Kill switch?

Scalded Dog · 05-19-2014, 09:37 AM

Middle of the night, my kid calls, says that the car he was in had gotten a flat tire, he and his friends were in the center median of the Interstate. They got the spare put on, but the car wouldn't start... he was looking for ideas as to why. I gave him a list of usual suspects, but nothing worked.

Eventually, they were able to determine that this mid- 90s Ford ("Well, THERE'S your problem!") Probe had a fuel pump cutoff--- a kill switch that activates in the event of an accident, presumably to stop fuel flow and reduce the potential for fire. I had totally forgotten about this feature, and just having a flat tire didn't trigger my memory regarding this thing that should only activate (or, well, deactivate) in the event of an accident.

I've only seen them on Ford products from the 90s. But it got me to thinking: Do other cars have this? Does my Camaro, my Suburban, my Silverado (and if so, where is the reset located?)? Are they still used in cars... are they found in ALL cars?

Silverlsinva · 05-19-2014, 09:01 PM

I had a 03 ranger that had a fuel pump cutoff. It cut off on me on the highway while I a lot of stuff in the bed and I hit a bump in the highway and bam no power or anything and I easily pulled off to the side of the road and I didn't have a clue to what happened till I had it towed to the dealer and the service guy showed me how to reset it. Its a button underneath the dash.

Scalded Dog · 05-20-2014, 09:27 AM

Thx, Silver... well, that makes Ford 3, everybody else 0. Including YOUR experience, all three seem to have activated the kill when it created more trouble that warranted (my son's flat tire, another friend who got a little tap from the rear, leaving her stranded on a narrow bridge, and your bump on the highway). I'm sure that there are times when it has helped to mitigate things in a bad accident, but if these things are going kill the fuel pump over non- hazardous situations, it seems to create more of a hazard than it eliminates. Seems that the idea is good, but the technology is not there.

Still wondering if other manufacturers install these, if they are better adjusted to eliminate sensitivity to bumps, and if my Camaro is going to quit if I stop a little faster than the car that's behind me.

05-19-2014, 09:37 AM	#1
Scalded Dog Drives: 2011 1LT Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Crestline, CA Posts: 3,029	Kill switch? Middle of the night, my kid calls, says that the car he was in had gotten a flat tire, he and his friends were in the center median of the Interstate. They got the spare put on, but the car wouldn't start... he was looking for ideas as to why. I gave him a list of usual suspects, but nothing worked. Eventually, they were able to determine that this mid- 90s Ford ("Well, THERE'S your problem!") Probe had a fuel pump cutoff--- a kill switch that activates in the event of an accident, presumably to stop fuel flow and reduce the potential for fire. I had totally forgotten about this feature, and just having a flat tire didn't trigger my memory regarding this thing that should only activate (or, well, deactivate) in the event of an accident. I've only seen them on Ford products from the 90s. But it got me to thinking: Do other cars have this? Does my Camaro, my Suburban, my Silverado (and if so, where is the reset located?)? Are they still used in cars... are they found in ALL cars?

05-19-2014, 09:01 PM	#2
Silverlsinva Drives: 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth Grigio Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Manassas, Va Posts: 3,124	I had a 03 ranger that had a fuel pump cutoff. It cut off on me on the highway while I a lot of stuff in the bed and I hit a bump in the highway and bam no power or anything and I easily pulled off to the side of the road and I didn't have a clue to what happened till I had it towed to the dealer and the service guy showed me how to reset it. Its a button underneath the dash.

05-20-2014, 09:27 AM	#3
Scalded Dog Drives: 2011 1LT Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Crestline, CA Posts: 3,029	Thx, Silver... well, that makes Ford 3, everybody else 0. Including YOUR experience, all three seem to have activated the kill when it created more trouble that warranted (my son's flat tire, another friend who got a little tap from the rear, leaving her stranded on a narrow bridge, and your bump on the highway). I'm sure that there are times when it has helped to mitigate things in a bad accident, but if these things are going kill the fuel pump over non- hazardous situations, it seems to create more of a hazard than it eliminates. Seems that the idea is good, but the technology is not there. Still wondering if other manufacturers install these, if they are better adjusted to eliminate sensitivity to bumps, and if my Camaro is going to quit if I stop a little faster than the car that's behind me.