HELP.....2002 Explorer Sport won't turn over

[dwil4]

Theres nothing to reset. It’s passive anti theft. It sees the key or it doesn’t. If it’s not flashing fast while trying to turn over PATS isn’t your problem. You probably just have a bad starter or solenoid.

I have read tons of "how to reset" threads. I guess they were all full of phooey? I don't know.. I know I haven't saw that reset button/switch that they mentioned.Lol.

 

[dwil4]

Check for voltage at the solenoid. The small connection on it should see 12v with the key turned to start.

There’s not going to be some magic trick online to fix this. You’re barking up the wrong tree.

You most likely have
1. A bad cable/connection.
2. A bad solenoid.
3. A failing starter.
4. Failed ignition switch.

The solenoid is on the starter? Hell I can barely get a glimpse of the starter let alone actually get to it. Lol

 

[Mbrooks420]

I have read tons of "how to reset" threads. I guess they were all full of phooey? I don't know.. I know I haven't saw that reset button/switch that they mentioned.Lol.

Yes. If your theft light isn’t lashing fast there is nothing to reset. Even if it is flashing, it won’t need a reset. The thing you are reading about with the reset button is an add on thing you most likely don’t even have.

But, by all means, feel free to keep chasing non-issues.

Your problem is almost surely to be one of the 4 things I mentioned.

 

[dwil4]

Yes. If your theft light isn’t lashing fast there is nothing to reset. Even if it is flashing, it won’t need a reset. The thing you are reading about with the reset button is an add on thing you most likely don’t even have.

But, by all means, feel free to keep chasing non-issues.

Your problem is almost surely to be one of the 4 things I mentioned.

Thanks for the help but in the future don't be a DICK HEAD ****** BAG!!

 

[Mbrooks420]

Trying to save you time by telling you it’s not your problem. You’ve been trying the same stuff over and over. And it hasn’t worked. Shocker.

I’ve nicely told you several times you can’t bypass or disable something. If you truly read “tons” of threads about PATS you’d have understood it’s not your issue since the theft light isn’t blinking.

As for your little baby name calling, try not to be so dense in the future and I’ll be nicer about telling you how to fix YOUR truck.

 

[J_C]

It was running one morning and hasn't cranked since. It won't even turn over. No the battery is not dead. My wife drove it to town and when she got home I was checked all the fuses to find out why none of the interior lights work and it hasn't turned over since. Ignition switch just suddenly go bad? I just bought it about 4 days before this happened. If I can find the starter I'm gonna try the screwdriver in the starter trick to see if it will turn over then. Any ideas?

Let me see if I have the order of events correct.

1) Wife drives it to town, and back home, at which point it was fine, or were the interior lights already not working back when it started still?

2) It was turning over fine the last time anyone tried to start it, prior to checking fuses, then after checking fuses, it won't start? How did you check them, by pulling them out to examine? If so then I suspect a fuse was put back in the wrong position or mixed up with a blown one, or less likely some fuse box damage or corrosion has upset the fuse blade contacts with it.

3) Ignition switch has nothing to do with "none of the interior lights work", so at a minimum you have at least one other problem that I'd identify and resolve before looking at unrelated parts, I mean unrelated to the preexisting condition and resolution attempt.

As others have already stated, if the PAS2 theft light isn't increasing in blink rate to a rapid blink when you try to start it, PATS is not rejecting the key and there is nothing to reset.

 

[dwil4]

Let me see if I have the order of events correct.

1) Wife drives it to town, and back home, at which point it was fine, or were the interior lights already not working back when it started still?

2) It was turning over fine the last time anyone tried to start it, prior to checking fuses, then after checking fuses, it won't start? How did you check them, by pulling them out to examine? If so then I suspect a fuse was put back in the wrong position or mixed up with a blown one, or less likely some fuse box damage or corrosion has upset the fuse blade contacts with it.

3) Ignition switch has nothing to do with "none of the interior lights work", so at a minimum you have at least one other problem that I'd identify and resolve before looking at unrelated parts, I mean unrelated to the preexisting condition and resolution attempt.

As others have already stated, if the PAS2 theft light isn't increasing in blink rate to a rapid blink when you try to start it, PATS is not rejecting the key and there is nothing to reset.

We just bought it about 3 days before this issues and no the interior lights were never working, even when the car was running. I pulled the fuses on the side of the dash one by one to inspect. I never pulled any fuses under the hood. I know the ignition switch has nothing to do with the lights. The "theft" light blinks every 2 or 3 seconds so to me that isn't rapid. It blinks when the key is out as well. Also the door open "Bell dinger" comes and goes. Kinda as if the switch has an intermittent connection? Is there a way to check the ignition switch? What are signs of a bad switch?

 

[J_C]

You can check anything by measuring where on the circuit there's supposed to be power, when, with a multimeter or test light. I don't have schematics for a 3rd gen Explorer but you can look through the ones for 2nd gen linked below in my sig... the general topology of the circuits you're dealing with is going to be the same even if the wire colors and connector pinouts are different for 3rd gen... or keep looking and find the 3rd gen wiring diagrams, they may be posted in one of these forum topics already.

 

[Fmore]

Theres nothing to reset. It’s passive anti theft. It sees the key or it doesn’t. If it’s not flashing fast while trying to turn over PATS isn’t your problem. You probably just have a bad starter or solenoid.

Hey Mbrooks, I like the train of your thoughts... I was just wondering when he said the engine just turned over 'once', could it be the engine seized? Has anyone checked the oil level...? I could be wrong, just throwing it out there...

 

[J_C]

^ I thought he stated he might've shorted it or failing that, the supposedly good battery isn't so good. A bad battery can charge to appropriate voltage but droop terribly under load. Testing, measuring... or pay someone else to.

 

[dwil4]

Hey Mbrooks, I like the train of your thoughts... I was just wondering when he said the engine just turned over 'once', could it be the engine seized? Has anyone checked the oil level...? I could be wrong, just throwing it out there...

No the engine isn't seized.

 

[dwil4]

^ I thought he stated he might've shorted it or failing that, the supposedly good battery isn't so good. A bad battery can charge to appropriate voltage but droop terribly under load. Testing, measuring... or pay someone else to.

The battery is good. Everything in the vehicle will come on and run at the same time. Headlights, fan,radio,wipers and all else. If this all work at the same time then the battery would at least have enough to attempt to turn the motor over. For what it's worth the battery tests at over 12V. Now this all happened after my wife got home from town so very shortly before this the car was running fine.

 

[TechGuru]

The battery is good. Everything in the vehicle will come on and run at the same time. Headlights, fan,radio,wipers and all else. If this all work at the same time then the battery would at least have enough to attempt to turn the motor over. For what it's worth the battery tests at over 12V. Now this all happened after my wife got home from town so very shortly before this the car was running fine.

Try starting it with the headlights on (shining on a wall or with someone watching them). If they dim significantly then either there is a bad battery connection, a bad battery, or a low battery and sometimes a bad starter.

How do you know the battery is good? The only way to know for sure is with load testing which AZ/OR will do for free. A DMM will not tell you if it's good or not.

 

[dwil4]

Try starting it with the headlights on (shining on a wall or with someone watching them). If they dim significantly then either there is a bad battery connection, a bad battery, or a low battery and sometimes a bad starter.

How do you know the battery is good? The only way to know for sure is with load testing which AZ/OR will do for free. A DMM will not tell you if it's good or not.

I can just stick it in my truck and see but I highly doubt the battery went bad just sitting in my yard for a couple of hours. My wife drove it that morning. Recently,some have suggested the key may need re-programmed. I appreciate your help and I'll test the battery here in a bit and report back. Thanks man.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Your key doesn’t need reprogrammed for the reasons already listed several times.

 

[J_C]

I can just stick it in my truck and see but I highly doubt the battery went bad just sitting in my yard for a couple of hours. My wife drove it that morning. Recently,some have suggested the key may need re-programmed. I appreciate your help and I'll test the battery here in a bit and report back. Thanks man.

This is where voltage measurements while cranking comes into play, with a second person to crank or long multimeter leads to reach the driver's seat so one person can watch voltage drop while they crank, Or a multimeter with max/min function to remember what the minimum voltage was while cranking, is easier than swapping batteries around.

If your theft light does not change from slow blink to rapid blink while you try to start it, then it does not need the key reprogrammed and there is no indication that PATS is preventing it from starting.

 

[dwil4]

This is where voltage measurements while cranking comes into play, with a second person to crank or long multimeter leads to reach the driver's seat so one person can watch voltage drop while they crank, Or a multimeter with max/min function to remember what the minimum voltage was while cranking, is easier than swapping batteries around.

If your theft light does not change from slow blink to rapid blink while you try to start it, then it does not need the key reprogrammed and there is no indication that PATS is preventing it from starting.

10-4. Got a guy coming this weekend to put a code reader on it for ***** and giggles also. Thanks for that info.

 

[TechGuru]

I highly doubt the battery went bad just sitting in my yard for a couple of hours. My wife drove it that morning.

If the alternator died she was driving it running off the battery alone which will run it down then be unable to start.

I'm leaning towards a bad starter though. https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...er/dad3c6651e74/bestest-starter/ose1/v613201a

 

[Mbrooks420]

I don’t think I’d have confidence in a battery I had 4 days of history with. It could have been discharged a number of times.

 

[410Fortune]

You said you checked fuses in the dash then all of a sudden no more starter

I suggest you look closely at your dash fuse box and the 04 sport fuse diagram
Make sure you put the fuses back in the correct spot if you pulled them
There are a few blank spots that you can stick a fuse in but there are no wires there
Something to check

Also these trucks have a starter relay in the under hood power distribution box
If that relay goes out or has any wiring issues then the starter will not crank

Multimeter should be used to check for good power at the starter itself, also check the signal from ignition switch to the starter, when the key is turned to start you should see battery voltage at the small wire. If you do then likely a bad starter
If you don’t then likely a fuse or starter relay issue
I’m sure is has been covered here but the theft light should go off when cranking the starter