Ok, so there i was at The Home Depot, just bought charcoal, getting ready to drive to the beach for a barbeque. Get in the car, she starts right up. As soon as i roll the windows down, she sputters a little. I give her some gas, she evens out. I let go of the gas, and go to put the top down and she dies. I think to myself that its probably nothing serious. I go to restart her, but she does nothing. No electronics work, sterio wont turn on when rolled back into the accessorie mode, cant roll windows up.

I get her towed back to the house and start to fiddle with turning the key back and forth, and all of a sudden, the key has no resistance. No clicks into position, and i dont even have to press the button on the steering colomn to take the key out anymore.

Ive been searching around for a solution, but im still unsure what it could be.

Please help!

The car is a 1989 mustang gt convertible

 

sounds like you need a new tumbler..... ignition

 

Removed the lock cylinder, everything on the cylinder itself appears ok. Took a slot screwdriver and stuck it in the spot that the flat part of the cylindar plugs into and that part itself is free spinning. Anyone know exactly what part it is?

 

It's the actuall ignition switch,, about a 15 dollar part from a cheap O part store,,I just had to change one on my 92 LX,,take the round trim off around the steering column and you will see an off white plastic thing about 2-1/2 inches long,, thats the bastard,, when your at the parts store get the small set of "security torx" they have a hole in the center,,then it's about a 5 minute fix.
Good luck

 

The tumbler pushes a rod thru that switch, when they break apart nothing gets contact,,, I'd bet you take the trim off the column and you find that switch on the passenger side and grab it,, ****s loose or falls out

 

Looked at it, noticed that the black connector that plugs into it had melted a bit, printed out the service campain that my car falls under, gunna make my local ford fix it for free lol

 

Bought a new switch, went to go put her on. Upon removal of the old switch, the actuator (the rod that moves the switch) slid out. Nearly all of the gear part of the actuator is gone. Just ordered a new actuator from ford. Does anyone know where i can find instructions on replacing the actuator and how i can get the broken part out of there?

 

Put the new switch in, moved it by hand to the start position by hand and got her to start right up. Just need to replace the actuator and ill be a happy guy. And idea how i put a new one in and get the end of the old one out?