My f-ing car won't shut off.

M

my95mark8

Guest
Sorry to put it that way....I am aggrivated. The car is running, and won't shut off. I THINK it's the ignition cylinder. I can turn the key all the way to the lock position, and still drive the car. Wheel doesn't lock, shift doesn't lock, stays running, etc. There is NO resistance when I turn the key, until I hit the "start" position.
Anyone got any ideas?
 
I can't remember how to do it, but I think you can slide the ignition cylinder out and possibly kill it manually.

Unfortunately, that's not of much help. But if taking it to a repair shop is an option, they can get it off and install a new igntion cylinder inside a half hour.
 
Now I have the cylinder out. It comes apart I am sure that part is f'd up for one thing because there is a little pin inside it that is (was) spring loaded, that has fallen out and gotten lost. Now, I look inside, there is a gear that the cylinder goes into. With a screwdriver, I can rotate that to the "start" position, and get the starter to turn (grind...the car was still running at this point). I turn it back towards the "off" position, and nothing happens. I can see it engage with the other gear is whatever that connects to broken? That is my suspicion.
 
LoL wow my car is doing the same thing its in the shop right now... I pulled 3 of the spark plugs wires off and let it stall out lol or you can open the fuse box and take out the first fuse from the front on the right side and it will shut off... The spark plug thing was stupid cause I got the :q:q:q:q zapped out of me 3 times lol
 
Calabrio said:
I can't remember how to do it, but I think you can slide the ignition cylinder out and possibly kill it manually.

Unfortunately, that's not of much help. But if taking it to a repair shop is an option, they can get it off and install a new igntion cylinder inside a half hour.
Click to expand...
I got the cylinder out by sticking a piece of coat hanger in the hole in the bottom, then turning it to the run position.
I had to shut the car off by pulling the coil wires off, then I disconnected the battery.

I think I need more than a cylinder....:mad: it looks like something inside is broken.
I think if I had to, I could get it started with the screwdriver, but I don't know of an easy way to shut it off.
 
you can remove the ign switch itself (you guys are talking about the lock cylinder)

it is mounted under the panel under the dash on the bottom of the column. its an ivory colored box about 3 inches long and 1.5 inches wide with an assload of wires coming out of it. when you remove it there is a silver colored rod sticking out of it. pull this towards you and the car will shut off. all the way back is accessory position. all the way foward is start.


the problem is some plastic pieces in the column itself have broken and are not allowing the key to shut off the ign switch. they are a REAL PITA to change. the column has to come out of the car and be dissassembled. the ign lock cyl has to come out and the gear it actuates has to come out. the tilt part of the column has to be taken apart and is a real bitch to put back together because of the spring.

your dealer SHOULD have the parts instock and should know what youre talking about. its really kind of a common failure (we had 3 sets of the parts instock)

total parts cost iirc is about 25 bucks. the labor to do it is 4-5 hours.
 
there is a small alum. rod in the coloum that attaches the lock cyl to all the inner workings of the coloum and they break alot and you have to pull the coloum pretty far apart to replace it, instead of pulling plugwires and shocking the sh!t out of yourself why dont you just unplug the coil pack?

damn vr4 u beat me
 
ugh. so that's about $25 in parts, 4-500 in labor? probably cheaper to buy a used steering column...but then that one would probably break.
 
the job is not immpossible but hard, if u take your time and keep track of everything it is do'able just sux, havent done one on a mark 8 yet but LOTS of f150's etc but most cars are the same once you get deep enough, also if you drop the ign switch like vr4 said check to make sure its not binding cuz it would suck to fix it and put in the old switch and break the new piece again and make sure the rod out of the switch is lined up with the slot or it could break the new part also basically the "rod" that broke is a very cheep piece of cast aulinum designed to be the weak link in the sys instead of breaking higher priced parts its just in a bad location to replace
 
cast aluminum? is this a mark specific part? all the t-birds i did were plastic. the replacements were plastic too.


yes....check the switch. i got myself a spare just for this reason.
 
vr4 said:
cast aluminum? is this a mark specific part? all the t-birds i did were plastic. the replacements were plastic too.


yes....check the switch. i got myself a spare just for this reason.
Click to expand...

maby its plastic on 8 and birds havent done those yet explorers,expeditions,f1,2,3,4,&5-50's, vics, mustang's (some years) etc. maby the plastic is stronger
 
I'm surprised no one suggested shoving a rag in the intake to stop air flow? I laugh when I hear people unplugging coils and plugs. Not are you likely to get shocked but have potential to do damage to the motor
 
you can shut it off by banging on the safety fuel cutoff thing in the trunk under the air ride off/on switch
 
Chicken..are those T-Bird wheels?
Here is what my ignition cylinder looked like when I took it out. I don't think it's supposed to look like this. Am i correct? Pardon the quality....my camera is a piece of crap

cylinderpieces1.JPG


cylinderpieces2.JPG


cylinderhole.JPG
 
For future reference, if a car is running and the ignition is broken...



Open the trunk and pop the inertia switch to kill the fuel pump. Bada bing, car dies.

Paul.
 
vr4 said:
thats not correct at all.
Click to expand...
The cylinder should come out in 1 piece, right?
I should be able to turn the gear inside witha screwdriver and shut it off, right?
I don't know whether to
1: start the car with a screwdriver and drive it to a shop
2: take it apart and try to fix it myself
3: go to a junkyard and get a whole steering column
 
the cyl should be 1 piece but due to the design of the system you cant just start it with a screwdriver. that gear looking thing is what the end of the cyl goes into. it actuates the rods we were talking about being broken.


see how the end of the cyl has the odd shape to it. the small part slides thru the steel plate that was holding the gear in. this is why you cant just use a screwdriver. the plate doesnt rotate but the gear needs to.

like i said earlier. you can lower the switch assy from under the column and start/kill the car like that. careful though...anyone else can do the same since the car doesnt have PATS.
 
I may do what you just mentioned with the switch, to get around until I can figure out what to do about this, I can't really afford to pay someone to fix it for me. What is PATS? Does it make sense to get a junkyard steering column, and just replace the whole thing?
 
vr4 said:
the cyl should be 1 piece but due to the design of the system you cant just start it with a screwdriver. that gear looking thing is what the end of the cyl goes into. it actuates the rods we were talking about being broken.


see how the end of the cyl has the odd shape to it. the small part slides thru the steel plate that was holding the gear in. this is why you cant just use a screwdriver. the plate doesnt rotate but the gear needs to.

like i said earlier. you can lower the switch assy from under the column and start/kill the car like that. careful though...anyone else can do the same since the car doesnt have PATS.
Click to expand...
Could it be at all possible that my problem is the cylinder. I am not 100% sure that I understand how it works.
 
KainDTE said:
LoL wow my car is doing the same thing its in the shop right now... I pulled 3 of the spark plugs wires off and let it stall out lol or you can open the fuse box and take out the first fuse from the front on the right side and it will shut off... The spark plug thing was stupid cause I got the :q:q:q:q zapped out of me 3 times lol
Click to expand...

AHAHHHAHAH! sorry to laugh at your misfortune, but that was funny....did your hair go all poofey?

my95mark8 said:
Sorry to put it that way....I am aggrivated. The car is running, and won't shut off. I THINK it's the ignition cylinder. I can turn the key all the way to the lock position, and still drive the car. Wheel doesn't lock, shift doesn't lock, stays running, etc. There is NO resistance when I turn the key, until I hit the "start" position.
Anyone got any ideas?
Click to expand...


all ya had to do was let me take it for a drive, ill make sure it shuts off....PERMINANTLY! can you say 8500rpm anybody? MUAHAHA!
 
I am fine with that...as long as you are going to pay for another mark for me to drive.
 
vr4 said:
cast aluminum? is this a mark specific part? all the t-birds i did were plastic. the replacements were plastic too.


yes....check the switch. i got myself a spare just for this reason.
Click to expand...
I took the cover off...got to the switch and started it that way. how easilly should the switch move? it takes a little bit of force to get it to move.
 
sorry no response from me last night, had to help my friends band set up, and help them with all that beer ( its a hard job i know), lets see, yes those are bird rims check my pic gallery, and the switch should have some resistance when u move it but how much is too much............ its just a feel type thing, it shouldnt be loose but not too tight, it dosent move freely by any means but being that your coloum fell apart and it didnt break the rod we (vr4 and i) were talking about its prolly ok
PATS=Passive Anit Theft System........the "chipped" keys
 
Ok, so the rod coming out of it usually breaks if the switch is bound up ? Mine is still there...:). One thing I noticed when I was messing around with it. When I move the piece in the column that moves the switch, the gear in the cylinder hole does not move.
So PAST is what we call a "transponder key" where I work. I work at a Toyota dealer (I should change to a Ford dealer, since my last 3 cars have been Fords). The techs at work are great, but most of the time when I ask for help on my car they don't have the answers.
I talked to someone who talked to a friend who said "oh yeah...that's an easy job...the rod falls off inside...all you do is pop it back on."
I don't think so...lol.
Obviously you guys have done your fair share of these and know what you are talking about. There's no way I am taking that steering column apart myself. I am sure I would screw it up. I am going to ask around and see if I can get someone to do it...preferrably someone that has done this before.
So, this is common enough that I should be able to call the Ford dealer parts dept, and they will know what parts I need? I know I need a new cylinder for one thing.
Thanks for your help.
 
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