Key switch issue/ABS light/Truck won't shut off problems connected?

[husker77c]

i've been lurking and reading here for a long time. Just signed up for an account. I hate to be the guy that just signs up to ask a question but here I am and I really need help.

I'll list my problems and I think they all may be connected because they've all popped up at the exact same time.

94 F-350 IDI turbo 5 Speed

The truck has always had a sloppy key switch, the key rotates a little bit inside the cylinder and it didn't always spring back to run after i started it, the starter wouldn't continue to run just the idiot lights in the dash would stay on and the accessories wouldn't work. i'd have to turn the switch back to run manually and all was well.

well the other day at work the truck wouldn't shut off, I had to kill it in 5th gear to shut it off, it started fine and I used it the rest of the day at work like that. I brought it home and parked it and drove my other truck for the past week. I go to move it last night and it is dead as a door nail. Ive let it sit for weeks on end before and it always held a charge so this started to concern me. I put the jumper cables on it and the battery light and the ABS light are constantly on, even when the ignition is off. I started googling and the not shutting off issue seems to lead to the ignition actuator thing in the steering column, and I'm thinking its time to replace the key cylinder as well.

So i start tearing into it today and after sitting overnight it is dead again. I put the cables on it again and the ABS light comes on with the ignition off. I start to think that maybe its the actual ignition switch itself so i pull the switch down and unplug it and the ABS light is still on. with the switch plugged in I can slide the switch to the various positions and even start it, so i'm assuming the switch is ok.

In all this tear down i pulled the key cylinder out and in preparation of replacing it. I needed to test something so I put it back in and now all it will do is turn from the off position to the run position, it won't rotate forward to start or back to accessory.

I'm stumped on what could keep the ABS light on and why the cylinder won't turn to start it.

Any advice before I start cutting wires to bypass everything?

 

[79jasper]

It's the switch itself. Sometimes the plastic pushrod breaks, which is what happened to mine.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[husker77c]

It's the switch itself. Sometimes the plastic pushrod breaks, which is what happened to mine.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

Which switch? The ignition switch on the bottom of the column? The key switch? Or are both of those OK and it's the actuator?

 

[Clb]

My guess its the keyswitch cylinder $20 china fix( sorta) pull the wheel/housing to get into the guts, mine had a busted plastic spring, the thing would give the key back and leave the power on( put a test light in series thru the batt. Ground lead( unhook both leads on the other one) if the light lights up you have a leak to ground( thus draining the batt.
Fwiw cb

 

[79jasper]

The one down under the dash.
Not the ignition tumbler.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[icanfixall]

Welcome to the forum. Most likely its the actual switch down under the steering column. Its some work to reach it but only 2 small bolt screws to remove it. The column must be released from the dash to make more room. It has to be adjusted but thats simple. You only need to remove the steering wheel if the ignition key tumbler is also bad.

 

[husker77c]

Thanks for the welcome. I'll try to contribute more when I can.

As for the switch. I have the tumbler sitting on the seat and the switch unplugged and sitting on the floorboard. Correct me if I'm wrong but there shouldn't be anything recieveing power at the moment.

I didn't have to remove the steering wheel to get the tumbler out. I just switched it to run and pressed the pin in on the bottom of the cylinder and it came out. Then when I put it back in is when it wouldn't turn to start it. Then I pulled the lower switch out and the cylinder still wouldn't turn to start. It only switches between off and run. It had a hack job trailer brake controller hooked up and I thought maybe somehow power was feeding through the controller to make the ABS light stay on so I removed it and the lights still on.

 

[SmokeStacker]

Sorry to revive an old thread but what was the verdict?