2003 Camry ignition switch problem
Asked by Alias2u Oct 26, 2015 at 06:06 PM about the 2003 Toyota Camry LE
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
2003 Toyota Camry will not engage starter. When I turned key Off and
removed all dash lights stayed on as if turned to ACC. Had to remove battery
cable to keep from draining battery. Replaced ignition cylinder but issue is the
same. Ignition switch also does Not feel right? Car only has 376,000 miles on
it and looking for a few more.
8 Answers
So after you installed the new switch, the dash lights all stay on? As for the no start to the starter, are you sure it was the ignition and not the starter itself? What tests did you do to determine that it was the switch and not the starter or the ignition module, or a bad neutral safety switch?
Yes the lights on the dash stay on even after I removed the key from the switch. Since the switch will not kill power and it did not feel normal, it's as if there Is no spring return from start to on and will not remove power in the off position I "assumed" that was the issue. The starter is relatively new. I did not check the ignition coil or starter relay.
If I remove ignition cylinder the car still stays on? Any ideas? The key does not have a spring return when you go from start to on. Is it possible that the part that the cylinder slides into is bad. Unfortunately it is secured to the steering column with shear bolts?
Found it. Pulled the ignition switch off the back of the upper column bracket. The tab the goes into the switch has broken off inside.
There may be a missing part or spring. Never torn into one to see how it works. Here is a short video on how the ignition system works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpGGpgSEU94 It seems that your problem may lie within the ECU as far as the lights remaining on. Your ignition switch simply just completes a circuit from the battery. Depending on how far you turn it, it will give power to the lights as well as the starter.
Nice work! I didn't refresh my screen, so I didn't realize that you had found the issue.
Christopher answered 5 years ago
How did you go about fixing the broken tab?? I'm having the same issue
2003 toyota part of key broke off n glued back on would that have anything to do with ignition locking ?? Won’t budge
