98 Explorer No Start

[booda]

Hello,I have a problem with my 98 sport 4.0 sohc,drove it home,running good,then stopped at deli shut it off.When i came out 4 minutes later,turned key and nothing at all.No lights on dash no interior lights,when I open the door no lights either totally dead.I mean not a light anywhere.What do you all think?thanks

 

[Willard]

sounds like either battery or cables to me, make sure all connections are good and go from there

 

[BrooklynBay]

Did you check the battery with a meter? Do you have corrosion on the terminals?

 

[booda]

No corrision I'm **** when it comes to engine compartment,Its like the positive terminal is off.It started up fine drove it about 40 minutes shut it off.Then tried to start and nothing at all I mean nothing strange huh.

 

[dogfriend]

Check the battery cables carefully - its common to have corrosion under the cable insulation and not even realize it.

Also, its possible for the connection(s) inside the battery to crack and kill the battery.

I would check the battery voltage at the terminals. If thats ok, I would then check the cables to the starter relay (on the fender) and from there down to the starter.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Check your high current, and regular fuses.

 

[Donner]

When the door is open, do you hear the chime?

Does the chime sound when the key is in the ignition - not on - just in?

 

[BrooklynBay]

It sounds like he has no power at all.

 

[Donner]

Is it possible to damage (I'm not technical) anything when you turn off the ignition and remove the key? So that when you turn the key, no power at all? I've seen people snatch the keys out of the ignition, possible to break anything doing that?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Maybe the ignition switch, but that won't affect the interior lights unless there is a main feed going through it. I know that the accessories (12 volts with the key on) run through the switch. Some vehicles (like mine for instance) have a recall on the ignition switch.

 

[Donner]

Got it... 4 minutes in a deli sounds like somebody was in a hurry... or is that how you all do things on the East Coast?