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  • 2005 - 2014 S-197 Mustang -General/Talk-
  • 2005 - 2009 Specific Tech

Car won't start :(

  • Thread starter Thread starter DarkFireGT
  • Start date Start date Oct 3, 2006

DarkFireGT

Playing with my wife's really makes me want one.
10 Year Member
May 23, 2004
692
10
89
East Moline, IL
Oct 3, 2006
#1
  • Oct 3, 2006
  • #1
That's right.. Won't start. I haven't done any modding in the last 2 months. I've driven it a handful of times. The last time I drove it, I did notice on one start, I had try twice, but I figured the first time I was being lazy and didn't have the clutch in all the way, so didn't think anything of it. It has power. When I try to start it, it starts to turn over (for a fraction of a second), then I hear an odd noise coming from the engine bay. When I stop trying to start it, everything has reset. The cluster, cd player, everything. The car is losing power when trying to start it, and I'm sure the noise I'm hearing is the starter not getting enough power. But why, then, does the car have full power when I'm not trying to start it? There's only two things I can think of. 1 is that the car doesn't quite have enough power to actually turn over, just run the accessories. But I don't see that happening, because if the battery was dying, it'd be dead by now. My other thought is a short somewhere. But there's no way I could begin to figure out where that could be coming from. Any ideas???
 

bigcat

start with the upper hole, and if more traction is
May 1, 2005
3,015
1
79
7200 feet
Oct 3, 2006
#2
  • Oct 3, 2006
  • #2
try charging the battery first. thats the easiest first step.
 
T

thump_rrr

New Member
Nov 25, 2004
220
0
0
Montreal, Canada
Oct 3, 2006
#3
  • Oct 3, 2006
  • #3
Your battery is dead #1

The most possible cause of this is the stereo. Yes the stereo.
There are many people inclluding myself who have had this problem.
Unfortunately it is very hard to recreate without letting it sit at the dealer for a week or more.

What seems to be happening is that amplifiers for the subwoofers in the doors don't shut off sometimes when you open the door and drain the battery.

I turn off my radio before shutting the car down and have not had a problem since.
There are many threads on this subject on different forums.
 

DarkFireGT

Playing with my wife's really makes me want one.
10 Year Member
May 23, 2004
692
10
89
East Moline, IL
Oct 3, 2006
#4
  • Oct 3, 2006
  • #4
well, I'll try it. The battery in my magnum gave out recently (bad cell) and I had to go get that replaced last week. I just didn't want there to be a short and screw up that car as well. Could it be a tune problem?
 

DarkFireGT

Playing with my wife's really makes me want one.
10 Year Member
May 23, 2004
692
10
89
East Moline, IL
Oct 3, 2006
#5
  • Oct 3, 2006
  • #5
Ok. That worked. I know, sounds stupid. But if it was a short, I didn't want to risk screwing 2 electrical systems. So unless I can duplicate the problem, Ford won't fix it.. That's nice.. Also, while doing this, I realized the auto up on the passenger side stopped working. Auto down works, auto up does not (from either rocker) and when you open the passenger door, the window goes down as it should, but does not go up when you close the door. Ugh! First problems after having the car for a year.
 
T

thump_rrr

New Member
Nov 25, 2004
220
0
0
Montreal, Canada
Oct 3, 2006
#6
  • Oct 3, 2006
  • #6
DarkFireGT said:
Ok. That worked. I know, sounds stupid. But if it was a short, I didn't want to risk screwing 2 electrical systems. So unless I can duplicate the problem, Ford won't fix it.. That's nice.. Also, while doing this, I realized the auto up on the passenger side stopped working. Auto down works, auto up does not (from either rocker) and when you open the passenger door, the window goes down as it should, but does not go up when you close the door. Ugh! First problems after having the car for a year.
Click to expand...
Recalibrate the windows.
1)Hold down the window switch till the window goes to the bottom and keep holding it an extra 2 seconds.
2)Hold down the window switch till the window goes to the top and keep holding it an extra 2 seconds.
3)Hold down the window switch till the window goes to the bottom and keep holding it an extra 2 seconds.

Calibration Complete.

It's in the owners manual between pages 63 and 70
 

Black2006GT

New Member
Nov 6, 2005
56
0
0
Georgia
Oct 3, 2006
#7
  • Oct 3, 2006
  • #7
i Had a bad General Electric Module that was causing one of my reverse lights to not work, and was killing my battery. I got a new battery and GEM from the dealer and I havent had the problem since.
DarkFireGT said:
That's right.. Won't start. I haven't done any modding in the last 2 months. I've driven it a handful of times. The last time I drove it, I did notice on one start, I had try twice, but I figured the first time I was being lazy and didn't have the clutch in all the way, so didn't think anything of it. It has power. When I try to start it, it starts to turn over (for a fraction of a second), then I hear an odd noise coming from the engine bay. When I stop trying to start it, everything has reset. The cluster, cd player, everything. The car is losing power when trying to start it, and I'm sure the noise I'm hearing is the starter not getting enough power. But why, then, does the car have full power when I'm not trying to start it? There's only two things I can think of. 1 is that the car doesn't quite have enough power to actually turn over, just run the accessories. But I don't see that happening, because if the battery was dying, it'd be dead by now. My other thought is a short somewhere. But there's no way I could begin to figure out where that could be coming from. Any ideas???
Click to expand...
 

Marine One

New Member
Jan 28, 2004
276
1
0
North Topsail Beach, NC
Oct 4, 2006
#8
  • Oct 4, 2006
  • #8
Not to Hijack the Thread...

thump_rrr said:
Recalibrate the windows.
1)Hold down the window switch till the window goes to the bottom and keep holding it an extra 2 seconds.
2)Hold down the window switch till the window goes to the top and keep holding it an extra 2 seconds.
3)Hold down the window switch till the window goes to the bottom and keep holding it an extra 2 seconds.

Calibration Complete.

It's in the owners manual between pages 63 and 70
Click to expand...

But I have a power windor related problem as well. The drivers window will occasionally reverse itself when being put up. This is usually right after the top has been put up. I'm guessing it's hitting a piece of weatherstripping somewhere. The top and windows do not leak so I am reluctant to even mention it to the dealer. Is this something that might just need recalibration?
 

bigcat

start with the upper hole, and if more traction is
May 1, 2005
3,015
1
79
7200 feet
Oct 4, 2006
#9
  • Oct 4, 2006
  • #9
if the windows sense any resistance, they stop, and go in reverse. its a safety feature, and a calibration is not needed for this. if it does it frequently, have them look at it. if it is not often, i would not waste the time taking it in just for that.
 
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