My Explorer won't start

[bigDerk]

This morning I got in the truck to go to class, and my Ex wouldn't start. Turned the key, and nothing happened. I could see the E-brake light barely dim on, but then it went off. No clicks, engine won't turn over, nothing. :fire:

For the past week or so, it hasn't always started up on the first turn of the key. I'd turn the key, and the electronics would turn on, then a second later it would all cut off. One more turn, the truck would crank fine. Last night when I got in the truck, the CD had been ejected from the head unit, and everything programmed in the head unit had been reset (like when power is disconnected from the CD player or the battery disconnected).

So this morning I figure the battery is dead, so I take it out and head down to Auto Zone to get them to check it. Nope, battery is good. The guy there suggested that it may be the starter solenoid or the ignition switch. I'm about to leave for class again so I don't have time to check things now, but can anyone think of other possible problems? Hopefully I can get it figured out tonight and fix it this weekend. At least my dad is out of town now, I get to drive his 2001 Supercrew.

 

[TSTONE]

you might want to do a search on "fuel pump relay" here it might be the problem that they describe, i've had a similar problem over the years (about once a month)with my, i replaced the relay and so far no more problems.

 

[4Wheelin]

The same thing happened to me but it turned out to be just a loose connection at the battery terminals.

 

[Yomie]

i was gonna say check you connections also, and also check your positive battery cable

 

[hijinks]

its probably the battery or the connections. Check the ground wire too. I think its off the negative connection. That happened to me and i had a bad ground wire.

 

[TPLYNCH]

If you haven't done it, replace the battery cables. They rot on the inside and don't carry the juice to start up...

 

[bigDerk]

What the hell?!?

So I was gonna try and figure out the problem this afternoon, and when I tried to start the truck, it cranked right up! ARRRGGGHHH!!! :frustrate So either it was a bad battery connection that I fixed when I took it out to get it tested, or the problem decided to disappear for now (only to leave me stranded somewhere in the future, I'm sure ) Trucks are just as much of a pain as women sometimes... *ducks flying objects from the female members*

 

[betacam4]

hi there,

i would have the starter checked...my truck was doing something similar this week. i could get it to turn over and the next time i would try and start my ex....nothing wold turn over. let me know what happens..

greg

 

[TPLYNCH]

That's a classic symptom of Bad Cables.

 

[Doug]

I had the same problem with my Bronco II. Id go to crank over the engine and everything would die, id have to get out and shake the battery cable before it would work again.