No crank / no start

I am at the end of my rope and Ford has left me in a lurch. I have an 06 Explorer that I bought new. At 17,000 miles (last April) my Explorer experienced a no crank no start condition just after fueling. Waited about 30 minutes and it started.

This condition has repeated itself at least 30 times over the last year. 95% of the time the condition occurs after fueling....or maybe before fueling but at the gas station.

Of course the dealer cannot replicate the condition because each time it starts in about 30 minutes....I have had Ford's "flight recorders" on board sever time but not been able to recreate the condition.

There is definately power (ie dash cluster works, headlights, radio, etc). I do hear a relay click but no starter click.

It acts as if it is a neutral starting switch.....same dash condition as if you try to start the car in park. Dealer says all is ok.

After 8 months, the dealer reluctanlty replaced the instrument cluster. We thought we were go but then three months later the condition repeated. The dealer claimed he saw a code for a key problem. So they remade the keys.

3 weeks later here we go again. Today's occurance occured not at a gas station but with only "61" miles left until empty....5 minutes later, it started. Then about an hour later with 37 miles left until empty no crank no start. Today's occurance is one of the few that has occured away from a gas station but it seems like it has something to do with fuel.

I have been told that a fuel pump problem or initertia switch would present with a cranking by no start condition. The Dealer claims that there is nothing else that they can do and Ford tech support has not seen any other problems like this.

I am at the end of my rope and don't know what to do. I like my explorer but I can't keep having the family get stuck. The dealer is telling me that this is simething that I just have to live with....

I will be at the end of the 36,000 mile warranty period in the next month or so and the service manager has basically told me that it will then become my problem.

Any thoughts? ideas? suggestions? PLEASE HELP!!

Your post is "confusing".... it is unclear whether you have a "no crank, no start" or just a "no start". "No Crank" means that the starter does not turn. If that's the case, then that's where you need to look. IF you are saying its a "No start, but cranks fine" then that's another issue of which there are a number of checks that need to be done to determine what the problem might be. Please clarify.

No crank no start

The condition presents as a no crank no start

OK.... if you have no crank... forget the no start part as "no crank" is the focus. It should be straight forward to troubleshoot as there are "limited" conditions.

When the 'no crank" condition occurs, you will need a meter to check things. At the starter relay, when you turn the key to start, ensure that your are getting 12v coming into the relay and that it is operated. IF it isn't operated and there is 12v, then the relay is bad (or the ground is bad). IF there isn't 12v to operate the relay, you have a problem with either anti-theft relay or the range select switch. My bet is on the anti-theft relay.... which of course can be check to see if it is operated... if it is, then that is your problem as the theft system thinks you are "stealing" your vehicle and has pulled up on the relay to cut the 12v going to your starter relay. You can "kill" the anti-theft system by cutting the wire that causes the relay to operate or jumper around it. Hope that helps.

interesting point

Unfortunately, I am rarely at the vehicle when the no crank occurs.....and by the time is makes it to the dealer, it starts.

Intertesting point about the anti-theft relay.....a few times ago, the Dealer claims that he got a B1213 Code which means that only one iginition key has been cut.....not sure if that is the cause of the problem but that it the code that they get. They recut new keys. The same key is always used and there are no other electronic devices on the key ring.

Do the relays fail intermittently?
What could the possible connection be to low fuel?

I appreciate your thoughts.

IF I have read you right... basically, a "No crank" has nothing to do with fuel.... its an electrical problem towards the starter... that's it. These kind of problems ("soft") normally have to be resolved by you at the time of occurrence unless they become a "hard" / permanent failure... OR the expensive way by replacing parts until you hit on the right one.

In terms of parts, the anti-theft relay, starter relay, the starter, ignition switch, and the RAP module are in the circuit (and probably the battery cables). Can they fail?... yes... hence the testing as suggested.

PS. IF you think its the antitheft relay... just replace it (cheap). The alternative is to "go around it" with a jumper or cutting the activation wire (which can be "repaired" / re-connected at a later date)

You are reading me correctly....definately seems electrical but I don't understand why the majority of the time that I have the no start condition is at a gas station or when fuel levels are low.

If it was a fuel pump or fuel system problem, I would expect it to crank but it doesn't. I have been told that the inertia switch will also create a cranking condition.

I agree with you that it seems like it has something to do with the anti-theft relay. Unfortunately the Dealer won't just replace any parts under warranty without seeing the problem. You would think that after dealing with me for over a year on this issue that they would want to try anything to fix the problem. Ford's lask of responsiveness make it very frustrating. I guess in the end I am going to have try to fix things myself....Sure glad I bought a Ford!

Thanks for your insight.

No crank no start, ford tech response

no crank no start intermittent huh. well, being a ford tech at spradley barr ford fort collins, co i feel somewhat obligated to help....unfortunatley without having the vehicle and being able to replicate the problem i can't do much. HOWEVER, i have access to ford dealer website which contains all the tsb's for 06 explorer's and did find 2 relating tsb's regarding your issue.

06-10-07 (no start with inop instrument cluster)

however you said that the instrument cluster is operative when the condition presents itself, and ford already replaced it once. -- throw this out --

06-19-14 (no crank/starter terminal fatigue)

lucky for you I actually verified this condition on an 06 mountaineer 2 weeks ago.

FORD:
2002-2007 Explorer
LINCOLN: 1998-2006 Navigator
2003-2005 Aviator
MERCURY: 1997-2007 Grand Marquis
2002-2007 Mountaineer


ISSUE:
Some vehicles may exhibit a no crank condition due to an open circuit in the starter relay to starter motor circuit at the starter motor connection.

ACTION:
Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

A new starter terminal wiring pigtail kit is released eliminating the need to replace the entire harness for the terminal connection.

I would suggest to , when condition presents itself again, bob underneath and find the starter motor terminal and give her a good shake/inspection and re-test. Duno if this helps but its worth a shot!!!

If all of the above doesn't help, I would then suggest to read the "lemon law" and how it sounds like your vehicle fits the category.....

GOOD LUCK

ITSA 5-0 said:

no crank no start intermittent huh. well, being a ford tech at spradley barr ford fort collins, co i feel somewhat obligated to help....unfortunatley without having the vehicle and being able to replicate the problem i can't do much. HOWEVER, i have access to ford dealer website which contains all the tsb's for 06 explorer's and did find 2 relating tsb's regarding your issue.

06-10-07 (no start with inop instrument cluster)

however you said that the instrument cluster is operative when the condition presents itself, and ford already replaced it once. -- throw this out --

06-19-14 (no crank/starter terminal fatigue)

lucky for you I actually verified this condition on an 06 mountaineer 2 weeks ago.

FORD:
2002-2007 Explorer
LINCOLN: 1998-2006 Navigator
2003-2005 Aviator
MERCURY: 1997-2007 Grand Marquis
2002-2007 Mountaineer


ISSUE:
Some vehicles may exhibit a no crank condition due to an open circuit in the starter relay to starter motor circuit at the starter motor connection.

ACTION:
Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

A new starter terminal wiring pigtail kit is released eliminating the need to replace the entire harness for the terminal connection.

I would suggest to , when condition presents itself again, bob underneath and find the starter motor terminal and give her a good shake/inspection and re-test. Duno if this helps but its worth a shot!!!

If all of the above doesn't help, I would then suggest to read the "lemon law" and how it sounds like your vehicle fits the category.....

GOOD LUCK

Click to expand...

may also be neutral safty switch or clutch safty switch check the starter first tho good luck

ISTA 5-0

Thanks for the info....My Dealer claims that the there are no Bulletins on this issue....I found the TSB about the cluster which is why they reluctantly replaced it.

Was the problem on the 06 Mountaineer that you diagnosed an intermittant problem?

Please confirm the date/number of the TSB that you saw....do you mean 6-19-07?

Thanks

the tsb number is how it is listed in order from when the tsb was posted, ford posted that second tsb on 6/19/07, but was then changed for whatever reason once, hence double 07 to 14 for the changes. The initial tsb probably had to do with repairing the connector instead of replacing it with the revised pigtail harness.

The 06 mounty customer concern was same as yours, intermittent, couldnt verify, performed a couple of other repairs on the vehicle, still no verify. Customer came to pick it up and sure as ****, wouldnt start in the parking lot, pushed it in and found that the starter terminal had finally fatigued enough that it broke off, replaced with new harness connector and replaced the damaged starter(ford warr), verified repair.

this event just started.no crank,no start?2002 exploder,4.0, turn key,git dash lites,bing-bing,relay clik,starter does NOT CRANK? all test procedures on this blog, and the other blog have been completed. good fuses,relays,cleaned and cleared the starter terminals,and it is grounded.battery terminal r new,and r generating 12.20 volts today?!wda- di miss?!cumbak?

no crank,no start?? answer!!

take alls the junk off of the key ring! leaving just the key/key fob.[lock/unlock/alarm/etc.]the lil square thingie. just the key/fob. git into the exploder and put the key in the slot.DO NOT CRANK? turn the key on/off [8] times in [10] seconds, ON THE 8TH TIME FORWARD,LEAVE IN FORWARD POSITION AND hold down the unlock button on the key fob for 30 seconds. the door locks should go berserk;up,down,up,down,up,down,at the end of 30 seconds pull the key out of the slot. reinsert key into slot and start exploder! it worked for me!!after 2 weeks of a no start condition. i goda hernia frum all dis carps wit da key.DO NOT replace any parts unnecessarily!! DO THE KEY THING FIRST/1ST!!

Anti-Theft Diagram

Reading through this thread convinced me it was time to drag out my wiring diagrams! Sure enough, there actually IS a device which prevents the STARTER MOTOR from being energized. It's called the "Starter Relay", and is activated by the PCM through a grounding circuit. Thus, "jumpering" the relay will cause the starter motor to immediately begin turning, regardless of ignition switch key position. Not good!

Would you guys like to see the wiring diagram? imp

Wiring Diagrams

Below is the anti-theft diagram. Notice the Starter Relay (11450) is located in the Battery Junction Box, and is controlled by the PCM (computer). I never tried it, but looking at the Passive Anti-theft transceiver (15607), I will guess that if a door is AJAR, PCM will NOT activate the Starter Relay, and engine will not crank.





Below, is the Starting System Diagram. Note that (11450) from above is now shown with it's guts revealed. (11450) has a set of contacts normally open, which receive power from a 50 amp. fuse, F1.12, located in the Battery Junction Box. (11450)s coil, which CLOSES those contacts when it is energized, is allowed power by PCM by GROUNDING the relay's coil. Therefore, WHATEVER causes (11450) to be energized, be that the computer (PCM) or some other manually applied means, jumpering, whatever, the starter motor will immediately be energized. As I said, NOT GOOD.

If the (11450) is suspected of being faulty, to test it's function, I would DISCONNECT wire lead at the starter, connect a voltmeter to the removed lead and a good grounded point, then turn the ignition switch to "start". If the (11450) is doing it's job, 12 volts will be indicated on the meter.

What do you think of that? imp

imp: wiring diagram?

too late now. i had to send the exploder to the dealership cuz i jammed up the n.s.s. on the trans. during the diagnostic frenzy i did test that relay, and it is good. but; i did not read it will interfere with start-up? cuz i did not know how to read it that way. even tho i have the wiring bible for this exploder. so thanks anyway, i don't want to be under this thing any more.

end of story?

turns out the problem was the KEY?! after i attacked the transmission in my misguided effort to do SOMETHING; which cost me $500.00. the key had too many junk things on the key ring?. so; i took off the junk, and reprogrammed the key. it is in chapter 8 of the book that cums with the exploder. well, the real answer came off the net. a ford tech told me about it. so next time do not just do sum-think, read the book, and it also reprogrammed the Key-fob. 60 days that this did not work? i hate this suv! it is the worse vehicle i have ever owned, and i will git rid of it as soon as i can! so it runs now and i hav not figured out how to git rid of the DOOR-AJAR icon?? the doors all work, yet it is still on?? so what! happy thanksgiving to all.chuck

This may be an old post but it adresses the same issue my daughter has with her explorer. She has had intermittant issues with hers since we picked it up. Used of course,but very well maintained. She also has "junk" on her key cluster.
I have texted here the reprograming procedure discribed above by "chucksteaks" in hope this will help her out.

chucksteaks said:

no crank,no start?? answer!!

take alls the junk off of the key ring! leaving just the key/key fob.[lock/unlock/alarm/etc.]the lil square thingie. just the key/fob. git into the exploder and put the key in the slot.DO NOT CRANK? turn the key on/off [8] times in [10] seconds, ON THE 8TH TIME FORWARD,LEAVE IN FORWARD POSITION AND hold down the unlock button on the key fob for 30 seconds. the door locks should go berserk;up,down,up,down,up,down,at the end of 30 seconds pull the key out of the slot. reinsert key into slot and start exploder! it worked for me!!after 2 weeks of a no start condition. i goda hernia frum all dis carps wit da key.DO NOT replace any parts unnecessarily!! DO THE KEY THING FIRST/1ST!!

Click to expand...

I have a 2005 Explorer Limited 4.6 with the exact same condition! I'm going to try it. Thank you - new (paid elite) member

Hi, I was wondering if you could help me. I have a 2001 Ford Explorer Sports Trac with no crank no start issue. The truck has left me stranded a few times. I would come back hours later to figure out the problem and it would start. Some times it starts and some times it don't, but now it does not want to start at all. Everything lights up on the dash and the security light does not blink fast, its normal.

I called the dealer to ask about the pig tail you mentioned in this thread and they don't carry it for my truck it looks like.

ITSA 5-0 said:

No crank no start, ford tech response

no crank no start intermittent huh. well, being a ford tech at spradley barr ford fort collins, co i feel somewhat obligated to help....unfortunatley without having the vehicle and being able to replicate the problem i can't do much. HOWEVER, i have access to ford dealer website which contains all the tsb's for 06 explorer's and did find 2 relating tsb's regarding your issue.

06-10-07 (no start with inop instrument cluster)

however you said that the instrument cluster is operative when the condition presents itself, and ford already replaced it once. -- throw this out --

06-19-14 (no crank/starter terminal fatigue)

lucky for you I actually verified this condition on an 06 mountaineer 2 weeks ago.

FORD:
2002-2007 Explorer
LINCOLN: 1998-2006 Navigator
2003-2005 Aviator
MERCURY: 1997-2007 Grand Marquis
2002-2007 Mountaineer


ISSUE:
Some vehicles may exhibit a no crank condition due to an open circuit in the starter relay to starter motor circuit at the starter motor connection.

ACTION:
Follow the Service Procedure steps to correct the condition.

SERVICE PROCEDURE

A new starter terminal wiring pigtail kit is released eliminating the need to replace the entire harness for the terminal connection.

I would suggest to , when condition presents itself again, bob underneath and find the starter motor terminal and give her a good shake/inspection and re-test. Duno if this helps but its worth a shot!!!

If all of the above doesn't help, I would then suggest to read the "lemon law" and how it sounds like your vehicle fits the category.....

GOOD LUCK

Click to expand...