Even though this list is full of great answers, and you may find the
answer on your own, this may be an issue for you to make VWOA aware of
due to the *possible* hazard involved in not being able to kill the
ignition.

I'd be willing to guess you were on the right track with the ignition
switch, though it may be a combination of the ignition switch and a
relay (or two??) that are at issue.

Developing business and guiding change since 1996,

G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett
Marketing & Communications
Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com
AIM = IExplain4u
Phone: +1.919.658.1278

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
Of Filcoff, David M.
Sent: Saturday, August 24, 2002 2:04 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Strange Ignition Problem

 87 Vanagon GL Wolfsbug, Digifant, 2.1l, manual transmission

After work the other day I shut off the Vanagon as usual, nothing out of
the ordinary.  A few hours later I come outside and the reverse lights
are on, the keys are not in the ignition, but the warning lights are all
on and the idle stabilizer is buzzing.  I put the key in, turn it to
run, then start, the battery is too run down to crank but it acts as
though it would start.  The ignition remained on regardless of key
position.  I disconnected the battery and left it for the night.

 My first assumption was the electrical portion of the ignition switch
was bad.  So I reconnected the battery, warning lights back on, and pull
the connector off of the ignition switch, no change.  I do notice that
the headlights and door buzzer do not work with the key out, the
headlights still require the key to be in run.  So the switch is not the
problem.

 I charged the battery, started the engine with the key, runs fine. I
switch the key off, still runs, I remove the key, still running.  I
remove the negative battery cable from the battery, still running.  At
this point I pull the AFM cable, the engine dies.

 So has anyone had a similar problem?  I'm going to continue tracking
the problem, I'll post anymore findings.

Dave

87 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg

61 Microbus

88 GTI 16v