1994 Mercury Tracer Engine won't turn off

KEEFYR

MEMBER
1994 MERCURY TRACER
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
119,900 MILES

We got an old Mercury Tracer for my daughter to drive around as a first car. We have had it for about a year and she has put about 6000 miles on it. Now the engine will not turn off. The only way to stop it is to pull the engine fuse. When you put the fuse back in, all the warning lights on the dash go on. When you turn on the engine, random items don't work: sometimes the radio, sometimes the heater, sometimes the headlights are dim. It has died once while shifting from reverse through neutral and once it wouldn't start until I shifted through the entire range of gears a couple of times.

Shorted ignition switch, maybe? A faulty safety switch? Any help would be wonderful.

4 Replies

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

Replace the ignition switch

Without key -When you put the fuse back in, all the warning lights on the dash go on?

Was this

answer

helpful?

Yes

No

Friday, January 25th, 2008 AT 2:32 AM

KEEFYR

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Thanks for reading my problem. It appears I am the only person with an engine that won't STOP running!

When the engine fuse is pulled, the engine dies and then everything works normally (Except the engine) and the warning lights come on the same way as when the car ignition is turned to "ON", even without the key in the ignition. When the plug is reinserted, the acessories act farily normal until the engine is started. Then it won't turn off, etc. Etc.