96 F150 XLT Auto 5.0 2WD

I am having a hard time finding info on just the ignition switch.

Got in the truck today to leave the mall with the wife and nothing happened when I turned the key. The ignition key lock (which is what I considered the ignition switch) was so worn out that you could start the truck without the key and pull the key out at any point in the rotation. I assumed that it had finally given up...

I started it with a screwdriver across the starter solenoid and drove straight to AutoZone.

Picked up an ignition switch - cause I was sure that is what it was. They pulled up a white box looking thing. I said, no, the thing the key goes in - so they pulled up a key lock switch. Got that, put it in when I got home, five minutes... no change. WTH?

Tested the little wire at the solenoid while the wife tried to crank... no power. Then started reading threads on here about the actuators and whatnot... and figured out that it might be the ignition switch, but that isn't the same as the key lock cylinder.

I looked in there with a screwdriver and the actuator rod moves with the key - so I can only assume that the ignition switch (white box) is bad after all and I just didn't know what the heck I was doing.

Does that sound right? I tried every iteration of wiggling the shift lever up and down, up as far as it would go, in neutral... nothing.

I've been meaning to dig in there anyway, because I'm convinced after bashing my head with everything else in the cruise control circuits that the yellow steering wheel switch thingy is actually the culprit there anyway. I just want ot make sure I'm barking up the right tree with the switch.

Also, when I started it using the starter solenoid - the speedometer didn't work, the transmission was in protection mode (OD light flashing and HARD shifts), and the brake light was on (yellow one). I assume that is all related - and all the fuses are good.

I appreciate any insight or thoughts...

Thanks
-Mike

 

I would say that either the neutral safety switch or the ignition switch would be your first suspects.

 

the ignition switch (white box) has oval mounting holes which allow for some adjustment. loosen them, slide the switch up the column a bit, then tighten and see if you have gotten anywhere.

 

This should be it

 

I would guess also the the neutral safety switch or the ignition switch or its adjustment.

The Ignition Switch may be why you PSOM is not getting any power and causing the OD light to flash, the speed control to not work, the speedometer not to work and the hard transmission shifts.
The PSOM will cause all of this if it does not get power from fuse 8 or 18 or if it is not getting the right VSS signal train from the VSS..
PSOM = Programmable Speedometer/Odometer Module).
VSS = Vehicle Speed Sensor.

For a little clarity when reading the post so you know what someone is saying:
The thing you put the key in is called the "ignition tumbler".
The thing that turns on the power is the "ignition switch" located low and on top of the column.
The thing that they are calling the neutral safety switch is called the TP (Transmission Position) sensor.
What you are calling the cruise control is called the speed control.
What you are calling the brake light (yellow one) is the RABS (Rear Antilock Brake System) lamp.
I hope this helps you in reading other posts.

 

and you have an ignition actuator in the column between the key cylinder and ignition switch that likes to break.

to test the ignition switch you will have to drop the column so you can access the switch.
remove the switch from the column, and see if you can start the engine by moving the switch with a screwdriver. if yes, the problem is in the column, most likely the actuator. if no, the problem is after the switch, probably the trans position sensor,( neutral safety switch)

 

Replaced the ignition tumbler, ignition switch, and the transmission position sensor. No change.

I am using the ignition switch itself to try and start - still get no power to the start solenoid.

I can jump from a hot wire in the ignition switch to the starter solenoid wire and the engine turns over. However, the hot wire that is supposed to jump the starter solenoid wire is not hot. I assumed that it was the NSS,TPS from there, but replacing that yielded zero change.

I am at a loss. Please help.

 

Not sure I follow you but maybe this diagram will help:



Ignition Switch testing:




/

 

None of those diagrams make sense of the problem. At the ignition switch, there is a hot yellow wire that is connected (when switch is turned to start) with the red with light blue stripe wire. The red lb wire yhen goes to the nss and on to the starter relay/solenoid. I can jump power to that wire and the truck starts. Yhe yellow wire is not hot like it is supposed to be and it ahould be coming from a fuse block... but I cant find a blown fuse and everything else works.

I ended up splicing into another yellow wire (hot all the time) and now it starts like a champ. However, I am still curious why the original yellow hot for the starter isn't hot.

Since splicing the dead yellow wire with a hot... everything works downstream.

 

Looking at the diagram above I would say fuse #10 in the engine compartment fuse box is open.

 

Why do you say that???

 

I mean that it made the solution impossible... cause I checked all the fuses three tomes. This time I checked 10 in the sunlight and it was broken in two places. Just hard to see cause of the goofy square thing they do with those. So dissappointd in myself right now. 5 hours of putzing around for a fuse. Embarrassing.

Now I just have to figure out why it blew...

Thanks guys.

 

i never visual check fuses.
a trick for testing a fuse. take a test light. hook the alligator clip to a good ground. touch the end of the light to the little metal strips on the top of the fuse. one on each side.
if it lights up on both sides, the fuse is good. if it only lights on one side, the fuse is bad.