Ford Explorer won't turn over. !!!!

[bigd64]

Hi
I have a 97 ford explorer and it won't turn over.
My front brake pads had got very low and I had ordered a new set, the day before I got a chance to fit them the car just stopped turning over. The key fob seems to be working ok but when I try to turn the engine over the ABS light and the brake light come on, but go out as normal when you release the key.
Could the brakes/abs have stopped the car starting???
If not what could the problem be?
I live in France and this is not the best place for this type of car, as the local Ford garages are useless, and expensive.
I am a past truck mechanic and usually cans fix the problems myself but this one has me puzzeled, if I knew what the problem was I should be able to do it.

cheers for now

 

[Howard]

I don't see how the brakes or abs are connected. I would start off by checking things like the battery connections and the starter solenoids/fuses.

 

[NW Explorer]

try shifting gears out of park then into park again gearbox may think car is in gear and not let engine start.

 

[spacemonkeypg]

key coding maybe?

 

[ArtistsRifles]

try shifting gears out of park then into park again gearbox may think car is in gear and not let engine start.

Ours did this in France this year -whilst we were in a filling station!!

As the man says try - with the ingition on - moving the shifter from either P or N into D or R and back again. That sorted ours out OK.

 

[bigd64]

Ford explorer now works!!

Thanks to all that sent postings and messages, checked all the suggestions. In the end turned out to be the starter motor relay.

cheers for the help.