Last Saturday when it was below 0º, I went to start the truck and something broke/snapped in the ignition system. The key lock cylinder turned very hard in that cold weather, then it gave way. Never engaged the starter, but it still had ACC. power no matter which way I turned the key. I had to disconnect the battery and leave it for now until it warms up.
I did some searching and found a couple threads about broken ignition switch lower actuator rods. I thought at first the key cylinder broke, but maybe not.
Is getting the column apart and replacing parts a pain the rear?

 

ignition actuator is the part that broke.

it is attached by a rod to the key switch.

search for more info.

 

ql2 is right. You are also right-it is a pain to get the column apart. You have to pull the steering wheel, lift off the turn signal plate, remove the column cowl and that gets you access to the ign switch actuator. Whole job can take about 3 hours. As ql2 says if you do a search of this forum there was a superb post on a step by step how to for this job. Don`t fancy it at 0 degrees! As a temporary measure you may be able to operate ign. manually. Look on top of steering column under instrument cluster and you should see the ign/start switch with a thin rod running the column to it. You may be able to push and pull this rod to operate switch. You should, at least, be able to turn ign. off.

 

Odds are the above posters are correct, the Ford number is E9TZ-3E715-B the NAPA number is 655-1296, time consuming to change. Good Luck.
Of course we're guessing you have a tilt steering column.

 

I had the same problem except when i went to fix it then the tubes inside of the column had jamed up to were I couldn't put in in R, N or D. Had to replace whole column. Much easier to do.

 

Searching is a pain. Here's the procedure I typed up after I did mine last year:

Steps for Replacing Steering Column Actuator 1987-91

1) Remove steering wheel.
2) Remove the turn signal lever.
3) Remove two-piece plastic column cover that hides column where it meets dash.
4) Drop column down and remove ignition switch. Put column back up but do not tighten bolts.
5) Remove ignition lock cylinder.
6) Remove lock cylinder gear (snap ring pliers required). It is down in the hole that you took the lock cylinder out of.
7) Disconnect turn signal switch harness and then pull turn signal switch out and let it hang by wires.
8) Remove ignition lock cylinder collar (slide it over the turn signal switch).
9) Press actuator and rod towards dash so you can remove the actuator gear (the thing with the gear teeth on it that is linked to the actuator and rod).
10) Remove the snap ring on steering shaft.
11) Remove the little round metal bar (multiple bends in it) and two clips that operates the tilt. PAY ATTENTION HERE - there is a little spring like out of pen that is behind it with a metal cap on it. Remove that so you don’t lose it.
12) Drive the pin out of the tilt lock lever on the underside of the column. There is a spring underneath it with a plastic pad so pull those out too so you don’t lose them.
13) Thread a bolt or screw into the inside threaded pins that hold the tilt together and pull them out. You should put the tilt all the way up before you do this so you unload the spring.
14) Slide the tilt collar towards you on the shaft enough to get the actuator and rod out.
15) Pull the actuator and rod out. Put in vise and drive the little pin out to separate rod and actuator. Reassemble with new actuator. TIP – use a pair of pliers to press the pin back in so you don’t have to hit on it with a hammer.
16) Put a light coat of grease on the slides where the actuator goes and put the assembled actuator and rod back into column.
17) Put a light coat of grease on the swivel where the tilt collar goes and press the pins back in. TIP – You will be fighting the spring to do this so it helps to stick a screw in one side to hold it in place, then line up the other side and put a pin in. Once you have the pin in on one side, replace the screw on the first side with the other pin.
18) Reassemble starting with step #12 and go in reverse. TIP – Put a light coating of grease in the lock cylinder collar where the actuator gear and cylinder gear go.

 

Yeah I was going to do that. Heck I even got the part from the dealer. After the tubes jamed up and I don't have the tool to do them just replace the whole column

 

On an '89 with no tilt and manual transmission I just slid the plastic cover directly behind the steering wheel down and then could push on the rod. This was after cylinder lock broke. You can then use it same as the ignition. Could be a short-term (or in my case long-term) solution for you. Don't know how automatic trans. or tilt steering column would affect this.

Good luck

 

Thanks for the replies, part #'s and procedure list.
It is a tilt column. I'll get started on it when it warms up and see what happens. Hopefully the tubes inside the column aren't jammed up and I can just replace the actuator rod.

 

88 bronco with tilt steering with cruise control

 

I had the same thing happen in my '89 work truck, but I still could turn the key to ACC. Not wanting to put time or money into it I bought a $3 push button, mounted it in the dash, and wired it to the solenoid. Not I just turn the key and push the button.

 

Suthrnslew, before you remove the steering wheel, marke the spline shaft and the wheel so when you put it back on it will be in the same place as it was before.......
Done this job a couple of times and it's not hard. Actually it's fun, that is if you like to do things like that.

Jim