How to: Fix or replace 1st gen ignition switch

[Shran]

Original Poster: shran

Difficulty: 2 out of 10

Time to install: 1 hour or less

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Brief Explanation: Are you having no-start issues, or your truck starts and shuts off immediately, or shuts off when going over bumps? There are any number of things that can cause that but the ignition switch is commonly overlooked and can cause some strange problems. Having experienced this a bunch of times myself, but years apart, I seem to forget the connection between the symptoms so I'm posting this as information for you but hopefully as a reminder for myself too.

The cause: ignition switches on 1st and 2nd gen trucks are made out of two main pieces that are basically clamped together in the corners. Over time the movement of the switch causes the clamps to loosen up and the switch falls apart. It can be a frustrating problem to track down and can also be intermittent if the clamps are just starting to come apart. Very common on 1st gen trucks, not as much on 2nd gen but they use a similar switch. Mine was so loose this time that it would often not start until I really twisted the key almost too far or it would shut off right away if I let off the key.

The solution: You can either replace the switch (new switches are the same exact design, expect the same problem to occur in the future! Or you can fix it by bending the clamp tabs back into place - a big zip tie around the switch and wiring connector will help keep it from falling apart again. I opted to replace the switch, it has been fixed at least once before and the tabs were getting a few small stress cracks.

Tools Needed:
- Philips screwdriver
- Vise grips
- Small hammer (if you are intending to bend the tabs back.)

Parts Needed:
- New ignition switch
- 2x short 6mm bolts
- Blue locktight
- 1x long zip tie (not required)

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Step 1: Remove the lower dash panel that covers up the fuse box.

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Step 2: Remove the steering column trim - two Philips head screws on the bottom of the column

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Step 3: Remove the wiring connector from the ignition switch.

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Steps 4a: fixing the switch - push the plastic part of the switch back into the metal part where it's spread apart (pictured below) and lightly tap the four tabs back into place so that the plastic part is no longer falling out. You may have to do this a few times on each one before it gets really tight. Then put the wiring connector back in place, and sneak a zip tie around the switch AND the wiring connector to give the tabs a little backup in case they start to loosen up again.

Step 4b: replacing the switch - remove the two "bolts" that hold it onto the column. You may have actual bolts here or you may have anti-theft screws. My truck had the original switch so it had the anti-theft screws, and they are held in with locktite. You either need to heat these with a lighter or small torch or turn them with vise grips or cut a slot in the head and loosen with a hammer & chisel... or all of the above. Once they're out, remove the old switch, and fasten the new part in place with new bolts with a bit of blue locktite on the threads. The bolts are 6mm x 1.25 (I believe) - the same thread as many of the other small bolts used in these trucks for grounds and body panels - they need to be about 1/2" long.
Reconnect the wiring connector, and a zip tie around it and the switch as mentioned above won't hurt but is not totally necessary.

New vs old switches - note where the old one is spread apart. That metal clip on the new one serves no purpose, I cannot ever get it in place so don't plan on using it.

New switch in place with replacement bolts:

These are the factory anti-theft bolts:

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Step 5: reassemble steering column trim and fuse panel cover. You're done!

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[franklin2]

Another symptom of a failing switch; You will notice sometimes your fuel gauge doesn't work, sometimes it does. And the wipers may work sometimes, sometimes they won't. You may be able to wiggle the key a little bit and then they start working.

 

[Shran]

Another symptom of a failing switch; You will notice sometimes your fuel gauge doesn't work, sometimes it does. And the wipers may work sometimes, sometimes they won't. You may be able to wiggle the key a little bit and then they start working.

Yep...weird stuff. Mine started acting up when I was driving to work a couple weeks ago and I was a bit annoyed about that but then the passenger side exhaust donut blew out. It had backfired a few times and I thought I blew up the muffler. I was enraged at that point; I ended up putting these small fixes on hold for a while till my blood pressure went down.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I wonder if the ignition switch and backfiring were related. I fought that problem for about a year, I thought it was one loose spark plug but now that I think about it, it might have actually just been losing power to the coil just long enough to let some fuel pool in the cylinders and then ignite when the coil powered back on. Used to do that all the time on carbureted cars, coast down a hill with the ignition off and pump the gas pedal... then turn it back on and let it pop a couple times. Very fun until you break a valve or blow up your muffler!

 

[RobbieD]

Great write-up. This is actually a fairly common problem on first gens.

It's so common that I think that it's just the pot-metal fingers giving it up after so many years, just from the pushing of the contacts.

This is a pic of how I routed a tie-wrap, just to get by until I could do a proper switch replacement, but never got around to it. It's still working fine zip-tied together, 15 years later now, so I just run it.


(please feel free to use the pic).