# Ford f-150 mystery

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-f-150-mystery/30896>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [May 24, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-f-150-mystery/30896 "2009-05-24T00:27:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![popps04](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9de053/32.png) [@popps04](https://community.cartalk.com/u/popps04)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-f-150-mystery/30896/1 "2009-05-24T00:27:06Z")

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I have a 1989 ford f-150, that will all of a sudden go completely dead while driving. This will happen without any kind of warning,sometimes I can go 25 miles before it dies and sometimes only 3 miles. The funny thing is, it starts back up right away. It did this 6 times during the return trip from the home improvement store. Any advice on things to check would be appreciated.

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**Author:** ![87\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/f14d63/32.png) [@87\_Ranger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/87_Ranger)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-f-150-mystery/30896/2 "2009-05-24T02:01:28Z")

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Hard to find the problem when it instantly starts back up.  
Gotta hate when that happens.

Have you noticed if the idiot lights are on when it stalls?

If not I would suspect a bad ignition switch.

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**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-f-150-mystery/30896/3 "2009-05-24T15:32:32Z")

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I also would suspect the ignition switch though I would want to prove it before replacing it. The trouble could also be in the power lead to the switch or possibly after it running to the ignition area.

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-f-150-mystery/30896/4 "2009-05-24T18:50:25Z")

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You’re describing what happens when an ignition module is failing. Fords of this vintage were notorious for their ignition modules failing causing a sudden shutdown of the engine.

Tester