Just used Tommyt's writeup.
Has anyone encountered an aftermarket Chinese ignition switch that does not fit properly?
I'm sure I had the orientation correct, and two of the male blades were not lining up with the stock pink female connector. I was afraid to bend them to make them fit, or to press with all my might and break something. The stock OEM switch slide right back in without any trouble.
I tried first with NAPA Chinese switch for $25, then O'Reilly Chinese switch for $58. They looked identical.
My only advice to add to the write-up is that you'll want to find a
#0 phillips screwdriver in the minimum 5.5'' length that Tom mentioned in his writeup. These are not easy to find. Clearance is very tight for the two screws nearly hidden by the steering wheel. I have a three-spoke steering wheel and I'm not sure if this affected things. If you're having difficult time engaging the head of the screw, you can apply pressure to the lower plastic cover and expose a smidgen more of the screwhead from flex in the plastic. *EDIT: Vortex thread mentions that 3-spoke makes it impossible to do this without removing steering wheel -- guess I proved that wrong...but it is TIGHT*
I also do not think it's necessary to make marks to figure out the orientation of the switch in the housing. There is only one orientation possible because the third plastic guide prong is of a different shape than its neighbors.