2014 Explorer not starting

[aquapong]

My 2014 Explorer is not starting now rather suddenly. No indication of a problem before this. My first thought was a battery because this vehicle seems to eat up batteries. I took the battery to Advance Auto and they said the battery is good. It's a Duralast battery so there's no reason to think they wouldn't want to sell me a battery if it was bad. The terminals are clean.

A mechanic across the street suggested a fuel pump issue after listening to the vehicle not turn over. I checked with the code reader...no codes. When I turn the key to the on position, I can hear a hum from the rear which suggests the fuel pump is priming. The fuel pump fuse is intact and the fuel pump relay looks normal.

What else should I check to narrow down the problem? If the mechanic hadn't suggested a fuel pump, I'd probably be looking at the starter.

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum.
So the engine doesn't turn over. Do you hear anything when you turn the key? Clicking? Have you attempted to get it boosted?
Also, I don't know that because you can hear the fuel pump priming if it mean it is pumping fuel?

Peter

 

[aquapong]

It’s churning like it wants to start, but it just won’t catch so to speak.

 

[peterk9]

If it's turning over but not starting, then I think you can rule out the starter. It does look like it could be a fuel-related issue.

Peter

 

[Mbrooks420]

Just because the pump is running doesn’t mean it’s good. Spray some starting fluid in past the filter. If it starts immediately you surely have a fuel issue.

And, for the record a motor that spins with the starter is absolutely “turning over”. Turning over has nothing at all to do with starting, or attempting to start.

 

[aquapong]

Well it sat at the shop for a week and a half before they got to it and they couldn’t duplicate the problem. The time I first had trouble with it, I did turn the key for a quarter second too short. Maybe it flooded and sitting on my slightly incluned driveway didn’t allow the fuel to get out of wherever it wasn’t supposed to be. But when I backed it down the driveway, it sat on the level street for an hour or so before the tow came and we tried starting again just before he out it on the flatbed.

Maybe my fuel pump is failing and will just work intermittently, but now I can’t trust to take this vehicle anywhere mot local.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I really doubt it flooded. How much gas was in the tank?

 

[aquapong]

A little under a 1/4. Still plenty enough to start. My wife thinks the gas fairy fills the tank and it’s started on far less many times before.