Ford Mechanics... Key will not turn engine off

[Randy]

My wifes 13 Expediton will not turn off with the key. Its happened twice over the past week.. You can turn the ignition and totally remove the key and then engine as well as everything else continues to run.

It was having one of these episodes in our driveway last week and she came and got me. I threw in from park to drive a few times. Turned the wheel left and right and it turned off. Hasn't had any more problems with it until today.

It doesn't have remote start or an alarm to cause this.

Trying to figure out what is wrong with it.

[Kevin Smith]

I'd bet the ignition is going bad. Just a guess.

[kae006]

Have you owned it since new? If not are you sure the PO didn't install an aftermarket remote start or alarm that is now acting up?

[TejasNW]

Does she have/had a key ring with a lot of weight to it?

It has been reported that heavy key rings wear the ignition switch to a point the key will not only come out, but may not engage/disengage the switch. At that point you will need to replace the worn switch before she is left stranded, although not starting is not the most common symptom. Usually it is key falling out while driving, then not switching off.

[bwssr]

does she have remote start?

[Randy]

Have you owned it since new? If not are you sure the PO didn't install an aftermarket remote start or alarm that is now acting up?

Bought it new off the lot.

Does she have/had a key ring with a lot of weight to it?

It has been reported that heavy key rings wear the ignition switch to a point the key will not only come out, but may not engage/disengage the switch. At that point you will need to replace the worn switch before she is left stranded, although not starting is not the most common symptom. Usually it is key falling out while driving, then not switching off.

No not in my opinion. it has 3-4 keys and the original tab with the dealers info on it.
I've heard of ignition problems due to weight on the tumbler

does she have remote start?

Nope

I think its going to be something with the ignition switch or the steering wheel lock..

[denimdeerslayer]

I's say the ignition switch needs to be changed.

[systemnt]

Possessed.
Burn It.

[gatorgrizz27]

Relay is shorted most likely.

[flinger]

Christine......

[Sleepy]

Does it ever not turn the vehicle ON when inserted and turned?

[curtintex]

Randy, a lot of time the problem can be electrical or mechanical or even emotional. When you turn your key off and take it out does your car not turn off. This is not how it is supposed to work. When you turn the key backwards to the "off" position, the car should cease running. In an internal combustion engine and also in the butter machine at the movie theater, you want it to stop when you tell it to. I'm not sure if you've checked your wiper fluid but that probably doesn't have anything to do with the car turning off. However, as long as your checking everything you should go ahead and top off your fluids. You might even consider replacing your belts as the gentleman at Jiffy Lube recommends this to my wife at least every other trip to get an oil change. Speaking of oil, whether or not you use 10w-30 or 5w-20 or virgin olive oil, none of that should affect whether or not your car turns off when you pull the key out. Pulling the key out should be enough to get the car to turn off but it doesn't sound like this is working for you. You might want to check the EGR valve. I don't know if your vehicle has one, but I hear a lot of Dodge owners complaining about something making their trucks not run. However, I don't know if it would make it not run. One time I had a car that wouldn't start and after further diagnosis it was determined that the car didn't have any gas in the tank. Another time, the same thing happened. There was nothing wrong with the fuel gauge, but I like to see how far I can go on E. I don't know if you car refuses to turn off because of the music that you play on the radio, but try turning off your Taylor Swift CD and then turn the key to the "off" position. Also, you may want to check the tire tread. I'm not sure if that would affect the ignition, but flat tires is the number one cause of tire problems on your model of vehicle. They will almost always go flat on the bottom first, so you need to check the tread closest to the ground. I'm sorry that you are having this issue with your car and I hope that I've been a huge help. I'm sure you'll figure it out unless you're unable to, in which case double check the blinker fuse. You'll be able to tell if the fuse is bad, because it'll look burned and your blinkers won't work. If you'll replace that burned fuse, it'll probably fix your blinker issue, but your car may not turn off when you try to kill it. Good luck and God Bless.

[Mr. Whiskers]

It's a ford........surprised it runs

[Randy]

Randy, a lot of time the problem can be electrical or mechanical or even emotional. When you turn your key off and take it out does your car not turn off. This is not how it is supposed to work. When you turn the key backwards to the "off" position, the car should cease running. In an internal combustion engine and also in the butter machine at the movie theater, you want it to stop when you tell it to. I'm not sure if you've checked your wiper fluid but that probably doesn't have anything to do with the car turning off. However, as long as your checking everything you should go ahead and top off your fluids. You might even consider replacing your belts as the gentleman at Jiffy Lube recommends this to my wife at least every other trip to get an oil change. Speaking of oil, whether or not you use 10w-30 or 5w-20 or virgin olive oil, none of that should affect whether or not your car turns off when you pull the key out. Pulling the key out should be enough to get the car to turn off but it doesn't sound like this is working for you. You might want to check the EGR valve. I don't know if your vehicle has one, but I hear a lot of Dodge owners complaining about something making their trucks not run. However, I don't know if it would make it not run. One time I had a car that wouldn't start and after further diagnosis it was determined that the car didn't have any gas in the tank. Another time, the same thing happened. There was nothing wrong with the fuel gauge, but I like to see how far I can go on E. I don't know if you car refuses to turn off because of the music that you play on the radio, but try turning off your Taylor Swift CD and then turn the key to the "off" position. Also, you may want to check the tire tread. I'm not sure if that would affect the ignition, but flat tires is the number one cause of tire problems on your model of vehicle. They will almost always go flat on the bottom first, so you need to check the tread closest to the ground. I'm sorry that you are having this issue with your car and I hope that I've been a huge help. I'm sure you'll figure it out unless you're unable to, in which case double check the blinker fuse. You'll be able to tell if the fuse is bad, because it'll look burned and your blinkers won't work. If you'll replace that burned fuse, it'll probably fix your blinker issue, but your car may not turn off when you try to kill it. Good luck and God Bless.

Its all so clear to me now

[fullsizeaggie]

On a past Dodge truck, I could pull the keys out of the ignition and it would stay running. Obviously rolling the key back would kill as normal and truck would start as normal. Wasn't bad for hot days where I would leave the truck running but take the keys! For the record I did have lots of keys on a carabiner that I carried all the time, if that had any effect on the tumbler. Tumbler / ignition may just be bad.