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Home / Symptoms / Bad Ignition Switch

Four common causes for a squealing noise from the vehicle and their related parts.

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Is Your Car's Ignition Switch Malfunctioning?

The ignition switch is failing because the car's battery might be weak. It might also be that the switch itself is internally faulty or getting poor wiring connection. Alternatively, the car might be on "security lockout," which you'll know by checking if there's a padlock icon on the dashboard.

Watch out: A defective ignition switch can turn into a major breakdown. Stay ahead of the game by learning to spot early warning signs and communicate them with a technician in case you seek professional assistance.

Let's Get To The Bottom Of It!

Does the engine stay silent when you start the car?

The car needs battery power to start. The vehicle is hard to start if the battery is weak or faulty. This happens even if you keep trying to start because the battery can't send power to the system that triggers the engine. Sometimes a weak battery seems like a failing ignition switch, but it's actually a battery-related issue.

If you notice the dashboard lights activating and deactivating, clicking or chattering noises, engine cranks, radio issues, or no lights activating, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.

Does your vehicle stall immediately after starting?

The ignition switch is like a switchboard that controls your car's power flow. When starting the vehicle, the switch powers different car parts. If the switch wears out or is damaged, it won't send power to where it should, making the car difficult to start. Sometimes, if the contacts inside the switch burn or wear out, the car starts and dies because it's not getting the necessary power to stay running.

If you notice the vehicle failing to start, the lack of dashboard lights, the key switch turning hard, or the key stuck in the ignition, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.

Does the vehicle momentarily die and then restart while driving?

The ignition switch controls the power flow in your car. Over time, it can wear out and become loose due to constant movement and road vibrations. This vibration can cause the switch to lose contact, stopping the car temporarily.

If you notice sudden stops, intermittent dash lights, inoperative accessories, the car changing behavior when you touch keys, or the car changing behavior on rough roads, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.

Does the security light blink when you start the car?

Modern cars have security systems that check if the driver uses the right key. If the key is not recognized, the car's engine, fuel, and starting systems won't work. When this happens, the anti-theft light flashes on the car's dashboard.

If you notice the security light on the car's dashboard, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.

Is the car's keys stuck in the ignition lock cylinder?

The shifter has safety switches to prevent the key from being removed unless the car is in park. If the shifter mechanism is broken or stuck, the car may not turn off even when it's in park, which can leave the engine running.

If you notice the shifter is hard to move or the shift cannot move to park, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.

Is your car displaying any dash light when you start it?

Ignition switches have a limited power capacity, so they use relays to handle most of the load. If these relays are worn or corroded, they won't transfer the necessary power, even with the ignition switch working. This can make the car's systems not work correctly.

If you notice the vehicle cranks for a long time before starting, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.

The most common causes of ignition problems

The most common causes of ignition system failure are:

Security lockout: If the car doesn't recognize a key in the ignition switch, it’ll engage the security lockout; this is a safety measure for anti-theft. Basically, when active, this system prevents the car from engaging, and there’ll be a lock in the vehicle’s dashboard.
Faulty shift interlock: If the key gets stuck in the ignition switch and can’t move out of the “on” or any other position, the culprit might be a faulty shift interlock. A dirty shifter can also cause this issue.
Weak battery: A weak battery might struggle to provide the needed voltage to keep your starter motor and ignition switch powered. If the battery starts failing, your vehicle’s ignition might also fail.
Faulty relay: A faulty relay prevents power from reaching many of the car's accessories. This results in different battery system issues, affecting the starter motor and ignition system.
Faulty ignition switch: The ignition switch has electric circuitry like wires, ignition coils, and connectors that can fail internally and cause intermittent connection issues. Consequently, the car might develop, for example, a faulty ignition coil. The ignition switch can also suffer short circuit or electrical burning due to high voltages, failing to send signals to the spark plugs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does the engine stay silent when you start the car?

The car needs battery power to start. The vehicle is hard to start if the battery is weak or faulty. This happens even if you keep trying to start because the battery can't send power to the system that triggers the engine. Sometimes a weak battery seems like a failing ignition switch, but it's actually a battery-related issue.

If you notice the dashboard lights activating and deactivating, clicking or chattering noises, engine cranks, radio issues, or no lights activating, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.
Does your vehicle stall immediately after starting?

The ignition switch is like a switchboard that controls your car's power flow. When starting the vehicle, the switch powers different car parts. If the switch wears out or is damaged, it won't send power to where it should, making the car difficult to start. Sometimes, if the contacts inside the switch burn or wear out, the car starts and dies because it's not getting the necessary power to stay running.

If you notice the vehicle failing to start, the lack of dashboard lights, the key switch turning hard, or the key stuck in the ignition, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.
Does the vehicle momentarily die and then restart while driving?

The ignition switch controls the power flow in your car. Over time, it can wear out and become loose due to constant movement and road vibrations. This vibration can cause the switch to lose contact, stopping the car temporarily.

If you notice sudden stops, intermittent dash lights, inoperative accessories, the car changing behavior when you touch keys, or the car changing behavior on rough roads, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.
Does the security light blink when you start the car?

Modern cars have security systems that check if the driver uses the right key. If the key is not recognized, the car's engine, fuel, and starting systems won't work. When this happens, the anti-theft light flashes on the car's dashboard.

If you notice the security light on the car's dashboard, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.
Is the car's keys stuck in the ignition lock cylinder?

The shifter has safety switches to prevent the key from being removed unless the car is in park. If the shifter mechanism is broken or stuck, the car may not turn off even when it's in park, which can leave the engine running.

If you notice the shifter is hard to move or the shift cannot move to park, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.
Is your car displaying any dash light when you start it?

Ignition switches have a limited power capacity, so they use relays to handle most of the load. If these relays are worn or corroded, they won't transfer the necessary power, even with the ignition switch working. This can make the car's systems not work correctly.

If you notice the vehicle cranks for a long time before starting, save this information; they're essential if you go to an auto shop later.

Typical fixes to address the cause(s)

These are typical processes and repair services that fix a check engine light issue

The most common cause: Weak battery

The most common reason for a car having ignition issues is a weak battery. A vehicle’s battery is, together with the engine, the vehicle’s heart and soul; those two need to be working properly to make the car start and run efficiently. The battery is an ever-so-common component that loses power after about two years or so, leading to ignition issues, failures to start, and electrical problems.

Symptoms it causes: Apart from the ignition issues, you might notice a battery warning light on the dashboard, engine stalling, dimming headlights, loss of power steering, etc.
High risk of priority: The battery is a top priority in a vehicle. Without a working battery, you’ll lose safety accessories, performance, and even the vehicle itself. If the battery dies, the vehicle might leave you stranded randomly.

How exactly does the battery fail?

A vehicle battery typically lasts roughly two years, but its life cycle depends on how much —and for what— you use the car. Batteries mostly die out of natural conditions, they have limited power which is periodically consumed until you need to replace them. However, batteries can also fail due to unpredictable situations, like internal short, chemical reactions, leaks, overstress, etc.

Go safe: Ask for a mechanic to inspect your vehicle’s charging system to investigate if the battery is failing due to surrounding components and if there’s further damage to check out. Many shops do transparent vehicle inspections and lay out your options after investigating your vehicle’s conditions.

What’s a vehicle inspection? It’s “detective work” on your vehicle, checking its systems to see if anything prevents the car from working as expected. In this case, mechanics examine different parts of your vehicle to track if anything is causing the battery to fail. They’ll also check the condition of components during their inspection, noting which are causing the problem and which got affected by it, recommending to replace them in order of priority.

Transparency example in a weak battery service

A charging system inspection is the most transparent process to understand why your vehicle’s battery is faulty. This is because many components surrounding the battery and charging system components like the alternator and serpentine belt can have a say in the issue, indicating the real culprits that caused it all.

Let’s read an example of how this kind of inspection helps to service a weak battery, fixing an ignition problem.

A customer brought their car to the shop because it wouldn't start. The dash lights activated but then went off, and a chattering noise came from the dashboard. They had to jump-start the car to get it going.

When the technician test-drove the car, they found that the radio and clock reset, as if the battery wasn't connected. But there were no other problems.

During the vehicle health inspection, the technician found the battery was weak and due replacement. However, after replacing the battery, the car ran fine. In this case, there was no need for additional tests.

Weak battery

In this case, the mechanic put the “Immediate Action” tag on the battery.

Similar Symptoms

Below are just a few examples of typical Symptoms and Fixes your car might be experiencing

Batteries can develop damages, become weak, or run out of power, preventing the vehicle from starting.