Solved 2001 Sport Trac - no crank

[429CJ-3X2]

I know it is a stupid question, but thinking of ANYTHING...have you tried a different key? Possibly something wrong there with the PATS system and it is the ignition keys fault?

I have one of the original keys, my daughter has a duplicate, and neither work.

 

[429CJ-3X2]

My theft like was blinking the same way. Come to find out I had corrosion on my starter mounting face which caused a loss of ground. If you remove the vibration dampened thing from the axle stabilizer, the the starter is easy to get to.

I was looking at the ground strap connected to the lower starter bolt yesterday, even looked for the wrench I'd need, then didn't follow through. I'll check it tomorrow if the snow isn't blowing too much. We're getting the weather conditions I bought this truck for (for my wife to drive).

 

[429CJ-3X2]

I gave it my best shot, but about all I accomplished was to confirm 2 things.
1) It's way too cold to be working under the truck in my driveway.
2) There's no way that starter is coming out in my driveway. I managed to get 1 of the bolts out to remove the dampener to get to the starter with a lot of effort and Liquid Wrench. Couldn't get a socket on either of the others well enough to put the necessary force on them. Everything under this truck is rusted. I did get the nut that holds the ground cable to the starter bolt off, but couldn't budge the nut/stud that holds the starter to the transmission.

I also nearly froze my toes, snapped my 3/8 drive swivel, and dropped a new 12mm wrench from the battery area into an area where I'll never see it again.

 

[partsman48210]

Honestly, you'll probably break the head off that bolt if you did get enough torque on it. Maybe give this a try, clean up the bottom of the starter ear where the bolt goes in with a wire brush. Clamp a jumper cable lead on to it and the other lead to the negative side of the battery. Turn the key and see if it starts. If it does then clean the ear where the head of the bolt touches and the head of the bolt. Also clean the ground connector. Put some dielectric grease on it and see if it works

 

[429CJ-3X2]

I did wire brush as much of the starter ear and anything exposed there as much as I could and clamped my jumper cable to it with the other end clamped to the battery. Got nothing.

Friday I tried the starter relay from my other ST, and swapped what should be the starter relay and PCM relay with each other. Neither of those is the one that clicks when the key is turned. By the time I got my son to turn the key while I listened under the hood, it was dark and I was done for the night. After work, I'll switch the remaining relays with the ones from my '02. Don't know why I didn't think of that over the weekend. If that doesn't work, I think I'll have the Ford dealer figure it out.

I really appreciate all your help.

 

[partsman48210]

Well if you decide to continue yourself then you really need to take a meter or test light and see if you're getting power to the starter. If you know you have good power and ground to thestarter then the relays and pats and everything else is fine . I like to rule out the obvious before exploring further

 

[429CJ-3X2]

Tow truck just left with it on its way to the dealership. The service mgr said it sounds like the PATS transceiver went bad. He said they'll go bad with no warning, and with no rhyme or reason. He said he drove his parent's F-150 to the dealership to have new tires put on it. When the tech went to pull it in, it wouldn't start - the transceiver had quit. Should know something tomorrow.

We could have had a Sport Trac show at the dealership! They had a white 2nd Gen ST in the shop, and a gold 1st Gen pulled in for an oil change as I was headed out to my silver '02 after making arrangements to have the black '01 hauled in.

 

[just1me]

I never thought of checking that, but that does make sense as well, hopefully it is that simple.

 

[429CJ-3X2]

I think that's what sr139fox and mustang6878 were referring to in their posts above. Service mgr said replacing the transceiver is something I could do myself since it doesn't need programmed. But at this point, it's too cold to deal with here, and if that's not the problem it just delays resolving the situation.

 

[just1me]

Yea that would be a simple fix, but if it's not the cause, then still have to diagnose the problem.

 

[429CJ-3X2]

Ford dealership called and they've got it fixed. I probably SHOULD be embarrassed, but I'm not really, because I apparently fixed the original problem. Poorer than I need to be, though.

It looks like I solved the original reason it wouldn't start when I got all the connections snug by replacing the connector that plugs into the multifunction switch with the plug/connector from the salvage yard.

However, I created a new problem last weekend when I checked all the fuses, one at a time, with a diagram of the fuse panel in hand, and somehow didn't get fuse #19 back in. That's the fuse for the PCM. I know that wasn't the original reason it didn't start because I only checked the fuses BECAUSE it wouldn't start last Monday.

 

[swshawaii]

The MFS and connector has to be the single most trouble prone part on the Explorer and ST that causes multiple issues.

Glad it's solved. You gave a lot of effort and frustration trying to find it. Now repair that minor rust and enjoy the Trac.

 

[429CJ-3X2]

Actually, the wife will get to enjoy this truck the next time it snows - probably next week. Maybe sooner since they've already treated the roads. I'm driving the '02 ST.

I got rid of the tape that holds the wires tight in the channel along the steering column. That gave the wires a little more flexibility. I also broke off some of the end of that channel to gain better access to the plug to the multifunction switch, and that also gave the wires more room to move.

 

[mustang6878]

Nothing to be embarrassed about. You used all the help you could get, took matters into your own hands and then was smart enough to ask for better help. I applaud your effort and thought pattern...besides, you are from Iowa, we have a tendency to fix our own problems.

 

[429CJ-3X2]

Yes, I am from Iowa, and I inherited an "I'll do it myself" mindset from my dad. I will ask for advice, but don't ask for hands-on help even when I should. On top of that, I lived half my life on a farm far enough from town that going to the pros wasn't the first option. And, most of my life, I haven't had $$ to pay someone to do what I could do myself. All that leads to what happened above, both good and bad.

At least now I know the connections in the steering column are good. And the dealer said all the components - transceiver, transponder, key, battery, PCM, etc - are all good, and there were no stored codes. And I had them replace the cruise control brake switch that was under recall.

 

[429CJ-3X2]

correction

One last post to correct what I said earlier.

As I was thinking about this again, I realized the missing fuse was the problem all along. When my daughter said the turn signals weren't working, the 1st thing I did was check fuses. That must have been when I didn't get fuse 19 back in, even though I compared the fuse panel with my other ST. I checked the fuse panel twice after that, with a diagram of it in my hand at least once.

The wiring in the column did need to be repaired with a new connector, but had nothing to do with the no crank problem. The wiring could be a problem, and the transceiver can lose its ability to recognize the key, but that wasn't my problem.

 

[swshawaii]

11/20/14
However, I created a new problem last weekend when I checked all the fuses, one at a time, with a diagram of the fuse panel in hand, and somehow didn't get fuse [URL=http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=19]#19 [/URL] back in. That's the fuse for the PCM. I know that wasn't the original reason it didn't start because I only checked the fuses BECAUSE it wouldn't start last Monday.

11/24/14
As I was thinking about this again, I realized the missing fuse was the problem all along. When my daughter said the turn signals weren't working, the 1st thing I did was check fuses. That must have been when I didn't get fuse 19 back in, even though I compared the fuse panel with my other ST. I checked the fuse panel twice after that, with a diagram of it in my hand at least once.

The wiring in the column did need to be repaired with a new connector, but had nothing to do with the no crank problem.

Sounds like the MFS connector was the no crank problem, the #19 PCM fuse caused the no start issue. Correct?

 

[429CJ-3X2]

The MFS connector was the reason the turn signals and brake lights weren't working. I checked fuses before I raised the tilt wheel and "fixed" the lights. When I checked the fuses the 1st time, I apparently failed to get #19 back in, and it wouldn't crank or start after that. I had stated earlier that I had checked fuses only after the truck wouldn't crank, but that's not the case. The MFS connector probably didn't have anything to do with the no crank issue. As poor as the connections were at the MFS, they could have been part of the problem, but I think the fuse was probably missing the whole time the truck wouldn't crank. Entirely my fault. But hey, I might not have changed out the connector so quickly had the truck started.

The engine wouldn't crank or start without fuse 19.

 

[vtdave]

Sir I know this is old stuff but have the same theft light blinks every two seconds all the time what fixed it? Thank you Dave

 

[429CJ-3X2]

The theft light is supposed to blink every couple of seconds until you turn the key. Without reading back through the thread, I think I mentioned the theft light as evidence everything was working except I got nothing when I turned the key to start the truck and the light kept blinking when it should have gone off. The missing fuse was the whole problem.