Car engine still running once I turn key off

General Discussion
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1

This problem recently started, I was out and about doing errands and I turned off the car and was getting out when I noticed that the engine was still running, it took about 5 seconds for the car to turn off completely. I went home after noticing the problem. The next morning I was leaving for work and when I tried turning the car on, it wouldn’t start. I had to jump the battery. Does anybody know what the problem could be? This is a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu

2

Are you sure the engine was still running, or could it have been that the radiator fan was still running? In some cars the fan will continue to run post-shutdown and people often are tricked into thinking the engine itself is still going.

How old is your battery?

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3

It could be the key cylinder.

4

I agree with @shadowfax, it could be a combination of normal behavior (the cooling fan continuing to run after you’ve shut off the car) and a weak battery. Get the battery tested, and if it passes, let us know.

You might also check your owner’s manual to see if it mentions the cooling fan running after you’ve shut off the engine.

5

+1 !
The noise of the cooling fan(s) can be fairly loud, and can trick some people into thinking that the engine is running, when it is merely the normal operation of the cooling fan(s).

6

A faulty ignition switch could cause this.

7

If it was the fan coming on, that could explain your dead battery also.
I had a 2003 Chrysler minivan, I came home one day and parked behind it and as I was walking by it the fan started up. The engine was cold. My wife had driven the car but been home more than 2 hours. The next morning the battery was dead but charged well.

I took over driving the van and disconnected the battery at work and overnight until I found out what the problem was. It turned out to be a bad fan control module and all the dealers and parts stores were out of them. Rock Auto shipped me one and it fixed the problem although I had a hard tome finding out where it was. I traced the wires from the fan and founr it under the front bumper cover on top of the steel bumper next to the drivers side of the radiator.

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