samnumba1 said:

When i turned my key it used to do nothing then after a while just click.
...

Click to expand...

Ahha, a picture is worth 1000 words. Now it is much clearer what the problem is. In all probability it is not a key malfunction but the outer surround which actuates the steering lock assembly and not the electrical switch.

The question becomes how much of this latch mechanism do you need. Unfortunately like other complex parts it is difficult to determine with any certainty what has failed until taking it apart. My experience suggests that in most cases the complete latch is worn and is replaced. Since I'm not familiar I can only speak in generalities, they are usually installed with breakaway bolt heads to prevent theft. Most instructions will tell you to drill them out so you remove the fastner head and the latch mechanism can be removed.

In real life there are faster easier ways to accomplish this. Using a small punch you give each a blow with a hammer this may need to be repeated. This will break loose the bolts and possibly distort the clamp. You can then use a small pick and working on the outside edge unscrew them. Second choice is to use a small chisel punch and give it a smack with hammer to make a straight blade screwdrive slot which you can then unscrew.

As a last resort you can always use the drill but this is messy with metal chips falling so you need to put newspapers down to catch them. It requires requires more percision to get it centered and time consuming.

They may only want to sell you the complete latch, lock/keys, and switch which just drives the price up. Depending on design you may get lucky and only have to drill out the lock set pin so you can keep your keys and switch. Get parts first then attack the problem. You might want to consider buying parts from a wrecking yard and then just changing the lock and switch over to the new parts for something tells me they could be $150 new.

Cheers,
GTM

Also if you wanted, check your grounds. i had a problem where all the car did was click when i tried to turn it over. I tested the starter and it was fine. It turned out i was not getting a good ground at the firewall from the battery

well i got the part you can see the part number here it fixed the problem completely.. no more clicking and it starts on first try everytime now

Hmmm I'm thinking this might be the cause for my problem. It doesn't happen everytime but lately it has been happening a lot, at least once everytime I drive the car. I've already replaced the starter, alternator, cleaned battery terminals, and checked the ground on the firewall, looks fine.

How much and how hard was this to replace? I was thinking it was my starter again but when it does start, it starts like nothing happened. It'll click most of the time like you say, but after trying 10 times consecutively, it'll eventually start. Hopefully this is the cure to my problem.

*EDIT* I just watched the video and that's exactly what I have to do, just keep turning the key, and it makes that exact noise as well.

i'm pretty sure i found the reason mine is so slugish at starting up

i first tried to start the car, starter would hardly turn over and i was lucky if it started, then:

i gently tapped and pressed the piece you replaced while turning the key and the car started on the first try..so most likely this is the reason my car hardly ever starts.. now as long as i keep pressure on or tap this piece while turning the key it starts everytime..

Hopefully mitsu norway has this part or i have to wait ages to get it from germany

best regards
tobias

Applying some pressure on the key worked for a while, but it isn't working anymore. I plan on replacing the part on my next check as well as replace my tb seals.

$50.oo or so...............

YEs this part will fix most of your problems... you can see the part number in the picture i picked it up at my local Mitsu dealer it was 30 bucks... good luck guys

I just picked one up today, all you need is a screwdriver and some kind of pliers. I couldn't access the mounting screws even with a stubby screwdriver so I just used pliers. They aren't tight so they are easy to remove.

Well I should've replied sooner than this but I found out that the above part didn't solve my problem (probably the day after my last post). It's still persisting and I've been busy w/ summer school and work. I work and go to school in San Jose so I can't just work on my car anytime I want, I would have to go home for that. Also the power steering line that I replaced about two years ago is leaking again. It's been for the last few weeks and I've just been filling it up every few days to keep it from moaning and making a horrid noise.

Anyways, the other day when I changed my oil, I reached up to check if their was any loose connections on the starter, and everything seemed fine. I've replaced the starter before, I believe I got it from Pepboys. Before it used to start fine but the teeth would grind against the flywheel. So I'm thinking that maybe it is the starter again? I don't even know where to begin, all it does is click...click...click...and then start like nothing happened.

**EDIT** I've been thinking that maybe the TT or my alarm has something to do with it...who knows.

A lot of 2G's have this exact same problem. Here's what I did in order:

1) Checked, cleaned and eventually replaced the battery terminals. Worked for awhile,
but didn't fix the problem.
2) Replaced the ignition switch. Worked for awhile, but didn't fix the problem.
3) New starter. Worked for awhile, but didn't fix the problem.
4) Replaced starter relay. This seemed to fix the problem for about two months, but
eventually the problem came back.
5) Installed a push button starter so that the starter solenoid gets +12V straight from the
battery through a relay. Wired the relay so the button only works with the key in the
"ON" position.

This didn't fix anything, but if the car doesn't turn over with the key, I just reach under the dash, push the button, and it starts right up.

Back from the dead.

So I finally got around to getting this part and installed it now my key wont even turn.

When I took out the origional part it seemed that it just slid right out, but when I put the
new one in I felt some type of spring in there creating resistance.

I put the two screws in and now the key wont turn and the power acutally came on before I even put the key in.

Any thoughts?

Ok, so I did some research the other day and decided to test out the starter relay. Guess what? It's bad. I activated the relay a few times just to double-check and there was no continuity. So I thought, ok maybe I did something wrong, but then I activated the relay a few more times, tested again, and there WAS continuity.

Chiltons manual says with the positive battery source connected to pin 2 with pin 4 grounded, there should be no continuity between pins 1 and 3. I got the opposite results=bad.

With no power at all, testing pins 1 and 3 should show continuity as well as between pins 2 and 4. My results had no continuity. This test didn't call for a ground, but I tried it with a ground just to double-check and I got the same results.

I will let you guys know if this fixes my problem, I was gonna try making a jumper in place of the relay just to test it out and be 100% sure that it was the problem, but I ran out of time and had to go to work.

madman said:

Back from the dead.

So I finally got around to getting this part and installed it now my key wont even turn.

When I took out the origional part it seemed that it just slid right out, but when I put the
new one in I felt some type of spring in there creating resistance.

I put the two screws in and now the key wont turn and the power acutally came on before I even put the key in.

Any thoughts?

Click to expand...

I can't recall exactly what I did when I installed it. Take it back out and compare it to the original

bumping an old thread...
I've cleaned grounds...checked grounds...replaced starter

basically having the same symptoms of the OP. I might pick up that part tomorrow and I'll post if it fixed the issue.

Here is what I've done since replacing this part with no change:

Replaced all starter cables and cleaned terminals
Installed new starter relay (waste of $100)

So after all that still no change. While I had the starter out, I had it tested but it got fine results. I should've had the employee keep trying it to see if it would act up but I didn't bother. After getting it tested, I returned the new starter that I was about to install and just put in the new cables. I'm really not sure what's going on with the car now. What are the signs of a bad starter solenoid? Perhaps that is my problem.

Can anyone beat $54 for this part?

Check the voltage at the signal pin on the starter solenoid when you try to crank the car. It should go from 0 to 10V or more when you put the key to start (this is the little clip on the solenoid, not the posts). If you don't get power there, check to see if you get voltage on the proper pin on the starter relay harness (not sure which one offhand). Also check resistance between the output on the relay harness and the end of the wire that connects to the starter solenoid.

I am pretty sure other DSM owners have had this problem and I think there is a solution but I can't seem to find it anywhere.

Problem: When I turn the key, nothing happens, or I will get the "buzzer" noise. To get the car started, I turn the key to the ON position, and then jerk it to get it to "catch". Sometimes it takes a couple tries and this problem has gotten worse and worse to the point where sometimes I can't start my car and sit there for a couple mins turning the key.

Notes: The problem is NOT the starter and not the battery. It is something to do with inside the steering column I am pretty sure.

Can anyone help?

Any updates with this problem? Looking for a real fix and not a push button start!

Sounds like you need a new ignition switch. It is located directly behind the key tumbler inside the column. Check your parts store for one . Tell them you need the switch not the tumbler. On a side not though does your key feel loose in the tumbler? If it does you may need to replace this as well.

I'm still getting this problem, and until now it would start after a few tries so I never really bothered--and had not time--to fix it. But just the other day I figured since I was back at my parents house, I would throw a fresh starter and do some other things to it.

However after getting a new starter, installing it and finding out it didn't start at all, I was pissed. I brought it back to get it tested and it started every time. I know the starter is getting power because I can hear the solenoid clicking.

I gotta go back to my apartment in two days and I need to find a solution asap. I think I might go the push button starter route.

2GeNTSi said:

I'm still getting this problem, and until now it would start after a few tries so I never really bothered--and had not time--to fix it. But just the other day I figured since I was back at my parents house, I would throw a fresh starter and do some other things to it.

However after getting a new starter, installing it and finding out it didn't start at all, I was pissed. I brought it back to get it tested and it started every time. I know the starter is getting power because I can hear the solenoid clicking.

I gotta go back to my apartment in two days and I need to find a solution asap. I think I might go the push button starter route.

Click to expand...

did u get this fixed? i am having the same problem

Any new updates? I have the same problem and am planning on replacing my ignition switch as well.