No Radio, Windshield Wipers, or AC/Heater Blower

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

My radio, windshield wipers and ac/heater fan will not work. It will however work when you turn the key all the way back or forward but not when the engine is running. Not sure if it is a fuse problem or not. It is a 2003 and has 176,xxx miles on it.

2

It’s not a fuse problem. You probably have a bad ignition switch. See a good mechanic and he will get you back on the road with the music, the wipers and the fan.

3

Ok, back again. I had the ignition switch replaced but now I have an additional problem. When I try to start my van there is no “on” position it goes straight to start. The mechanic I had look at it says he thinks it is a key lock problem. Not sure how that all goes together. Does the key lock set activate the ignition switch? If so could that be my whole issue?

4

There are two parts to the ignition switch.

  1. The lock cylinder, in which the key fits and allows the switch to turn.

  2. The electrical switch, which makes contact with various and sundry comoponents depending on the position of the switch.

Which part was replaced, and why did they give it back to you without an “ON” position?

I don’t understand how you can drive the van without an “ON” position. If it goes straight to “START” the starter would be running all time, and it wouldn’t last long if that were the case.

5

The electrical switch was replaced. It used to be click, click start now it is click start. Does that make sense?

6

Yes, it makes sense. What does the person who replaced the ignition switch have to say about it?

Do all accessories, etc, work properly? Are you still having problems?

7

He suggested the key lock set be replaced but because he had my car for a week and still hadn’t gotten to it I needed to find another place that could fix it faster. I just wanted to ask a second opinion before I took it to someone who hadn’t seen it yet. Everything works properly when the key is turned all the way back. The radio, wipers, etc.

8

It sounds to me that the person who worked on the problem didn’t do something correctly when putting things back together. It may be kind of hard to prove that though. The switch worked correctly before the service work was done but not after the work. Now they are trying to dump off their mistake to someone else at your expense.