How does an ignition switch die? (electrical shutdown)

[joehahn]

I "believe" my switch is dying.

Symptoms: Just driving along and WHOLE car loses power, not just idle/motor I mean whole thing just shuts down, gauges, radio, everything. Has happened three times in the last week. Battery seems OK and was trickled overnight prior to one of the colossal shutdowns.

I obviously thought it had to be a ground and cleaned/checked tranny, alternator to motor, and main ground to battery. Everything is great, driving along...SHUTDOWN.

A little holiday research yields many posts indicative of ignition switch falling apart. Last night I was trying to recreate the problem and was able to get the shutdown to occur once via jiggling the key (engine already on) in the driveway. Got daring, took cell phone, towhook, rations and went out driving just waiting to see where I would be breaking down and how far from house this would occur. Of course, the car ran flawlessly. Better than ever, no shutdown and as an added bonus while tracing out wires I found (or realized) that my alternator light that i never knew I had, just needed a bulb and it too works flawlessly.

So my question is, would a dying igntion switch cause these intermittent problems? Do they give up the ghost fast or will I endure a few more shutdowns before it finally is kaput? Is there a way to test the switch?

and, John Cramer, it is NOT in fact "easy" to read those wiring diagrams!

TIA

joe 68 L

[joehahn]

Thanks Lynn, had not thought of that. Maybe I will slop some of that conductive grease stuff on the posts as well. anyone else have any thoughts?

joe 68 L

[jabb]

Hi Joe

Slowly turn the key to the start position and watch the lights on the dash as you are slowly turning the key do the lights go out on the dash at any point during the key rotation ? If yes this is a dead spot in the switch. This is not a 100% but just something to check.

[RoninLB]

the inner contacts slowly toast. I changed a good sw at 100k mi to save future headaches for more interesting stuff. fwiw an unknown intermintent ignition miss is a pia, especially if your not sure if it's a fuel or ignition prob.

[joehahn]

thanks guys!
Would my symptomology be indicative of a bad switch or as lynn thought, a big wire coming loose from something important? I doubt it is fuel related as the whole car shuts down (and I am a veteran of several failed fuel pumps...I KNOW what that is like).

joe 68 L

[singpilot]

Joe. You need to sell the car to me. Your headaches are just starting.

I will take it as is.


Replace the switch before you sell it to me tho.

[joehahn]

make even a ridiculously low offer and it is yours! (i'll throw in the switch too)

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by joehahn

Would my symptomology be indicative of a bad switch or as lynn thought, a big wire coming loose from something important?

ok. why don't you pull the sw and check the connection.. but if you love the one you hate change the sw. OR have a jumper wire close with a wiring dia for maybe some more fun later.