Help me out if you can. Just today my car randomly turns the ignition on and stays on. If I start the car and turn the key off the car stays running. Unplugging the battery doesn't even fix it. I would have to pull the engine relay (big yellow relay). Been driving it and its been fine, not sure whats causing this. I was thinking maybe a stuck relay but I tried pulling out the obvious relays on the on the right side when looking at the engine bay near the battery. Even pulling each relay out one by one the car stays on.

Maybe two months ago or so I had an alarm installed on the car. The car also has a turbo timer installed before I bought it. After the alarm was installed the car didn't have any of these problems until now. I unplugged the alarm ecu and the turbo timer and the car still stays on. So I don't think thats it, unless there is a wiring problem that just appeared after two months.

The other thing I tried to do is unplug the ignition harness because I thought maybe it was a bad ignition solenoid. But even with that unplugged the car turned the ignition on by itself again.

Couple other weird things I noticed but not sure if its been like that since I bought it. When I turn the key to start the car, I don't have to step on the clutch to start it. Maybe this was because of the alarm system having a remote start that the audio guy installed without me asking. Also when I put the car in gear the car can still roll, it doesn't lock up the rear end. Is this normal?

Thanks in advance RX-7 crew! Hope you guys can help me.

 

Have you called a local priest to perform an exorcism?

 

It's probably related to the turbo timer/alarm. Alarms in particular are NOTORIOUS for no start or won't turn off problems.

It's normal that you pull the battery terminal and the car keeps running - the alternator is running the engine at that point.

My guess is that there's another relay or something installed in there that's sticking or bad wiring is keeping the circuit alive.

Dale

 

Watched a youtube video saying check the alternator for backfeed. Unplug the alternator while the car is running, if it doesn't turn off its the alternator. If it continues to run its something else. Appreciate the feedback. I'll troubleshoot it as best as I can otherwise I'll have to find a specialist.

 

I seriously doubt it's the alternator, though. Trust me, it's going to be something with the alarm system. If the alternator was a common problem you'd see that on stock FD's.

The good thing is all the circuits that involve that should be under the driver's side of the dash, you shouldn't have to look too far.

Dale

 

I agree that you should start troubleshooting with the alarm system, especially being it was recently installed, and the installer probably didn't know about the turbo timer that the PO had installed.

 

Yeah trace all the non factory wiring under the drivers side dash and steering column, See how it's all interconnected and consider what shouldn't be.

 

Thanks guys, I'm pulling apart all the wiring under the dash. My car is JDM RHD btw. While pulling out everything I found a Japanese remote start module called Carmate SQ6000. Thought maybe that was it, while I was unplugging it the car turned on again. SMH. I unplugged the alarm and turbo timer and it still does it. So I am trying to trace all the wires. I searched on this group about something similar and someone said check CPU2, what is that?

 

Since your car is RHD it never had a starter interlock switch on the clutch. Until like 99 or something.

 

Welp, I'm giving up. I uninstalled pretty much all the aftermarket electronics and it still turns by itself, ignition won't turn off. Gonna hire a local JDM expert to see if they can help figure it out. My guess is that its maybe a ignition system, relay, etc. Saw someone post about something called a CPU2 but not sure what that does for the car. Anyone know what a CPU2 is or does?

 

Look at the wiring for the ignition switch in the shop manual. Basically your car is staying in the "ON" position and not cutting off. This may be able to be tested by just turning the car to On then trying to turn off without actually starting the car.

I think it's impossible for the ignition switch to fail to the point where it would do that. Something is keeping that system alive.

Dale

 

Also worth jacking up the car and making sure the wheel/tire hasn't eaten through the fender liner on the driver's side and into the wiring. I think someone else had a problem like this at one point. Tire rubbed into the harness, wires were shorting on each other and keeping the car alive. You will have WEIRD problems if that happens.

You need to jack up and pull the wheel to REALLY look, not just peek under there.

Dale

 

I'll report back once we figure this out, got a JDM expert that will try to help me on this tomorrow.

 

Ok with the help of a expert JDM guru he was able to help me find the problem. The fan relay wiring had a short and was causing the back feed. This may have happened when I changed the radiator fans about 2 months ago. Now its fixed!! Thanks everyone!