Please Please help I need instructions on what to do as my car is stalling every time I let go of the ignition I can drive it as l long as I hold the ignition on but as soon as I let it go it stalls even if I am driving.

Sounds like the ignition barrel is stuffed.
Very common issue in BAs.

Can it be fixed? If not Can I rig something up to hold the key on and still drive it for a little while?

New steering column is the fix.

Take the bottom off your steering column and look at the back of the keybarrel where the wires are..

sometimes that whole plate comes out and you can fix it if that is the problem by pushing it back in.. and banging the tabs that hold it in back in.. then I coated mine in araldite and put a giant wire tie around the whole kit for paranoia sake.

I've done that with an EF one, but not a BA.. but I read on ford forums that the BA can be done the same way.

I've got to pull mine out soon and replace the spring tab that tensions the key.. mine is sloppy all the way round without spring tension.. but again fordforums had a tech doc detailing how to drill a small hole and screw in a repalcement screw.

couple of hours doing that beats the heck out of buying and replacing the column.

Last edited by frankieh on Fri Mar 14, 2014 1:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

check fuses
- "ignition" under dash.............
- "engine" under hood

-swap ignition relay with accessory relay in dash fuse box ?
-do reds operate with ignition in on position before crank position ?
-does smartshield light go out when ignition in on position before crank position ?

Hi everyone thank you so very much for all your advice one last question (I hope) I have bought the whole column and an having trouble getting my steering wheel off I have got the pulley and it just stripped the bolt and the hole in the steering wheel I have taken up the tension and bashed it with a hammer over and over and it still won't come off hoping someone has another trick I could try. Thank you

The puller is definitely the easier method.. I've got a cheapie and it's never stripped before.. are you sure you had the right threaded bolts in?


The other way I've gotten them out (which isn't easy) is by maneuvering my thighs so the part of my legs above my knees is jammed hard under the wheel with my feet propped against the floor (I'm 6 foot 4 which helps in that regard, but you can tilt the column to suit.) You will know you have the right spot when you can flex the bottom of the wheel up slightly just by pressing down with your feet.

Half unscrew the torq bolt in the center, but leave plenty of thread still in there, you don't need much gap to release the wheel.

Anyway, take the pressure at the bottom with your knees, and hammer on the torque bolt head (I usually find something to cover the head so I don't mangle it.) while reefing the top of the wheel towards you... takes lots of force and effort bit it will come off eventually.. nowdays though I just use the puller, way less effort.

If you stripped the bolt holes,, can you get longer bolts to go right though the wheel so you can put a nut on the back? Or use long bolts though to a bar you put behind the wheel to provide leverage..