Ignition switch, or cylinder?

JSC

Registered User
Just trying to figure out which part is the culprit, although from what I can find on searches it's probably both. If I put my key in the ignition, and turn...nothing happens at all, like the tooth that is supposed to catch the switch is gone. I get no accessories, just turns all the way twoards the dash smoothly as if attached to nothing at all.

Am I looking to replace the whole assembly, as in I'll have a new (different) key for my ignition, or is there a gear or pin inside mine that can be replaced?
Can this be a problem in/of the ignition switch itself?
 
JSC said:
Just trying to figure out which part is the culprit, although from what I can find on searches it's probably both. If I put my key in the ignition, and turn...nothing happens at all, like the tooth that is supposed to catch the switch is gone. I get no accessories, just turns all the way twoards the dash smoothly as if attached to nothing at all.

Am I looking to replace the whole assembly, as in I'll have a new (different) key for my ignition, or is there a gear or pin inside mine that can be replaced?
Can this be a problem in/of the ignition switch itself?

Jeff,
I had the same thing happen only completely opposite, I started mine to go to work and it would NOT SHUT OFF when I got to work, talk about weird. Because of the tilt steering wheel Ford uses a plastic slide with a pin that connects the ignition switch to the key cylinder. After taking the entire steering column apart and replacing the ignition switch and cylinder, I found out that the pin that connects these 2 pieces of plastic together had simply fallen out. I regresed the pin and slides replaced the pin and have not had any problems since. Hooked up the old parts and all worked great. Look carefully at the plastic pieces that connect everything and see if that pin hasn't slide out of the holder up near the ignition key cylinder. if it has just put it back in and save some money!!

Let me know how this works out, and if this is the culprit or not.

Smitty
 
Last edited:
Quik95SC said:
Jeff,
I had the same thing happen only completely opposite, I started mine to go to work and it would NOT SHUT OFF when I got to work, talk about weird. Because of the tilt steering wheel Ford uses a plastic slide with a pin that connects the ignition switch to the key cylinder. After taking the entire steering column apart and replacing the ignition switch and cylinder, I found out that the pin that connects these 2 pieces of plastic together had simply fallen out. I regresed the pin and slides replaced the pin and have not had any problems since. Hooked up the old parts and all worked great. Look carefully at the plastic pieces that connect everything and see if that pin hasn't slide out of the holder up near the ignition key cylinder. if it has just put it back in and save some money!!

Let me know how this works out, and if this is the culprit or not.

Smitty

Thanks for the reply.... I have it apart but need to go buy the torx bit to take the switch off....the switch is in that state that everybody talks about....the plastic is hanging down and not making contact with the upper (metal) part of the switch.
 
Well, working on the car is postponed while the sun is overhead, and it's 101 degrees... the switch would seem to be the problem as just pushing it back together makes my ignition catch again. Getting the second (rear) torx screw out looks to be fun....don't see an easy way to get at it. maybe I'll try strapping it together as other people have done, with industrial wire ties. :D
 
Go for the wire ties, JSC. I used three. Especially since your ignition started working again from pushing it back together. "while you have it apart" clean up the slider (remembering orientation) and any dirty contacts and then strap it together. The design of the switch will allow it to happen again, even if you start "new".
--Fred
 
FredSC said:
Go for the wire ties, JSC. I used three. Especially since your ignition started working again from pushing it back together. "while you have it apart" clean up the slider (remembering orientation) and any dirty contacts and then strap it together. The design of the switch will allow it to happen again, even if you start "new".
--Fred

Thanks. That is what I'm going to do.
 
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