Hey everyone, I'm not much of a mechanic, so I'll run my question through here to see if anyone here knows what's going on. My car (a 2002 Ford Escort ZX2) has an issue where it will on occasion just not start. What I mean is I'll turn the key, I'll here a click in the engine area, but it doesn't even attempt to turn over. Most of the time, however, it will start right up. In the times it doesn't start (and this is what I think is odd), if I let it sit for a while and come back, it does start. If the issue is a weak battery, how could this be? From what I've read, it sounds like the issue could be in one of several places: 1) Fuse - I don't think this is likely because it starts up most of the time. If it were a blown fuse, I would think it would never start. 2) Starter - I don't know if I could eliminate this one, because I just don't know what's involved in a starter. I do know I had the starter replaced about a year and a half ago, but I worry that the repair shop didn't use one that was meant for my car, because the starting sound is much higher pitch than it was before it went in. 3) Battery weak/dead - This has some potential because it will ALWAYS start if I can get someone to jump me. Does that fact alone eliminate the starter from being the issue? 4) Alternator - I was thinking that the battery may not being charged up properly while the cars running. Looking for any forum car experts for help. Biggest questions, besides "how do I fix it": * Why is it only every once and a while? * Why will it work sometimes if I let it sit and come back? Any advice is appreciated.
Most parts store will test the alternator and battery for free but take a minute to check the water level in the battery to make sure it is adequate. Being that it is hit and miss I'm going to guess the alternator may be on the fritz. Usually the voltage regulators go out on the alt causing the problems. While the car is running the alternator charges the battery and that in turn runs all of the electrical accesories. If the battery isn't getting the proper charge then you have the starting issue. You can come back later and it will start since the battery can have a little bit of recovery time and you get lucky. Hearing the click means the starter solinoid is engageing but either not enough power from the battery to the starter or the starter has decided to end it's life requiring more power to turn it. Either of the two above could be what you are experincing and the easiest route now would be to have the battery and alternator tested 1st.
I would disagree to some extent with ramprat, although I'm very hesitant to do that since I know very little about cars. But, I had a ski nautique with a ford engine in it and it did this same thing. I changed the solenoid and it ran like new. As this is much cheaper to change than the starter and alternator, i would start there.
solenoid could be going out as well. I was no longer a mechanic for Ford by the time '02 came around, but on some of the older model ford cars (mostly Taurus) we changed a few solenoids. Not enough to call it "common", but enough to at least consider that possibility. Another possibility is your ignition switch. It could be shutting off its signal before the solenoid fully engages. So what you get is just a click, because that switch is only sending out a quick surge instead of steady electricity to the solenoid. The surge just doesn't last long enough to actually spin the starter. Also something to possibly consider (but VERY rare) is your anti-theft system. If you have a factory PATs system, there is computer chip in your key, and a ring around the key cylinder (hidden from view). If your key and that ring ain't talking to each other, your car won't start. Different cars accomplish this different ways. My truck (Ford Ranger) just won't send fuel, so it spins and spins but never starts. Other cars do it by just not sending any electricity, so you get the same effecct as a dead battery. And I have seen them things work when they want, and then dont work when they want. It's not common at all to happen, but it does happen sometimes.
This is a little bit interesting. First, I will say that I'm not sure if I have an Anti-theft system, but I will assume since I have some black plastic around the top of my key that it probably does. The interesting part: The other day when my car wouldn't start, I noticed the steering wheel was turned to a side. I should note, that the key would indeed turn, but the car just wouldn't start. I decided to straighten the wheel. When I did, the key wouldn't turn, so, I adjusted the wheel a little more. When I did that, the car started right up. Was this just a lucky coincidence, or is there something to that? Something else I should add: this is a problem that I've seen for a while, but it was VERY rare early on. I'm talking maybe once every 3 or 4 months. I've had it happen 3 times this week, so it seems to be increasing in frequency. I should also add that my car did eventually start this morning, but I had let it sit for 40 minutes after it wouldn't start.
From what you've said I would think the factory anti-theft system is at fault. I have similar issues with my Buick, and it is the anti-theft system. Now that Nooch has confirmed Ford's have these systems that sounds the most likely especially given the fact that your car will start after some time has passed. In the GM's it generally takes 15-20 minutes for the system to reset.
A neighbor had a similar problem once. It turned out to be a short in the steering column ignition switch--a fairly cheap replacement.
I'm leaning this way now that he said he had that one issue with his steering wheel. Jumping it off throws a wrench into every suggestion I've offered. Hooking up jumper cables should have zero effectt on any of my theories. But then again, DC voltage can be quite strange at times. If it is a ground issue somewhere, hooking up the cables may be completeing your ground through the other car.
