Trouble starting

[mike walsh]

Hi,

I have a 95 Eddie Bauer [76K miles] and was having trouble starting the car. The battery is fine but I would turn the key and sometimes it would start and sometimes it wouldn't. A friend who is well versed in car repairs as his dad owned a garage years ago [but he hasn't bought a car in 15 years] got under the car, said the starter was rusted in some spots, banged it with a hammer as I had the key turned and it started right away. I had a rebuilt starter put in and had no problems starting for a month. Now it has started again and I've been playing with this for two months now.

Now what happens is that sometimes it starts right away. Other times I keep the key turned and move to neutral and it starts. Or I wiggle it from park to neutral and back and forth slowly and it starts in P or N. It can take at times up to 5 minutes to get it right and I take breaks between tries so as not to have the battery go dead.

I doubt that I have the ability to fix this and the Ford dealer near me has shown themsleves to create work at will. So if I have a good idea what the problem is they will have less of a chance to rip me off.
Any suggestions as to what is causing this?

Thanks in advance,
Mike Walsh

 

[bobs 93 x]

with some further info maybe we can help. when you turn the key does the engine turn over but not fire or when you turn the key nothing happens?

 

[mrboyle]

Although it sounds odd, from experince it sounds like the battery cable is bad. I just had the same thing happen on my parent's '96. The cable is a Ford item only and costs $150.

 

[alphabets13]

when i had a problem with my X starting sometimes and not others. it turned out to be the neutral safety switch on the transmission. it wasn't bad. just loose. had it tightened up and no problems ever since. good luck.

 

[Strike12]

I agree with the neutral safety switch . prob bad contacts in the switch . Next time it acts up pull the connector off and with the car in park check for continuity between the terminals on the switch . If its infinity its a bad switch if its 0hms its good