Older vehicles beware - Ignition switch

[Mopar1973Man]

I want to bring up something that happened to me. Now last night a friend showed up with one of his friends and we started talking shop, trucks and diesel be exact Cummins in a Ford. Of course I open the hood on both the 2002 and 1996 Dodge let this other guy preview the trucks. After it was all said and done it was getting late the guys packed up and left. I went out and locked up both trucks and had to roll up the windows on the 1996 Dodge. Went in for the night. Got this morning hauled some trash down to the trash can and hear faint music playing to me it sounded like across the road from me. Disregarded the music being its Jet Boat Race weekends figure people are parting somewhere. Fast Forward. Still hearing the music and walked a package down to the mailbox but didn't hear the music come back up and realized its the 1996 Dodge was the source. Unlocked the door and sure enough, the ignition switch was in ACC position and the key was there. So that means last night when I reached in and turn the ignition on to roll up the windows and turn the key to OFF i managed to pull the key out in the ACC position and the radio played all night long and half of today. 

 

Funny part the truck started right up. 

 

So be aware of your ignition switch and make sure you get it turned OFF after your done in the truck. 

[SilverMoose]

6 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

I want to bring up something that happened to me. Now last night a friend showed up with one of his friends and we started talking shop, trucks and diesel be exact Cummins in a Ford. Of course I open the hood on both the 2002 and 1996 Dodge let this other guy preview the trucks. After it was all said and done it was getting late the guys packed up and left. I went out and locked up both trucks and had to roll up the windows on the 1996 Dodge. Went in for the night. Got this morning hauled some trash down to the trash can and hear faint music playing to me it sounded like across the road from me. Disregarded the music being its Jet Boat Race weekends figure people are parting somewhere. Fast Forward. Still hearing the music and walked a package down to the mailbox but didn't hear the music come back up and realized its the 1996 Dodge was the source. Unlocked the door and sure enough, the ignition switch was in ACC position and the key was there. So that means last night when I reached in and turn the ignition on to roll up the windows and turn the key to OFF i managed to pull the key out in the ACC position and the radio played all night long and half of today. 

 

Funny part the truck started right up. 

 

So be aware of your ignition switch and make sure you get it turned OFF after your done in the truck. 

I could do the same thing in my old 1/2 ton. Didn't need the key for ignition.  Kinda scary.  Glad you caught it sooner than too late.

 

L8tr

D

[Sycostang67]

I had a 1980 Toyota 4x4 that the key would fall out if the truck bounced around.  It was really annoying trying to climb a steep hill, key falls out, and of course the truck had a random habit of shutting off after too much playing around.  Ignition won't move either way without the key so I have to stand on brakes while girlfriend unbuckles and hunts for the keys under the seat so I can restart the dang thing to back down the hill. 

[Mopar1973Man]

7 hours ago, Sycostang67 said:

I have to stand on brakes while girlfriend unbuckles and hunts for the keys under the seat so I can restart the dang thing to back down the hill

 

I would replace an ignition switch way before it got that bad. 

[Chris O.]

Interesting I can do this in my truck in any position even with the engine running thanks to my father,  not sure how he managed to break it but hey I can go to the store leave the truck running locked with the keys in my pocket 

[dripley]

I ran one of keys for 16 years to the point I could take it out of the switch while the truck was running. The key was thin and cuts were rounded off. I got the other key that came with it and started using it and it will not come out of switch while running. Seems to me the key and switch wear both wear out.

[rogerash0]

My 98.5 does this on the daily. I think it was the cause of a flat battery on a camping trip in the mtns last year. Live n learn

[Chris O.]

On 4/29/2018 at 9:09 AM, dripley said:

I ran one of keys for 16 years to the point I could take it out of the switch while the truck was running.

Good idea will try a new key soon, the 16bit key on counter got stuck on 65535.

 

[Dieselfuture]

4 hours ago, Chris O. said:

the 16bit key on counter got stuck on 65535.

Why is there even a key counter in a first place. So can this drb3 tool rogramm things too or does it only read data. 

[dripley]

58 minutes ago, Dieselfuture said:

Why is there even a key counter in a first place. So can this drb3 tool rogramm things too or does it only read data. 

That is the DRBIII tool from the dealer. It should do it all.

[Mopar1973Man]

6 hours ago, Chris O. said:

Good idea will try a new key soon, the 16bit key on counter got stuck on 65535.

 

 

Looking that up its a perfect FFFF hexadecimal. 

1 hour ago, Dieselfuture said:

Why is there even a key counter in a first place. So can this drb3 tool rogramm things too or does it only read data. 

Good question. I don't know either why there is a key counter. 

 

DRBIII tool typically is thousands of dollars to even purchase. This tool is "THE" tool that does all reflash work on any module on our truck. It can enable or disable high idle mode, reflash ECM's and PCM's. Calibrate ABS speed setup for larger tires. Read data from all sensors. Like I said this is "THE" tool of tools for the Dodge Cummins!

[rogerash0]

After using a fresh cut key my ignition longer turns too far back when I take it out.