How To: Ignition switch Install. 07 Sport Trac

Well after a few months of living with the problem. Finally got around to buying a switch and installing. Motivation was fact that local ford's were asking 90$ for part, scored new one on ebay for 19.99$ plus 9$ shipping. Was a steal, no one else bid. Part # 98AZ-11572-A or SW-6343.

The Problem i was having, was that every time i hit a large bump or pothole (and god knows we have our share of those here in Quebec) the interior lights would come on. I would have to wiggle my key to get lights to go off. Even just hitting the steering column would trigger it. All good now.

Here are a few pic. This was a really simple job.

First off. Disconnect the battery for about 15mins to discharge the SRS system


Switch and instructions


remove these 2 screws


Remove these 3 screws


Here is the faulty switch


Remove connecter on side. Then push in the two tabs one on top other bottem of switch and pull out to remove.


Removed


Part number already posted above


New switch installed and pluged back in


reinstall cover in reverse order of removal

Hope this helps someone

kcirtap --

In response to your last sentence on your post, YES -- it is about to help me tremendously!!

I'm having some strange electrical issues with my 2008 Explorer -- including the "dome light" coming on randomly, for about 20 seconds, and then turning off (often when hitting a bump). It will also turn on when I jiggle my key in the ignition. While my problems have progressed to include MANY other strange electrical manifestations while driving, I think it may go back to this ignition switch (since the first problem was the dome light thing, with mine acting just as you described).

So, I -- like you -- ordered a switch from ebay for $30, and when it gets here, I will be using these instructions to replace mine, also.

THANK YOU for taking the time to document what you did; your pictures and the explanation make this repair appear to be a no-brainer, and -- being that I was on the verge of taking this in to the dealership to have them try and track down these "phantom" electrical problems, there's no telling what they would have charged me to troubleshoot and repair; I was seeing visions of several hundreds of dollars in repair fees, and probably multiple trips to the shop until they were able to track down actual cause the problem! Now, if this does indeed turn out to be simply the ignition switch, I'm out a whopping total of $30, and a little time!

THANK YOU!!!

Steve

Your Welcome. Yeah finding electric problems can be pricy. This almost sure to fix your problem. The switch seems to get loose with time, and any movement of the key at all or bump, makes the ignition switch act up. Mine been working great since it was replaced. Well happy my how too will help.

It will absolutely help, kcirtap. Thanks for taking the time to post the instructions and pictures!

Steve

I'm ordering one asap! (2008 Ltd Explorer) thx

Fiddler -- are you having these same electrical issues, too, or are you ordering the switch "just in case?"

Steve

Same issues on 2008 explorer.

Wow...let me know how it turns out, if you will? I'm curious...

Are you having just the dome light issues, or some of the other issues I mentioned?

Steve

Dome light comes on, seat goes back. Wiggle the key and all is good until the next bump. Didn't order the switch yet, (waiting to buy one on ebay).

Fiddler -- seat going back? That's a new one...hmm.

Not sure why that would be affected by the ignition switch, unless you have (and I wasn't aware that Ford Explorers had this option) the option where your seat is returned to some custom position when you start the car. So far, all the electrical malfunctions I've had have been functions that are also activated when starting the car (dash lights -- which obviously will come on at ignition, dome light -- which comes on at ignition, etc. etc.) This is why a faulty ignition switch being the culprit makes sense...the electrical systems being affected are ones that have some element of their control which occurs upon ignition. But, that seat moving issue has me puzzled (unless, as I say, your vehicle has "movement of the driver's side seat to a set position" as one of the options -- in which case, it WOULD make sense to me).

Steve

My Explorer has the Option (seat goes back when you shut it off ). I disable the option for now until I change the switch.

OH, OK. Then it does make sense why that would be the case. Thanks for the additional info, Fiddler. Sounds like the switch may be the culprit!

Steve

Hi all, an update. I installed the new ignition switch on my Sport Trac, and so far, it appears to have completely solved the issues I was having. Many thanks to all who helped me with this, and kcirtap for these excellent instructions. A very easy job; the only additonal thing I'd add is that for both plastic housing sections (the one held by the two screws, and then the other held by the three screws), they will not just "come off" after the screws are removed; they are still held in with plastic clips, and you just have to "pry" the housings apart -- one fits into the underneath of the dashboard console, and the other (under the steering column) attaches to a second housing -- the one on TOP of the steering column. In both cases, these plastic housings simply need to be "snapped apart" from their connections.

In any case, it was a 10-minute job, and seems to have done the trick. THANKS!!

Steve

Your Welcome, Glad this worked out well for you aswell. Once mine was changed problems never returned. Been 3 months now.

Oh yeah you are right. They are held in by clips. Little pull gets them off

sgoss66 said:

Hi all, an update. I installed the new ignition switch on my Sport Trac, and so far, it appears to have completely solved the issues I was having. Many thanks to all who helped me with this, and kcirtap for these excellent instructions. A very easy job; the only additonal thing I'd add is that for both plastic housing sections (the one held by the two screws, and then the other held by the three screws), they will not just "come off" after the screws are removed; they are still held in with plastic clips, and you just have to "pry" the housings apart -- one fits into the underneath of the dashboard console, and the other (under the steering column) attaches to a second housing -- the one on TOP of the steering column. In both cases, these plastic housings simply need to be "snapped apart" from their connections.

In any case, it was a 10-minute job, and seems to have done the trick. THANKS!!

Steve

Click to expand...

Thanks

Great posts, Was thinking I would need to replace the key part until reading this post! Whew, what a relief! Have changed the part out and no issues to date. One thing to add is the 3 screws are 7/32. Took a while for a blind old man to figure this out! Thanks Again. 2007 Eddie Baur

Your welcome, so glad this has helped a few people. Good info on screws. First time with the how too. So forgot a few details hehe.

dacdog said:

Great posts, Was thinking I would need to replace the key part until reading this post! Whew, what a relief! Have changed the part out and no issues to date. One thing to add is the 3 screws are 7/32. Took a while for a blind old man to figure this out! Thanks Again. 2007 Eddie Baur

Click to expand...

Excellent, dacdog!

Steve

Thanks for the how to kcirtap! I've been having this issue for about a year now. Thought it was a bigger job than it looks. I searched eBay and found another part #, SW-6958, that is also compatible with the 4th gen Explorers. Anyone know the difference between the two?

Ignore my last. The images were blocked while accessing this page from work.

Original Message:

This post appears to no longer contain the images. Would you still happen to have those available anywhere?

Thank you.

Richard

Fixed, I think

I signed up so I could say thanks for the tip because it did appear to solve the dome light issue. However, now the door chimes when the door is open even when the key is NOT in the ignition. Anyone else experience that, or is that how this model works? I've had a 00 and a 05 and don't remember this being the case, only chiming when the door was open and the key was in the ignition.

To make matters more fun, now I can't get the light to come on with the old switch plugged in so I put it back in.