How do you remove the ignition switch for an 81' Nissan 280zx?

Answer 1

Put your driver's seat rearwards. Look up under the plastic steering wheel cover (the plastic thing that wraps around your ignition switch and turn signal stalk). Find and unscrew (@ 6 or 7?) Phillips head screws (that are deep inside of the holes) and when the two plastic halves are free, jiggle them off and out of the way. There are 4 screws that hold the entire steering wheel lock/ignition switch assembly on; 2 have Phillips head screws and two are the snap-off heads that no longer provide easy removal (theft deterant, but not that effective). Leave the Phillips screw heads alone at first because they keep the cap tight. Take a small really sharp chisel and chisel/cut a tiny groove in the head IN THE DIRECTION THE SCREW UNSCREWS (anti-clockwise). A few times of walking the screw around and it'll be so loose you can use a soft pencel erasure to back out the screw. Do the same with the other 'head-less' screw. After they are both out then use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the other two screws. The switch will fall into your hands. There are two electrical push-on connectors that will need to be pulled apart *(they're opposite and can't be re-connected backwards) and then there are two tiny Phillips screws that hold the electrical switch onto the back of the ignition lock. Once those are un-screwed you can start the car without the steering wheel lock and with out the key with a small flat screwdriver acting as a key (remember to turn it to the proper off 'position' after you drive or you may end up with a dead battery;-). The plastic part of the switch is a bit soft so don't bugger it up. When you get a key made and you want to re-install the lock, grind or double-blade hacksaw a slot / groove in the headless bolt and use a flat screwdriver to re-screw them in. ><I just did this job yesterday afternoonon my daughter's 280 ZX and it took me 5 minutes.>< If you're missing the key entirely and the lock is still good there is a code they sometimes stick to the inside top of your glove box or sometimes its in the owners manual- but I wasn't so lucky. If the lock is bad a brand ney lock and 2 keys cost less than $100 (search the internet). If you're also missing the door keys, try to get away with the easiest way and take out the glove box key, then bring the ignition lock and the glove box lock to any decent lock smith and (s)he can knock out a set of keys pretty cheaply. If you get lazy and make him come out and do the work, you'll pay a LOT more. You're done; Ta-Da