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2015 Explorer Sport - Intermittant no-start with push button start

dshilton

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2008 Dodge Nitro
I sell Fords and have a customer that purchased a 2015 Explorer Sport that she loves - sometimes. Shortly after purchasing she reported an issue with the push-button start (or ignition system in general). With the key fob in the vehicle, doors closed, the vehicle would fail to start when the button was pressed. This would continue for ~15 minutes and then it would start like normal.

It seems to happen only when the vehicle has been driven recently (eg. stopping for gas, quick trip to the store) and it never happens first thing in the morning. The remote starter is not immune either.

When it happens the brake pedal doesn't fully depress. We have replicated the issue once or twice in the shop. The vehicle has been in multiple times and is showing no malfunction codes. Our lead tech is stumped.

Has anyone else come across anything like this?
 



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What does fail to start mean exactly? Nothing comes on or stuff comes on but the starter doesn't engage, etc???

When you replicate this do the brake lights come on when pressing the brake pedal (but the brake pedal doesn't fully depress)?
 






......waiting on a reply.....
 












Troll?
 






Sorry, new to forum. Don't check regularly.

Brake lights come on despite pedal not fully depressing. Electrical does fire up as if pressing the start button without hitting brake pedal (accessory power).
 






Hard to replicate though as issue arrived once every week or two.
 






"KEY NOT DETECTED" error?
 






This shouldn't be something that has a Ford Tech stumped.

I know Ford Techs have access to more than me, but I can see through my reader details such as:

Brake Pedal State (pressed or not)
Push to Start Button State (pressed or not)
Last Alarm State for Body Control Module (I think I can see the last five states).

If the vehicle registered the brake pedal AND the push to start button as being pressed, then there should be an alarm in the Body Control Module indicating that it won't start the vehicle (even if it doesn't spell out the reason why in plain English).

I would believe that a Ford Tech would also have access to Ford Corporate to walk through any further diagnostic steps to troubleshoot what input is lacking (or what is failing) to prevent engine starting.

I guess what I'm saying is that if the brake pedal and push to start button is being pressed, then there isn't much an internet forum can do that would be better/quicker than what a Ford Tech can do.
 






Aren't the brake boosters electrical on our Explorers. If the brake pedal is not going down as far as normal, that would imply to me that something isn't on or energized that should be.

God help you if it's an intermittent communication failure between two modules.
 






Do you get any errors about car not in park?
Mutliple people have had this issue, where it will honk in return but not start.
Ended up being shifter not detected in park position. Have to replace entire shifter.
 






I sell Fords and have a customer that purchased a 2015 Explorer Sport that she loves - sometimes. Shortly after purchasing she reported an issue with the push-button start (or ignition system in general). With the key fob in the vehicle, doors closed, the vehicle would fail to start when the button was pressed. This would continue for ~15 minutes and then it would start like normal.

It seems to happen only when the vehicle has been driven recently (eg. stopping for gas, quick trip to the store) and it never happens first thing in the morning. The remote starter is not immune either.

When it happens the brake pedal doesn't fully depress. We have replicated the issue once or twice in the shop. The vehicle has been in multiple times and is showing no malfunction codes. Our lead tech is stumped.

Has anyone else come across anything like this?

Yes I have the exact same story. What have you found out?
 






Yes I have the exact same story. What have you found out?
Welcome to the Forum.:wave:
Do you get any kind of Warning message when this happens?

Peter
 












I sell Fords and have a customer that purchased a 2015 Explorer Sport that she loves - sometimes. Shortly after purchasing she reported an issue with the push-button start (or ignition system in general). With the key fob in the vehicle, doors closed, the vehicle would fail to start when the button was pressed. This would continue for ~15 minutes and then it would start like normal.

It seems to happen only when the vehicle has been driven recently (eg. stopping for gas, quick trip to the store) and it never happens first thing in the morning. The remote starter is not immune either.

When it happens the brake pedal doesn't fully depress. We have replicated the issue once or twice in the shop. The vehicle has been in multiple times and is showing no malfunction codes. Our lead tech is stumped.

Has anyone else come across anything like this?
My 2015 Explorer sport has almost the same problem. The dealership here has not been able to replicate the issue. It has been towed in several times for this issue. The mechanic said it was my radar detector and dash cam that were running the battery down and they refuse to look at it again. I have taken both out and it is less frequent, but still happens. There is a sign that it is about to happen but not all the time. When I pull up and put the car in park, the message that the transmission is not in park displays. Ford has changed the sensors out and the start issue still comes up. The issue is that I cannot rely on this vehicle. There is no rhyme or reason to it. One time is getting gas, another is picking up kid in school and then car will not start. I have to just leave it running when I get gas, go in the store, etc. As an engineer myself I understand that intermentent issues are difficult. The last options are to either Lemmon law the vehicle or trade it in.
 






Welcome to the Forum fellow 'Ham'. :wave:
The "Shift to Park" is a known issue and the only way to fix it is to replace that shifter. http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/index.php?threads/shift-to-park-warning.375462/
There are posts about the remote start not working due to items left plugged in but I don't recall it affecting the manual starting. I don't know how frequently the non start issue happens but the next time it happens after the first attempt try putting the fob in the emergency back-up slot and then try starting it.
Also, please add the 'trim level' (Sport) to your profile as requested when registering. This displays in the margin and can at times be very useful info to have. Thanks.

73, Peter
 






I found a problem with my battery connection. The positive connector was corroded beyond belief. You could not see it without removing the connection. But the bottom copper ring was almost completely gone. In between all the fuses and any connection. After I cleaned it we'll have not had the problem since. But one of the fuses had almost corroded in two. I ll post if problem comes back. Because it does come and go.
 






I found a problem with my battery connection. The positive connector was corroded beyond belief. You could not see it without removing the connection. But the bottom copper ring was almost completely gone. In between all the fuses and any connection. After I cleaned it we'll have not had the problem since. But one of the fuses had almost corroded in two. I ll post if problem comes back. Because it does come and go.

What kind of conditions is your vehicle in?......thats odd for a battery terminal to have that kind of corrosion in a 2 yr old vehicle.
 






I found a problem with my battery connection. The positive connector was corroded beyond belief. You could not see it without removing the connection. But the bottom copper ring was almost completely gone. In between all the fuses and any connection. After I cleaned it we'll have not had the problem since. But one of the fuses had almost corroded in two. I ll post if problem comes back. Because it does come and go.
There have been several members with the same issue and in some cases had to replace the connector/cable.

Peter
 



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What kind of conditions is your vehicle in?......thats odd for a battery terminal to have that kind of corrosion in a 2 yr old vehicle.
Great condition
 






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