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Stolen, Recovered, Busted Ignition

F

Firewater

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Hoboken
Hi,

Well, my '98 xj was stolen and subsequently recovered in Newark, Nj . . .not an untypical scenario! :flamemad: The human scum got away with my radio, amp, and some cd's, but other than that, the Jeep appears to be ok. However, the door lock was broken and the ignition switch busted.

After being victimized again by the official towing company of the Newark Police (had to pay $250 to even look at the vehicle), I had AAA tow the vehicle to a Mechanic. He tells me that unfortunatly all the ignition parts must be purchased from the dealer due to some security feature (which obviously does not work!). He also says this makes it necessary to take out the entire steering column. The long and short of it is that it's gonna cost me at around $850.00 parts and labor. Does this sound right?

Mechanic also says that after doing that, the computer might need to be reprogramed at the dealership. The question is, will it?

By the way, the towing yard where I picked up Jeep was full of stolen XJs. Apparently they are particularly easy to steal. Beware!
 
YOu can simply replace the lock cylinder but will have to have it first rekeyed to match your existing key to work with your factory theft deterent ( sentry Key). My 99 was stolen last year and i got it back the next morning. They only made it about 5 blocks before the alternator melted as they cross wired it to try to keep it running. I was lucky and didn;t need to replace the cylinder just the plastic housing around it.
But even if the cylinder needs replacing just rekey it. That is assuming they havent damaged the ring around the cylinder which detects the sentry key. If that is broken also you'd need that and it may need to be reprogramed. The whole column should not have to come out. I'd say your mechanic is hosing you.
Even if the whole column had to come out they are a ton of XJ's at the wreckers. I thought i had to replace mine at first and bought one for 175 complete with key. Still sitting in my garage. But again just the cylinder should need replacing and the plastic shroud around the column.
 
i have replaced several columns for theft damage. if the halo for the skim module is busted the column is surely damaged. if youcan get it done for 850 it is a reasonable price. i think the columns are getting expensive so if you can get one used you wil be ok. however the skim module will have to be replaced and programmed. usually the ignition cylinder isnt damaged.
 
Blaine B. said:
That doesn't make sense why you'd have to pay to get your vehicle back given it did not get impounded for a traffic or parking violation.....
Click to expand...

. . .because in Newark, car theft is an industry and in this industry the line between law breakers and law enforcers is blurry. To make matters worse, whoever wrote the report (Newark PD or their towing Co.--neither took responsibility) said the "car had been in an accident or was otherwise physically destroyed throughout." TOTAL LIE!!! In my view, they don't let you see your vehicle 'till you pay the towing fee and storage so that you just leave them it to them 'cause the fees make it not worth it. Then they sell it at auction. So, who is the crook here?
 
Yeah, mechanic says he thought he would only have to replace the cylinder, but says it is not so since it is '97+. He said it needs a "transponder ring"? and some other things I can't remember--all to the tune of over $500.00.

Maybe the "halo for the skim module" is busted. Could that be why the thieves were able to drive it without the alt. melting as was the case with Pullar's '99. Either way, that security feature was worthless in my case.

This is just so f'en frustrating, i can't think straight. Feels like everyone is trying to profit off of me. I just want my ride back!
 
Yucca-Man said:
^ Well, there's your problem...
Click to expand...

Oh, please! With the cost of insurance in NJ, paying for comprehensive insurance for my xj over the years would have cost well more then this will . . . in fact, more than my xj is worth. But thanks for the insightful remark.
 
My butt kind of hurts after reading this, everyone has a hand out trying to advantage of a bad situation. I will not ever live in Newark after all this. St. Louis is scary enough. I would JY the whole situation and then rekey or whatever.
 
I just read this in a year-to-year auto consumer guide for xj's, leading me to think that I don't even have the Sentry System in my '98.

1999 Jeep Cherokee: Minor appearance revisions to the Sport model were among the few changes for 1999. Sport models got body-colored exterior trim (sand-colored models got matching alloy wheels). New options included heated front seats for Classic models, and Chrysler's Sentry Key theft-deterrent system for Sport and Classic.

This would explain why it did not work when stolen! And, come to think of it, why I was able to make copies of keys at Home Depot and use them with no issue. What gives?
 
You probably don't have the chip key. What color is it? I've heard that the chip keys are gray, and regular is black, on the handle. The boneyard near us, Harry's U-Pull It, has a few '97+ 'donors'. It's probably a 2 1/2 hour ride for you. Try wegotused.com, or look for Kress auto parts, the parent company of Harry's. Gotta be a lot cheaper than a yard in North Jersey.
 
heyhar said:
You probably don't have the chip key. What color is it? I've heard that the chip keys are gray, and regular is black, on the handle. The boneyard near us, Harry's U-Pull It, has a few '97+ 'donors'. It's probably a 2 1/2 hour ride for you. Try wegotused.com, or look for Kress auto parts, the parent company of Harry's. Gotta be a lot cheaper than a yard in North Jersey.
Click to expand...

The key is black, and I also read that the key with the chip is gray. I don't know. I'm calling the dealership in the morn to find out for sure.

I was thinking PA for parts. Jersey does suck for parts. When I was in school at ESU, I used to get my XJ parts at a place in Stroudsburg (I forget the name), but they were pre-pulled. Harry's you say . . .I will most def. check it out. If I could save some $, that would be great. Thanks for the heads up!
 
Just to follow up, I called the dealership and the ran the vin #. The verdict: My '98 does NOT have Sentry! According to the representative, "it was an option starting in '98 but became common in '99. Smart car thieves know this and target these older vehicles."
 
Firewater said:
Just to follow up, I called the dealership and the ran the vin #. The verdict: My '98 does NOT have Sentry! According to the representative, "it was an option starting in '98 but became common in '99. Smart car thieves know this and target these older vehicles."
Click to expand...
It was still just an option,my 2000 doesnt have it either.
 
on the case of theft you should put a kill switch in so even if you have the key it wont start. this guy once put a micro switch in the lighter slot so you would have to push the lighter or the car wont start.

you always have to be one step ahead of the crooks.
 
So with no sentry key there shouldn;t be a problem just changing the cylinder. That should bring the price down. You'd still probably need the plastic shroud around the column which you could get at a wreckers pretty cheap i'd suspect. Hope things work out for you.
 
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