Car Won't Turn Over..Please Help!

[Kevin R.]

Ok guys, here is the deal.

I was on my way back to college the other night from home, and about 20 minutes away from my destination I stopped to pee at a gas station. Car was running fine the whole trip. After I came back out, I went to start my car and it did nothing. It didn't even click.

So, we thought the starter was out.

My dad drove down today and we changed out the starter in the gas station parking lot. It still didn't do anything.

It has a brand new battery and the lights and everything light up full so it is getting power.

We tried to "jump" it from the starter with a screwdriver but it is in a hard positon and that didn't really work. But it did spark, so the starter is getting power.

We checked all the fuses and wires.

My dad thinks it might be the ignition switch. But, due to it being at a gas station and being midnight, we had to have it towed to the not-so-nice Ford dealer here in this small town to be looked at in the morning.

If any of you can think of anything it could be let me know.

We are assuming it will be something small that we overlooked due to time constraint and the fact that whatever happened happened within 30 seconds of me shutting the car off and trying to restart it.

It is an Auto so jumping it by popping the clutch was not an option.

Any ideas?

This has been the most stressful week ever. The last thing I want to do is pay a Ford dealer huge amounts of money to find something we could do in the first place. But we really didn't have much choice as the tow home would have been $400+.

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[JJ95GTID]

Do any of your gauge needles move when you turn the key? If not I would say something in the steering console is not right.

 

[HISSIN50]

I'd also want to check the neutral safety switch (I believe it's called an MLPS on the AODE's). It's what keeps you from being able to start the car if you're in Drive. But if the switch is bad, it can think you're in a drive gear and wont let you start the car.

If you have cranking juice into the switch but not out, that's where I'd look.

FWIW, you could rig up a push button starter (not unlike a remote starter that mechanics use under the hood) temporarily. You'd just have to be SUPER DUPER SURE THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS IN PARK WHEN YOU GO TO START THE CAR. This switch would bypass the starter interlock safety devices. This is kind of the idea of what you and your Dad were going to do when you considered jumping the solenoid.

If you dont even have power to the MLPS, then JJ is probably right-on and the ignition switch took a poop (or the lock cylinder linkage).

Good luck Kevin.

 

[Kevin R.]

The gauge needles do move when turned to start. Everything goes on as normal as if it would when it should crank i.e. clock goes off, lights in dash change, the usual.

The lock cylinder is brand new as the old one was very loose and the key would go in funny. Would this cause something else to break, such as the ignition switch?

I think the car will be in Ford's hands now as there is no really way I can get to it and look at it, but I still would like to know possibilities so they don't call and say "Well, we need $4000 for this..and this".

Thanks guys.

 

[Kevin R.]

After talking to a guy at a different Ford dealer, just going over problems and such, he said it could be the wire going from the battery to the starter or the engine seized.

Do you think the engine could have seized by me turning it off?
It was running fine. Good temp. Oil. Everything checked out.

That scares me.

 

[Blackened302]

watching... i'm having a similar issue

 

[Adam95GT]

Do you think the engine could have seized by me turning it off?
It was running fine. Good temp. Oil. Everything checked out.
That scares me.

I HIGHLY doubut it...
Do our starters have an external solenoid on the firewall???
just a thought... i really havent checked...

 

[HISSIN50]

Wow, I'm surprised by what that Tech said. It literally would take 2 mins of diagnostics to check each issue, but they'd each be low on my list. Chances are about 10000 times greatest that it's an electrical issue, and the fact that nothing happens suggests to me that it's the control side of the starter solenoid or a completely broken motor ground.

Anyhow, Good luck.

 

[SeventyMach1]

Adam, our solenoids are piggy backing the starter.



Maybe you can jump the MLPS (if it works the same as a NSS). MAKE SURE THE CAR IS IN PARK!!! Then see if it starts.

 

[Adam95GT]

Adam, our solenoids are piggy backing the starter.



Maybe you can jump the MLPS (if it works the same as a NSS). MAKE SURE THE CAR IS IN PARK!!! Then see if it starts.

Alright thanks was just a possible idea... now i know
Thanks,
adam