Conversation Between techartisan and BlakeParmter

9. slip in your new switch...
10. reinsert the screws
11 plug it back in

that should do it. Hope you follow and it helps....Ive only done an ignition switch on one late model, went pretty smooth for me.

Unless youre a scrawny midget youll want to make some room...
1. remove the drivers seat
2. remove the steering wheel
3. lay down and slide under the dash
4. find the backside of the switch assembly
5. carefully unplug the wires....I say carefully because sometimes they like to back out of the connector
6. The switch itself is held in place by two screws.....one comes out easy but the one closest to the steering shaft is a bitch. Id recommend using a screw bit and a long nose vise grip..
7. once the screws are removed the switch assembly should slide right out...age and gunk will sometimes make it stick a bit...give it a bit of a wiggle and it should free up.
8. plug your new switch into the harness and use a phillips screw driver to give it a turn to make sure its working....if you have some other problem and dont test this you will get everything back together...it wont work and youll think you did something wrong.....and start all over. So test first then...

Im not quite sure why you chose me to ask this...

I almost exclusively play with early cars...the job is very straight forward with them....no shear bolts.
Late cars are a whole different ball game...but Ill do my best to "write" you through it.....

If you are only trying to change out the electical portion and not the key itself the page youve referenced isnt relevant. That removes only the mechanical lock....the switch itself is a separate component....you CANNOT remove it from the front....its mounted from behind. Getting at it without removing the entire assembly (breakaway bolts) is not impossible...its just tough. So here goes....

Hey,

I'm getting into an ignition switch replacement on a late 1988 944. As it stands I have the instrument cluster removed and I've been tiring to get that electrical part out of the front. I tried drilling a hole following the instructions detailed here:

http://www.the944.com/key.htm

but I haven't been able to find any retaining springs. There is also a small sunk-in screw to the right of the key hole on the side of the assembly, when I removed that screw and there didn’t seem to be anything important under their either. Do I have to take the dash off and drill out the breakaway bolts? What key position does that switch have to be in? Hopefully you can point me in the right direction.
Thank you for your time,
-Blake