Well, just had a case of been there done that; yet again!

This Post is to advise that if you are going to take your modern "thief proof" Land Rover (of any description) "remiote", get the ignition/steering lock anti removal shear headed bolts replaced with Allen headed bolts.

Way back when, guys in the local club would leave the key in the ignition of D1s. Didn't have mine long enough for that to happen.

However, D2 sure enough the key barrel failed. First time I was lucky, it happened in Darwin (just after "remote" and before again going "remote". The vehicle still had LRA's anywhere anytime road service. They pulled the steering lock bolts and cleared the key barrel Next time it happened I used their centre punch holes and pulled the bolts myself. Took barrel to locksmith and wafers etc were replaced. Anyway over time the D2 ended up with no wafers in the barrel and the steering lock plunger removed. No problems then for many years Security still provided by the key ECU interlock - Engine crank but will not start.

Moving right along to current time and 09MY Deffie and 90 000K. Guess what? Ignition key will not turn after vehicle sitting in sun all day (been little niggles for months) Had to wait for everything to cool off and turn the key in the evening. Is/was a case of better get the key barrel done!

Mmmm, my downloaded 07MY DefenderWS manual has no reference for removing steering lock. To get the key barrel one must remove the steering lock! Anyway, remove as much as possible to get access and find that the design has changed slightly. One cannot get a centre punch or chisel onto the round sheared bolt. Only way is drill off the head or an EZYOut.

Now the 07 Deffie's dash is one big moulding only way to get a drill to the bolt heads without removing the whole dash is through the lower parcel shelf, with the holes later being disguised/covered by the fuse panel door, and the parcel shelf insert. While I manage to get one of the bolts, none of my drills were long enough to get the other one. That's when I quit and took it to a local locksmith.

(Note that the drills I was using were excellent quality HSS Suttons drills and I had to re-sharpen twice.)

As things turned out, it wasn't the key barrel this time, it was the ignition switch itself which had failed, and jammed. Locksmith said the key barrel was in good condition.

Irrespective of what the WS manual says, for Deffie 07+ owners, according to locksmith the ign switch cannot be removed without removing the steering lock!

Upshot/moral of the story. If any part of the steering lock, ignition switch key barrel fails in a post 07 Defender chances are you won't be going anywhere unless you can drop the the steering lock!

For other Land Rover products, the key barrels, steering lock, ignition switch combination has not proven to be "reliable". One needs to be able to get the system apart out in the bush. To do that, the "thief proof" steering lock bolts need to be replaced with items that you, the owner driver can get out, so that you can manipulate the locking system, so the engine can be started and the steering lock pin withdrawn.

Cheers

RF