Motor won't shut off

OK, went out yesterday and fired up the motor, parked at the dock and turned the key off. Motor didn't miss a beat, kept running. Pulled the key out and it continued to run. Only way I could get it to shut down was to pull the safety lanyard on the kill switch. 01 Mercury XR6. Help???????????????

SE Kansas grass grower

it's not uncommon for the ignition switch to go bad, seen it happen several times

agree.. kill switch works so pretty much tells ya its ign. key switch...

Or a bad ground. The key switch basically grounds the magneto, stopping power to the coil.

tha blk/yellows (kill circuit) make up before they go to tha key switch.. there is only one blk/yellow and one ground goin' to tha key that will "make" when its turned to tha off position.. (like ya said, same as pushin' tha metal tab against tha spark plug ona 'ole briggs n stratton rottary mower!).. both of these are parallel to tha ground and blk/yellow goin' thru tha "kill (lanyard)" circuit.. thats why it indicates either one of tha wires (blk/yellow or just blk) may be bad between tha joints made in tha harness and key switch or contacts in tha switch itself..

maybe this link will work and you can see it.. i know it says yamaha but its a merc...

http://www.emprendedor.us/yamaha-outboard-key-switch-wiring-diagram/2/key-switch-wiring-diagram/

OK thanks. I did make a new face plate for the key switch as the plastic one was cracking. I bet I might have disconnected the ground wire as I was pulling on the switch to get it in the new face plate.

SE Kansas grass grower