# Car will not turn off

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-turn-off/36533>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** ford, taurus\
**Created:** [September 12, 2009, 8:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-turn-off/36533 "2009-09-12T20:13:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![haasinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@haasinator](https://community.cartalk.com/u/haasinator)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 8:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-turn-off/36533/1 "2009-09-12T20:13:51Z")

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When I tried to turn off my car after a trip, I turned the key to the off position and removed it, the car continued to run as normal, everything worked juat like the key was in the ignition. I had to pull the coil wire off to shut the car off, then I disconnected the battery, how do I fix this problem???

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**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-turn-off/36533/2 "2009-09-12T20:19:19Z")

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First stab at the cat is to confirm what sounds like a problem with the ignition switch. Does the radio keep playing? Do you have a key ring with more than 6 keys on it?

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**Author:** ![haasinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@haasinator](https://community.cartalk.com/u/haasinator)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-turn-off/36533/3 "2009-09-12T20:22:33Z")

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Yes, the radio works, everything works just like the key is in and turned on. No, I only have 2 keys on the keychain.

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**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-turn-off/36533/4 "2009-09-12T20:36:23Z")

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Large keyring weight can cause early failure of the switch. Obviously not the case for you but new ignition switch sounds like a cure. You may have luck pushing up or down on the key as you attempt to shut it off. It could be some new electronic system someone may have a different suggestion on if you post model and year.

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**Author:** ![haasinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@haasinator](https://community.cartalk.com/u/haasinator)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-turn-off/36533/5 "2009-09-12T20:44:23Z")

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Can you explain how to remove the key barrel from the steering colum? The car is a 1995 ford Taurus. I can not remove the " key switch cover " . It is the black thing that you insert the key into that looks like a wing nut. By the way, thanks for the help, this is my daughters car and she needs it to return to college on monday.

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**Author:** ![researcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/edb3f5/32.png) [@researcher](https://community.cartalk.com/u/researcher)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-will-not-turn-off/36533/6 "2009-09-12T20:56:15Z")

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The actual switch part of the key switch is on the other end of the key cylinder. You probably don’t need to replace the key lock and cylinder. The lock mechanism turns the switch which will be on the left side of the steering column under the column covers.

I have seen Ford ignition switches fail closed after the contacts became ohmic and melted the plastic.