Broken steering lever/ bracket.

[Jojow2015]

2002 ford explorer 4.6. I went to shift into gear and my lever came off. The bracket broke. I went to buy a new one to replace it but once I got it put back together the explorer wouldnt start. It would try to crank over but wouldnt fire up. Any ideas what I could've done wrong? Also ther is a sensor that helps to release your key from the ignition and also a sensor above it that touches the lever for the girl shift. Does anyone know what that sensor is called or if I can buy a new one? Somehow I tapped it and the small metal piece came off.

 

[SnoC]

Sounds like you damaged the PATs transciever. That is the part that reads the code on the key and tells it to start. Check the PATs fuse and make sure it isn't just a blown fuse.

 

[Jojow2015]

Sounds like you damaged the PATs transciever. That is the part that reads the code on the key and tells it to start. Check the PATs fuse and make sure it isn't just a blown fuse.

Would you happen to know where its located in a 2002 ford explorer xlt. I'm trying to find it but cant.

 

[SnoC]

it is the ring in the picture that you said you broke a part off of. It reads the code from the key and sends the activation code for the ignition.

 

[Jojow2015]

it is the ring in the picture that you said you broke a part off of. It reads the code from the key and sends the activation code for the ignition.

Do you see the blue small device at the bottom that has a metal clip in it? The top had one fall out but I taped it back in. I'm not sure if that is my issue though because it wasnt starting before it fell out. All I did was take the case off from around the steering wheel and take out the steering lever bracket and replace with a new one. And now it's trying to crank over but wont start. I'm not sure what else I could do that's cost efficient considering the explorer isnt worth much of anything.

 

[Jojow2015]

Do you see the blue small device at the bottom that has a metal clip in it? The top had one fall out but I taped it back in. I'm not sure if that is my issue though because it wasnt starting before it fell out. All I did was take the case off from around the steering wheel and take out the steering lever bracket and replace with a new one. And now it's trying to crank over but wont start. I'm not sure what else I could do that's cost efficient considering the explorer isnt worth much of anything.

I believe its reading the key because when I stick the key in and turn it to right before start you can see the anti theft light stop blinking.

 

[SnoC]

is it getting spark? you know it's cranking, but the spark during crank comes from a different signal. Could be a loose connection, could be a blown fuse. Heck it could be a bad module. You need to start at the plugs and make sure you are getting spark as it cranks. If not work your way back to the key and see where the power dies.

If it has spark, then you need to check for fuel. There are a lot of threads on this topic and much smarter people than I weighed in and explained the trouble shooting processes.

A rule of thumb is; if you worked on it, or fiddled with it, it is a great place to start looking for the problem that just showed up.

 

[Jojow2015]

is it getting spark? you know it's cranking, but the spark during crank comes from a different signal. Could be a loose connection, could be a blown fuse. Heck it could be a bad module. You need to start at the plugs and make sure you are getting spark as it cranks. If not work your way back to the key and see where the power dies.

If it has spark, then you need to check for fuel. There are a lot of threads on this topic and much smarter people than I weighed in and explained the trouble shooting processes.

A rule of thumb is; if you worked on it, or fiddled with it, it is a great place to start looking for the problem that just showed up.

is it getting spark? you know it's cranking, but the spark during crank comes from a different signal. Could be a loose connection, could be a blown fuse. Heck it could be a bad module. You need to start at the plugs and make sure you are getting spark as it cranks. If not work your way back to the key and see where the power dies.

If it has spark, then you need to check for fuel. There are a lot of threads on this topic and much smarter people than I weighed in and explained the trouble shooting processes.

A rule of thumb is; if you worked on it, or fiddled with it, it is a great place to start looking for the problem that just showed up.

Yea I'll check for spark today. I checked for fuel and everything else already. I may have damaged something when I replaced the bracket. I'll check all the wires to see if I find any damage. It would be nice to pin point this issue.

 

[Raptor_]

The PATS interrupts the fuel, not spark, if I remember correctly. But the PATS should be a 5 amp fuse, #14 under the dash (second from the end in the longest row of fuses).

Just random, but have you tried a different key?

 

[Jojow2015]

The PATS interrupts the fuel, not spark, if I remember correctly. But the PATS should be a 5 amp fuse, #14 under the dash (second from the end in the longest row of fuses).

Just random, but have you tried a different key?

I dont have a different key but I did get in the steering column and made sure all plus were plugged in and gentle wiggled a couple wires. Got under the hood and turned the plugs on the coil pack. Tried to start it and it fired up but now sounds almost like it's missing. Also had a little smoke coming somewhere out the engine and when I shut it off it almost sounded like there was a leak somewhere because i could hear a hissing sound like something was letting air out and it quit a few secs after I shut it down. The explorer was working great until the battery died and I broke the lever to the steering wheel. I hate to get rid of it.

 

[Raptor_]

...now sounds almost like it's missing.
...The explorer was working great until the battery died...

Different model year, but that sounds a little like an issue I was having after having my battery replaced this summer.

The computer reset, and lost its learned idle trim. I got some throttle body cleaner and spent about 20 minutes cleaning 200,000 miles worth of gunk from the area around the butterfly valve and it was running like new again.

Side note - mine is the version with the electronic throttle body, so yours may work a little differently.