to replace the ignition switch on my 2008 tdv8 is there an easy way to get at it or is it a full lower console removal . tried the search function on the forum but can't find anything re replacing the ignition switch . I am new to the forum so maybe I am looking in the wrong place .... Thanks for any help

Mate, prepare yourself, it's a bit of a faff......

Click image to enlarge

thanks Sam , scary job then ?

Yes and no. There's not really any element of the job that's difficult, there's just a lot of it. The biggest faff is probably getting the airbag off the steering wheel! Just take your time and be methodical.
Top tip though; once you've re-assembled everything don't push the airbag pad all the way home on it's clips until you've driven it for the first time as in all likelihood the steering wheel will be slightly off center and you'll have to take it off again.

thanks sam - very helpful . will have some nerve tablets for lunch and have a go .....

Remember to disconnect the battery!

Before you remove the steering wheel, mark the position with a felt pen across the splines

This may help to start the job, steering wheel and air bag removal video from Powerful UK



As in above posts, not difficult, just a faff to do, if you are not used to doing anything like this use a piece of cardboard and stick fasteners into cardboard and ID each set upon removal, then you won't mix them up upon re-fitting. Ask me how I know we all make mistakes.

A car trim tool kit would help with this job. Cheap and very handy.

Hi Sam,I have the same problem with my 2007 L322 vogue,it needs the ignition switch sorted,know dash lights,brake lights on etc,
Iam also located west Sussex,the car is stuck on my drive!
Do you know of anybody mobile who could fix this for me.
Kind regards Steve.

Hi all,are there any mobile mechanics local to west Sussex that could do the ignition switch on my L322?

Wondering if you got this sorted. I removed the main ground strap under right side as it was terribly corroded and when I turned the key I got red taillights and blinking front markers and numerous fault messages. They all disappeared when ground strap replaced. Just a thought as it lurks down there and I never noticed it. That assumes the car is in a corrosive environment and the strap is made up of numerous very thin copper strands which corrode easily.

Hello All,

I wanted to add to this thread for the benefit of anyone reading it at a later date.

First off, a big thank you to all the contributors. I can’t tell you how much diagnosing time this thread saved me. I’m confident that I could have diagnosed this problem, but without knowing where to start it would have taken days. Thankfully, this thread saved me all of that hassle, and I’m pretty grateful for that!
In my case, it was the electrical part of my ignition switch that was the problem. It is fastened to the rear of the ignition switch module with two grub screws.

My car is a Tonga Green 2007 TDV8, and I was experiencing the exact same symptoms as the OP.
My airbag light came on one or two times but went off again in the two or three days leading up to the car eventually stopping running.
When I read the fault codes for the airbag light, it was the same as the OP had again; a load of different modules that weren’t communicating with each other.

Then on about day 3 or 4 after the first airbag light had come on, I was driving slowly down a country road, and the dash lit up with a load of traction control and Hill descent control warnings et cetera and the engine stopped.
The car wouldn’t start and was completely dead when turning the key, and 90% of the time she wouldn’t even turn over, however she did turn over occasionally but without firing.
At all times, none of the lights that normally come on on the dash when you turn the ignition key/switch to the run position lit up.

Once the engine stopped, my car couldn’t be restarted, and all I had on the dash was the red parking brake light flashing, regardless of the position of the parking brake. There was also a “parking brake module fault” message in the text window.

The only things I would add to the thread is that to disassemble a 2007 TDV8, this thread was the best guide I could find online:

https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/post697125.html

And in addition to that, I was able to double confirm that the electrical part of my ignition switch was the root cause of my problems by cleaning the contacts and getting the vehicle running again using the original switch as per this thread:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/l322-range-rove...tch-2.html

I didn’t put the dash back together with the original switch even though it worked again, but at least I could start the engine and move the car around the driveway while I was waiting for the new one to arrive.

The Switch in my car was a BMW/Valeo part, P/N: 6901961.
I used a Febi Bilstein alternative, because in my experience BMW’s quality is very poor. The Febi part no is: 36545

Thanks again to everyone who added to this thread. You really helped to keep this modern classic machine on the road.

Sean