2006 Ford Explorer XLT

[FordXLT2006]

Hi All - Very odd problem that occurs once every 3-4 weeks for past 6 months with no pattern. The car has a new batter and cranks fine but every once in a while will not start. If I usually wait about 5 minutes it will start (once I had to jump it and it fired right up - I think I drained the battery trying to get it to start). And just one time it started but ran like it was on 2 cylinders. I shut it off and started it again fine with no problem. The wires are good and it runs fantastic. It is only the rare intermittent starting issue. So I am mainly considering two areas - one is the fuel pump (it is the original and at 200K). The other is the less costly and easier to replace Fuel Pump Driver Module housed in the rear. My question to the experts here is do you think it would be the fuel pump if it is only during start and otherwise fine? My thinking on the driver is that it is near the fuel filler area and last week I took it for fuel and when I drove it the the gas station it ran fine. But when I got fuel and tried to start it, all crank but not start. I waited 3-4 minutes and tried again and it fired right up. So I was thinking that the location of the module could have been lightly jarred when the fuel door was closed. It might be a long shot but its been occurring randomly for 6 months and runs perfectly other that this rare starting issue. Any thoughts on if it is likely the driver module or the pump (or some other component that would fit these occrurences)? Tx for any help!

 

[Bazz270]

What DTC do you have?

 

[FordXLT2006]

I took it to the shop the next day after multiple failed starts and there were no codes. It failed to start (just cranking) about 5 attempts then waited for about 5 minutes and then it started fine. Next morning they checked and all was clear.

 

[Bazz270]

You can simply eliminate fuel supply chain malfunction by checking fuel ramp pressure and fuel tank pressure charts (forscan or Ford Rotunda scanner) when cranking.

If good check PATS immobilizer PID (key detected)

Then check crankshafts and camshafts sensors signals.

If using Forscan remember to buy quality OBD (wired only )connector needed for high speed can bus diagnostics..

 

[FordXLT2006]

Tx. Unfortunately I have an answer -- it's the fuel pump. I answered the question I had all along: If its the fuel pump, won't it just kill the engine when driving instead of only when starting? Well IT DID lol. Oh well, question answered. The fuel pump was ordered the other day and I was hoping to find a simple solution in the interim or at the worst, get it replaced before it finally died. But getting over 200K out of the original part is ok -- at least I was close to home when it finally went.