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Cadillac Repair/1973 cadillac eldarado with a 500 i believe

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Expert: - 8/1/2011


Question
It keeps running after I turn the key off and does not stop running..what would be the problem

Answer
Hello,

you did not state if this just plain occurred or if it happened after someone was working under the hood.
Could be a bad electrical ignition switch (not the key lock cylinder). Switch is located under dash on top of steering column near firewall.

Most likely and most commonly it could be mechanical inside the steering column known as a rack, in which they do break from age. If that is the problem, the exact part is not made, neither is the rod that attaches to it that controls the operation of the electrical ignition switch.
Since none of the column parts are available, retrofitting will be required.
Rebuilding these columns are an art and it is something someone thinks he can do ends up with a box of parts and will never get it back together again.
I have rebuilt thousands of GM Saginaw T&T, tilt and non-tilt columns. Did it for 20 years and no one knows the steering column better!

Disconnect the negative cable to stop the engine.
Go under dash and with one hand or assistance, put your other hand on to of the steering column before the ignition switch (lost of wires plugging into ignition switch). Run the lock cylinder back to ON and off and if that rod is not moving, there are broken pieces in the steering column.

Steering column needs to be removed if that rod is not moving and I can give you instructions. Then I would suggest you send to me to go over.

In the event the rod does move when turning the lock, you may be looking at a bad ignition switch. There are only two little screws that hold it on the column. Drop it down after you lift oit off the rod pulling straight up. Remove the connectors and check for burn't wiring and inspect terminals on switch. They do burn out occasionally.
After you get that far call me at 866-490-1673


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Rob Painter

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Alarm system questions cannot be answered on this forum. These systems are not what I can answer. Without being physically at the vehicle and not knowing what kind of electrical service has been done on the vehicle, there is no possible way to give an accurate answer over the internet. My expertise is in Ignition/key based anti-theft systems. These issues include GM VATS (resistor chip in key blade) PASSLOCK (MRD)-ignition lock rotation based, no special ignition key and the PKIII Transponder (computer chip in key) systems. These systems are not alarm based and are integral with the starting of the engine. This is why I cannot diagnose alarm problems without physically looking at the vehicle: Alarm systems are a completely different annimal than ignition key/lock based anti-theft system. Many alarm questions come from vehicles 10 years old, and since older, many hands that had been involved over the years.I am an expert in all GM factory (ignition/key based)systems. Alarm system questions pose to many situations beyond my knowledge as to what has been done to the vehicle over the years. Some guy may have actually wired the stereo into the alarm system. Who knows? Over my past 30 years in vehicle wiring repair, I have seen unbelievable wiring disaters done by guys that consider themselves "mechanics." I have seen stereos and alarms intalled using surgical tape. I have seen modules burn up, un-fused circuits, wiring jambed between the doors and even lamp cord used for a starter kill. To answer alarm questions over the internet without examining the vehicle is like asking; What does it take to remove a dent?

Experience

Education/Credentials-ASE certified. 11 years with a GM dealer and 17 years with a repair facility dealing with only the repair of theft recovered vehicles.

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