Kill Switch?

djk · Mar 28, 2011

Something very confusing has been hapenning to my ranger. whenever i go over a big bump or railroad tracks at a normal speed my ranger shuts off for a split second, not even a second, like a 10th of a second. but you can notice because the engine hicups and the Red brake light flashes on for a split second. Any of you guys have an idea of what could be causing this.

4.0B2 · Mar 28, 2011

i'm gonna say you have a bad ground or wire somewhere... that's my guess.

straycat · Mar 28, 2011

There could be something else...the inertia switch. This is a switch usually located under the dash. This is a switch that if an impact happens the switch will activate and shut off the fuel supply so no fire will happen. This switch could be going out.

Anybody else???

'99 EB Explorer · Mar 28, 2011

Check/clean your battery terminals. I'm leaning more towards electrical issue.

4.0B2 · Mar 28, 2011

the inertia switch- if it goes out it should GO OUT.. not just flicker the stuff. the inertia would only cut the fuel off- not back on till reset. that's why i said electrical. probably something stupid simple.

gribly · Mar 28, 2011

Jiggle the keys with the engine running?

djk · Mar 28, 2011

Thanks for the suggestions! If it were the ground to the battery wouldn't there be no lights on when it flicks off? And if it were the inertia switch where around the dash would it be?

85_Ranger4x4 · Mar 28, 2011

4.0B2 said:
the inertia switch- if it goes out it should GO OUT.. not just flicker the stuff. the inertia would only cut the fuel off- not back on till reset. that's why i said electrical. probably something stupid simple.

I had one just barely unplug once...

But I agree, if it is messing with stuff on the dash, the inertia switch isn't it.

Beef52751 · Mar 28, 2011

i think its a loose ground somewhere too.

straycat · Mar 29, 2011

4.0B2 said:
the inertia switch- if it goes out it should GO OUT.. not just flicker the stuff. the inertia would only cut the fuel off- not back on till reset. that's why i said electrical. probably something stupid simple.

Not really. The inertia switch could have a interminting issues and this could cause the problem as well. I know of this happening to about 3 Chevy's and two Rangers and a couple of F150 at a few dealerships. The switch was checked and replaced and the issue was solved.

djk · Mar 29, 2011

ok well in the meen time i'll pop the hood and look for loose grounds and check online where the ininertia switch would be because i don't think it'd say it in my manual

doorgunner · Mar 29, 2011

My F.I.L. had a similar prob with is truck.....nearly drove him crazy (&me craizierieir).......finally I cranked the truck.....took each wiring bundle inmy hands & flexed them all kinds of ways......took an hour....

finally got the engine to skip a beat in one bundle......wiggled each wire at the connector in the suspected bundle....found a wire broken INSIDE it's covering about 1/2" before it entered one of the connectors!

Truck would kill completely when I pulled on the bad wire.....repaired it/no more problems....

4.0B2 · Mar 29, 2011

Inerhtia switch is usually under the carpet towards the center on the passenger side of the truck.

djk · Mar 29, 2011

ok, i'll check it out when i get the chance, i'm hoping it's not some random wire dug deep into my truck that has a bad connection, could take forever to find

robertc1024 · Mar 29, 2011

I'd definately try wiggling the ignition switch. I had a similar problem on my '88 and that was my problem. If you take the covers off of the steering column and look under the switch, there's a "plate" that's got electrical contacts on it and it's held on with some bent-over metal tabs. The tabs had gotten loose over time. I put a punch and hammer to them to tighten them up and, voila! no more problems.

Kill Switch?

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