I HAVE A 92 DIESEL FIVE SPEED. WHEN I BOUGHT THE TRUCK THE KEY WAS WORE OUT SO YOU COULD START IT WITHOUT THE KEY , OR WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE IT WAS RUNNING. RECENTLY THE MOTOR WILL NOT SHUT OFF WHEN I TURN THE KEY OFF. WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED I JUST THOUGHT OH WELL ILL DUMP THE CLUTCH AND KILL IT, SO THATS WHAT I DID. WHEN I WENT OUT THE NEXT MORNING THE BATTERIES WERE DEAD. I NOTICED THAT AFTER YOU TURN THE KEY OFF THE REAR ABS AND BATTERY LIGHT AND SOMETIMES THE WAIT TO START LIGHT STAY DIMLY LIT. I THOUGHT THAT A NEW IGNITION LOCK AND CYLINDER MAY FIX IT SO I BOUGHT ONE AND PUT IT IN. THIS DID NOT FIX IT. THE FUNNY THING IS IS SOMETIMES IT WILL SHUT OFF WITH THE KEY SOMETIMES IT WONT. EVEN WHEN IT SHUTS OFF WITH THE KEY THE REAR ABS LIGHT AND THE BATTERY LIGHT ARE DIMLY LIT CAUSING THE BATTERIES TO GO DEAD. ANY IDEAS AS TO WHAT IS STAYING ON OR WHY IT ISNT SHUTTING OFF. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT I DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO . ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT.

 

The actual electrical ignition switch is mounted on top of the steering column in under the dash, and is activated by a metal rod from the key switch. Could be an issue with it, or with the linkage that runs the rod. There's a diecast part in the column that is known for breaking and causing issues, and the plastic switch is also known for cracking as I recently learned from another forum member.

 

Maybe this will provide some insight to your problem.

How to fix the ignition switch on 1980 91 ford pickups with tilt steering Part 1 - YouTube

 

there are two possibilities.
1: the ignition actuator is bad. 99% of the time when it breaks the truck will not start.
one in 100 times when it breaks, it will not let the ignition shut off.

2: the ignition switch is improperly adjusted/bad.

my money is on a broken actuator.

 

I will check into that and see what i cant figure out.

 

start the truck. turn the key to the off position. reach up on top of the column and find the rod that goes down to the ignition switch.
if you can shut the truck and all the dash lights off by moving the rod, it will be another pointer to a bad actuator.

 

He's got a '92. It doesn't have the metal rod actuator, it has the plastic actuator. He'll need to pull the wheel & replace both parts of the actuator ***'y.

 

oops!! good catch PHY. i missed that