fill your car at a petrol (gas)
station you must remove the keys and lock it up. If you fail to do so it
might be taken whilst you are paying for the fuel; under those
circumstances the insurer may not pay for your loss!

Chris

--
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Vic Dura

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 09:33:51 GMT, Chris Whelan
<cawhelan@prejudicentlworld.com> wrote Re Re: How to prevent the
ignition lock from jamming:

>This is so high in the UK that when you fill your car at a petrol (gas)
>station you must remove the keys and lock it up. If you fail to do so it
>might be taken whilst you are paying for the fuel; under those
>circumstances the insurer may not pay for your loss!

That's amazing and sounds pretty aggressive on the part of the
thieves. Not much further to go to actual "car-jacking" where the
criminal forcibly removes the driver and takes the car.
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