Starter won't turn off

[add5725]

So I started my car (the 94 GT) today and after it started the starter would not stop trying to turn over the motor. I tried turning the car off and nothing happened, pulled the key out of the ignition and nothing happened. The only way that I could get it to stop trying to start itself was to disconnect the battery.


Has anyone else come across this problem? Does anyone know what could be the cause? So far everyone I talked to has not ever heard of this problem.

 

[Toasty]

Sounds like ignition switch problems leaving the circuit open. Or possibly the bendix.

Pull the starter and take it to a shop for testing.

 

[STAMPEDE3]

Yep, sound like ignition switch to me also.

 

[SNAKEYE]

Most likely the contacts within your starter motor solenoid are fused together. The bad news is that it is integral to the starter motor. There is a possibilty that the starter relay may have fused contacts.
In order to isolate the problem, first find the starter relay in the engine compartment fuse box (check the diagram inside the lid of the fuse box), start the engine, then pull the starter relay out of the fuse box. If the starter motor stops, the relay is bad. If the starter motor continues to run, the starter motor/solenoid is the culprit.

 

[STAMPEDE3]

Wait, Did the car stay running or not?

 

[Hockeyman48]

If starter (solenoid) contacts fused,engine will crank as soon as battery is re-connected.If relay contacts are fused,engine will crank when ign.switch is turned on. This is when ignition switch is functioning properly.

 

[fourvalvegt]

try tapping the starter solenoid a few times with a hammer, it should make the contacts inside come back apart but you will still need a new solenoid

 

[Wynn]

And don't trust the shop when they say "It's good..." I went through 2 starters from O'Reillys and had both tested. They were "Good". By then I was out of ideas so I took it to a shop. $250 later, I found out that the starter was bad. Bastards!