Safety neutral switch - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

MITCHELL · 04-18-2016, 05:24 PM

Are you familiar with yours, a sign their going bad is truck won't start. If this happens to you and you no your battery and connection are good meaning dash lights go on and strong head lights but truck go's click click click when you turn the key and won't start. If this happens like it did to me after the mission bay classic tournament lucky it happen at home and not on the road.but if it does then put vehicle in neutral rock shifter handle and start vehicle
I would definitely have a spare switch added to my list of spare parts list if I was going to travel in baja my vehicle is an Ford F250 V10

Mahigeer · 04-18-2016, 09:41 PM

Sorry to disagree with the diagnosis.

If the Neutral safety switch is bad, there won't be any click noise.

The click and no start is more likely a bad contacts at the starter solenoid.

If the starter positive terminal where the heavy gauge wire attaches can be reached (the terminal which goes to the starter motor); a jumper to that terminal with a heavy duty wire will confirm the bad solenoid.

If you have a Toyota, there are repair kits to overhaul the solenoid.

Replacing the neutral switch is not an easy job, depending on the vehicle.

jorluivil · 04-18-2016, 10:41 PM

Check your wipers

MITCHELL · 04-19-2016, 05:42 AM

Super Duty pick -ups/Excursion
1999-10 Repair Manual

Mahigeer · 04-19-2016, 09:27 AM

It is hard to read the page, but the Solenoid possibility is #6, ahead of the safety switch.
There is also no mention of “click” either.

The original post did not indicate that the vehicle was a stick shift. These days %99 of vehicles are equipped with automatic transmission.

However, I still feel that if there is a clicking noise, there is current to the solenoid. That would eliminate ignition switch, safety switch, wiring, relay/s etc.

Every time an engine is cranked, the solenoid contacts wear out due to current jumping from one contact to other. It is the same principal as arc welding.

If you are familiar with the old distributors where they had points and condenser, the points would be pitted due to current jumping. The condenser was there to reduce this effect. Regardless, the points and condenser had to be changed during tune-ups.
There is no condenser that I am aware for the starter.

Without looking at the wiring diagram and having a voltmeter attached while the problem happens, it would be a lot of guess work.

Good luck in finding the problem, and please post the findings.

MITCHELL · 04-19-2016, 05:43 PM

But engine would not turn over after cleaning already clean battery posts and trying to jump with another battery 1to 2hrs later i figured out that was not the problem and my battery was brand new.
So I Google search my trucks problem and found out about the safety neutral switch.thinking it was that or from the battery to the starter. I found a Google open form.talking about the safety neutral switch and to put truck in neutral wiggle automatic transmission shift handle and i got it started so everything is working right now after buying a new switch for $60 the form said it might be going bad and to I may have slack in my shift cable and you can ajust switch truck is not suppose to start in gear if it does switch is out of adjustment or bad I still going to check all connections got truck running but not 100 percent sure what it is I will let you no what I find

04-18-2016, 05:24 PM	#1
MITCHELL Sea Hunter Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Where ever I may roam where I lay my head I call home. Posts: 2,277	Safety neutral switch Are you familiar with yours, a sign their going bad is truck won't start. If this happens to you and you no your battery and connection are good meaning dash lights go on and strong head lights but truck go's click click click when you turn the key and won't start. If this happens like it did to me after the mission bay classic tournament lucky it happen at home and not on the road.but if it does then put vehicle in neutral rock shifter handle and start vehicle I would definitely have a spare switch added to my list of spare parts list if I was going to travel in baja my vehicle is an Ford F250 V10 __________________ Duke Mitchell Last edited by MITCHELL; 04-18-2016 at 09:54 PM.

04-18-2016, 10:41 PM	#3
jorluivil Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 6,856	Check your wipers __________________ www.facebook.com/Teamsewer

04-18-2016, 09:41 PM	#2
Mahigeer Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,897	Sorry to disagree with the diagnosis. If the Neutral safety switch is bad, there won't be any click noise. The click and no start is more likely a bad contacts at the starter solenoid. If the starter positive terminal where the heavy gauge wire attaches can be reached (the terminal which goes to the starter motor); a jumper to that terminal with a heavy duty wire will confirm the bad solenoid. If you have a Toyota, there are repair kits to overhaul the solenoid. Replacing the neutral switch is not an easy job, depending on the vehicle.

04-19-2016, 09:27 AM	#5
Mahigeer Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,897	It is hard to read the page, but the Solenoid possibility is #6, ahead of the safety switch. There is also no mention of “click” either. The original post did not indicate that the vehicle was a stick shift. These days %99 of vehicles are equipped with automatic transmission. However, I still feel that if there is a clicking noise, there is current to the solenoid. That would eliminate ignition switch, safety switch, wiring, relay/s etc. Every time an engine is cranked, the solenoid contacts wear out due to current jumping from one contact to other. It is the same principal as arc welding. If you are familiar with the old distributors where they had points and condenser, the points would be pitted due to current jumping. The condenser was there to reduce this effect. Regardless, the points and condenser had to be changed during tune-ups. There is no condenser that I am aware for the starter. Without looking at the wiring diagram and having a voltmeter attached while the problem happens, it would be a lot of guess work. Good luck in finding the problem, and please post the findings.

04-19-2016, 05:43 PM	#6
MITCHELL Sea Hunter Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Where ever I may roam where I lay my head I call home. Posts: 2,277	When I turned the key everything lite up But engine would not turn over after cleaning already clean battery posts and trying to jump with another battery 1to 2hrs later i figured out that was not the problem and my battery was brand new. So I Google search my trucks problem and found out about the safety neutral switch.thinking it was that or from the battery to the starter. I found a Google open form.talking about the safety neutral switch and to put truck in neutral wiggle automatic transmission shift handle and i got it started so everything is working right now after buying a new switch for $60 the form said it might be going bad and to I may have slack in my shift cable and you can ajust switch truck is not suppose to start in gear if it does switch is out of adjustment or bad I still going to check all connections got truck running but not 100 percent sure what it is I will let you no what I find __________________ Duke Mitchell