Car won't shut off

[92whitetsi]

hi, i have a problem that has been occuring off and on for the last week. My car is a 92 TSI AWD with nothing but a k&n and the free mods. sometimes i will shut the car off and take out the key and the motor is still running....its the weirdest thing ever. If i put the key back in and turn it to ON and then to off it still won't shut off. I need some help in figuring out what is causing this. The best way i figured to get it to shut off was popping the clutch...is there a better way than that? and what could cause this?

 

[Aarontsiawd]

The first thing I would investigate would be the ignition switch. Does jiggling the key have any effect on this situation?

Aaron

 

[92whitetsi]

no jiggling does nothing....all of the accessories shut off like the heater and radio when you remove the key but the engine stays on

 

[laserblue]

Does the engine run well when this happens, or kinda huff and puff like it's dieseling. If you step on the gas pedal will the engine rev like when the key is on. It is a strange one. If indeed the engine IS running normally [like with the key on], then even with the key off - you're draining your battery ALL THE TIME, which ain't good! The idle control [motor] valve is supposed to close all the way when you power down to help the motor stop. . . And the fuel pump relay should kick out, which cuts the fuel supply. Crazy problem????

 

[92whitetsi]

ok the engine runs perfectly.....the first time it happened i went and drove around for a while just to be sure i wasn't imagining this. Also i have no problems with battery power or it being drained or anything like that

 

[laserblue]

I don't know much about the ignition switch wiring system. The key switch makes several connections. Maybe one section has contacts that are stuck together??? There may be a relay and it may be stuck closed. I'll try to find some info about the wiring. An Eagle Dealership is only a mile away from me. Sometimes they're helpful, other times they blow me off.
As far as the battery goes, you're draining the battery just as if you leave the key on all the time. It's not a huge drain, and you might not notice the battery discharging unless you let the car 'rest' for a long time.
Did you try punching the key switch area, maybe belting it with the handle of a big wrench [covered with something soft like a towel]? A good jarring shock could separate stuck contacts.

 

[91eagle_tsi_awd]

remove the plug wires and it should turn off

 

[laserblue]

Ahh, we have a heckler in the audience today!!

 

[awd4g63]

Do you have a turbo timer j/k

One of my friends has an Integra GSR and his was doing the same thing for a little while. His ignition switches inside the steering column were getting stuck together somehow. He took it all apart, cleaned it up, put some electrical grease on it, and put it back together and it worked fine after that. It's just a pain in the ass getting out and back in. Good luck

 

[Tevenor]

If it doesn't happen everytime you turn the car off, then its not a turbo timer or a miswiring. Sounds like a faulty contact.

Time to dig into the ignition circuits with a DVM.

 

[candela]

I couldnth help but laught that it might be a timer on the car =)
Check out all underneath the steering column and see whats up...

 

[laserblue]

92whitetsi
Well, it's been about a week. - Did you find anything out? I'm just curious... It's an interesting problem.

 

[92whitetsi]

i think i might have solved it.....i did this foglight rewire that i found somewhere and i think that might have been the problem....i rewired to the factory configuration and so far the car has been shuttin off fine

 

[laserblue]

Cool!!!! You mean that somehow a constant 12v was being supplied backwards thru the fog light circuitry into the ignition circuit.... AND you found the problem?!!!!!!!!! Nice troubleshooting.
{Just say 'yes' and I'll think that you're a genius!}

 

[onegee]

@turbo timer....u guys crack me up..hehe

 

[BoostinDSM]

That happened to me once with an electric fan. Apperantly I used one of the main ignition wires to power the fan. After turning the ignition off the car would keep running until the fan stopped spinning!

 

[92whitetsi]

yeah i'm still not sure why it did it....all i did was jump the foglight relay to the alternator relay so i could have my fog lights on whenever i wanted. But its good now so i don't care...have bigger problems.....yesterday i was drivin down the highway and my oil pressure gauge went to zero in like 5 seconds. I pulled over and my engine was doused with oil on the entire right side. I'm not sure what the problem was yet. the dealer i bought it from had a waranty program so they came and towed it and are fixing it for free. any ideas on where that oil came from?