2006 Explorer Randomly Won't Start, But Has Power?

[Doug I]

Hi My wife's 2006 Explorer will not start sometimes randomly. Then after a random amount of time it will, like nothing happened. After not doing anything other than waiting. I put the key in, instrument lights come on everything works, but when I turn the key nothing happens. No click, no whining, just silence. I tried to push it up into park to see if it was shifted in park good, but it will not start. Then after a random amount of time, 30 minutes - 1 hr or more it will start like nothing is wrong. When it happens I have full electrical power and everything works. I've taken it to Christian Brothers Auto Repair in Spring and another mechanic we use. CB put it on the diagnosis machine and couldn't find anything and the other mechanic kept it for 10 days, but of course it started every time he tried multiple times daily. I've heard something about reading the chip in the key, would the ignition switch where the key goes in be where it is read or would it go to another electronic ignition switch to be read. I said something to a mechanic, that I thought the ignition switch might be bad, referring to the keyed one and was told that there are two, the key and an electronic. Has anyone heard of anything similar or have any advise as to what I might be able to do to fix it. Thanks to any and all that can give me advise or anything.

 

[Tech By Trade]

Haven't seen it myself but if I were troubleshooting I would start with the Ignition switch as they are quite the common failure, from there I would start digging into the PATS system.

 

[Doug I]

Thanks Tech By Trade. I was told there are 2 ignition switches by a mechanic? One is the key and I guess the other is electronic? Is that the one that would read the key chip? Thanks again

 

[Tech By Trade]

Pats system reads the key. If you do a search there is a good write up on it here. It causes intermittent issues like you are seeing.