Tech Help Needed: 2003 Explorer V8 - NO START

[Falcons365]

Long story short...drove the Explorer to a friends house, ate dinner, came out and turned the key. I hear all the relays clicking, but the starter does nothing. Has a brand new battery that tested fine. The red light on the dash does not blink, so I know its not a PATS issue. I also tested the starter relay which tested fine. I don't want to replace the starter for nothing. Are there any electrical tests I can do before I go forward?

Thanks in advance!

(Oh, and of course its raining here, the car is in a parking lot - as opposed to my garage, and I live 30 miles away from my friend. Geico roadside service will only hook up and tow up to 6 miles. This also happened the night before my son was being born via scheduled c-section, and we had to be at the hopsital at 5am; and it was approaching mid-night when we finally got home.)

 

[jrford]

Can you jump it? and does it stay running?
It almost sounds like the battery or it isn't connected properly would be my first guess. The relays clicking is what mine did with a bad battery. After putting in a new one it did it again 2-3 days later. Found that the alternator wasn't putting out enough to charge the battery, just enough to keep it running. Do you have a test meter, probably not by the sound of it, but if you can find one,

With the Car off the fair batt reads 12.2 volts, running with a bad Alt. 11.8volts.
Bad battery i got off 11.8 volts, running 14.3volts.

After replacing both,
New Batt New alt, 12.8 volts off, running 14.3 volts

 

[Falcons365]

Tried jumper cables, tried taking the cables off the battery and cleaned em (even though there's no corrosion), tested with a meter over 12v, etc. All the relays click, so everything before the starter (except for testing the Battery to Starter cable). Everything checks ok. I don't think the starter solenoid is clikcing though.

I've searched and read about a bad cable from the battery to the starter (corrosion problem), but I've never had any issues what so ever. No slow start, nothing. Went from starting fine, to nothing at all.

The battery is ruled out...like I said, even that is brand new. I'm thinking the starter, the cable or the solenoid. I just want to tear as little apart as possible (and not spend money, lol) to find the problem before I give up.

 

[Falcons365]

...also, it doesn't do the normal "click click click click" sound like a dead battery. I hear relays click under the dash and under the hood, but thats it. All the lights work, etc. Everything works fine. Definitely not a battery issue. I'm 100% positive.

 

[2003vstrom]

probably the starter, or you solenoid wire on your starter broke off, my wife had a 2003 and she went to the store came out and it wouldn`t even turn over so I crawled underneath the truck and there it was the wire that kicks the solenoid on was broke off, the ring terminal had broke, I held it to the start and had her start the truck and it started right up and I had her drive it home and I put a new ring terminal on the wire and it was fixed, but also I would try tapping on the start too, start might have gotten stuck at a bad spot on the armature inside. I would check the wire first.

 

[jrford]

Any chance it could be the PATSII system? With battery problems this can happen. Usually the security light is flashing. Everything comes on but the starter if its triggered. The security module forgets what keys are allowed to start it.

Ya, check the starter for voltage . . .sounds like that might be it. ..

 

[Falcons365]

probably the starter, or you solenoid wire on your starter broke off, my wife had a 2003 and she went to the store came out and it wouldn`t even turn over so I crawled underneath the truck and there it was the wire that kicks the solenoid on was broke off, the ring terminal had broke, I held it to the start and had her start the truck and it started right up and I had her drive it home and I put a new ring terminal on the wire and it was fixed, but also I would try tapping on the start too, start might have gotten stuck at a bad spot on the armature inside. I would check the wire first.

Hmmm, I was kinda thinking the same thing and I was hoping someone else would say that. Boy, I sure hope thats all it is.

 

[Falcons365]

Any chance it could be the PATSII system? With battery problems this can happen. Usually the security light is flashing. Everything comes on but the starter if its triggered. The security module forgets what keys are allowed to start it.

Ya, check the starter for voltage . . .sounds like that might be it. ..

Nope, already checked that...no red light flashing...plus, it wouldn't send signal to the starter relay (which it is). Already rounded that base...

 

[rocket2ya]

i had this problem and it was my PATS system. had to reset it and program a new key and it worked fine.

 

[Falcons365]

Was your security light blinking when you turned the key?

 

[jhard]

I had something similar happen.

I went through an automatic car wash and it died. Ended up being a short in the wiring harness that goes to the fuel pump at the rear.

Unfortunately I had to take it to the Ford dealer to find that out. The wiring harness was $28 CDN, but the *******s charged me $580 CDN in labour to diagnose it!

 

[Falcons365]

I had something similar happen.

I went through an automatic car wash and it died. Ended up being a short in the wiring harness that goes to the fuel pump at the rear.

Unfortunately I had to take it to the Ford dealer to find that out. The wiring harness was $28 CDN, but the *******s charged me $580 CDN in labour to diagnose it!

...but it cranked though, right? Mine does NOTHING...

 

[jhard]

**** sorry man, I was assuming you were getting a crank from another thread I got confused with on the front page! haha

My bad man.

 

[Falcons365]

No biggie...ugh, I wish it'd stop raining. Tow bill is gonna be a *****.

 

[rocket2ya]

my theft light was flashing as normal when i turned the key.

 

[Falcons365]

I know my problem isn't PATS related, relays are clicking that wouldn't when they PTAS system is going haywire. Also, I thought you could crank the engine, it just wont run. I used to do remote starts, and it would turn and then die w/o PATS bypassed. This doesn't do that at all. FINALLY the rain stopped, so I'm going to see what I can figure out this weekend.

 

[Falcons365]

Fixed!

The ring terminal of the starter wire (the one that supplies 12V to the solenoid when the key is turned) had broken off. The wire was just dangling. Some new wire spliced in, and a new ring terminal, and we were good to go.

 

[jhard]

Kool! Glad you got it sorted out man!

 

[2003vstrom]

thats good like I said before that`s what happen to my wifes about 3 years ago

 

[Farmtruckracer]

Fixed!

The ring terminal of the starter wire (the one that supplies 12V to the solenoid when the key is turned) had broken off. The wire was just dangling. Some new wire spliced in, and a new ring terminal, and we were good to go.

My wife's rig had same issue just today. First acted up when she was in Seattle yesterday but after a while it gave a few clicks then started, and then today it wouldn't give anything. She never said anything until today about it to me. Battery is pretty new and had plenty of voltage so I thought I would check here like I usually do and there was an idea.
I never really post on forums, just look for info, but I just wanted to chime in and say thanks to everyone.