Ignition Switch

[sweetpoeticdream]

I have been having problems with the ignition switch on my 1993 geo metro for a while. A friend fixed it so that it would work. The other day I went to get gas filled up my car and my car would not start. The key will turn the lights and everything come on but the car does not start. Could this be the ignition switch or am I looking at another problem. (alternator, starter, etc.) And is there any special information that I need to know to replace the ignition switch? Thank you.

[SeanMurphy]

Get a voltmeter and check the wires at the ignition cylinder. You should find at least 1 wire that is 12v all the time, 1 wire that is 12v in the 'run position' and when cranking (ignition wire), 1 wire that is 12v at acc and at run, but not at crank (radio acc), 1 wire that is 12v at acc, run and crank (blower acc), and 1 wire that is 12v at crank only (starter wire). If you find all those wires, primarly the one that has 12v at crank, you know it's not your ignition cylinder, as it's dristributing power the way it should. Look for loose/broken wires on your starter.

When you say 'it doesn't start', do you mean that it doesn't crank at all, or that it cranks, but never catches?

[eagle9760]

Sounds very similar to what has happened to me a zillion times with these old junk cars I drive. Before I did anything I'd check battery cable connections. Corroded cable ends and terminals will cause alot of damage to the entire electrical system over time. It even happened to me today while driving my daughters very nice, clean 1997 Dodge intrepid. I drove 110 to look at a construction job. The car ran great! When I pulled up to the office building I switched it off as usual, no problem. I got in it to go and NOTHING! I had absolutely no tools other than a wad of keys. I pulled and wrestled with the battery cable till I finally got it off. I scratched at the cable end and battery post till I got a little arc and some current... at first I got some lights but nothing else. Finally I got enough current to get the car started and drove it to the nearest parts store where I barrowed a 10 mm wrench and battery terminal brush to clean it all up with and drove the rest of the way home without incident..... Too, I went thru 3 starters and alot of batteries on my 1970 Chevy pick up. The battery cables looked fine. However, finally I accidentally broke the end off that went to the starter and had to replace the whole cable. It worked MAGIC. I later found that the cable was corroded and had a very bad connection inside the cable terminal which connects to the battery and it had been the culprit all along. The corrosion creates too much resistance which produces heat which is really bad for everything electrical and was actually burning up the starters... Haven't had a problem since.