Turned the key and nothing

[gjp163]

2003 Explorer XLT 2 door with 113,000 miles.

I drove to a store on Saturday. I came out of the store and as soon as I hopped into the Explorer, it started raining. I turned the key and nothing! No ding ding ding! No cranking! No sounds at all! I turned the key again and same thing! Don't ask me why but the thought of "loose connection" popped into my head and I needed to do something to jar something. So I opened the door and slammed it shut real hard! I scared an old lady that was dodging the puddles by the truck. I think I gave her another gray hair! I turned the key and the truck started like gangbusters.

Now, what do you think was causing the truck to portray a huge soggy paperweight in the rain?

 

[jremington59]

Clean all your battery connections and connections at the starter to begin with.

 

[gjp163]

It still does it every few days. I checked all the connections and they're good.

About 4 days ago, I was at the store when it did it again. I was going to call AAA for a tow and a guy helped me push the truck so the tow truck could get to it easier. After we moved it, I decided to try it again. It started!

Yesterday I was at a store and it happened again. I slammed doors and everything to get it started and nothing. I decided to shift from Park into Neutral and it started.

Do you think it's a transmission linkage problem?

 

[colintrax]

Can you give more info? When you open the door do the interior lights come on? Radio come on when you turn the key?

 

[Dave 1955]

Might be the neutral safety switch?

 

[gjp163]

Can you give more info? When you open the door do the interior lights come on? Radio come on when you turn the key?

Everything works when the key is turned, radio, power windows, lights, everything.

 

[gjp163]

Might be the neutral safety switch?

Where is that located and how do you check if it's going bad?

 

[climani1]

I'm having a very similar issue with my 04 Explorer. I've had it for about 6 months without issue. A couple weeks ago while yard saleing I stopped, turned it off, got back in turned the key and no crank, no click. I have all the dash lights, windows, radio, everything.

Checked all of the fuses, checked I have power at the starter, if I jump the starter terminals it cranks, battery is fine. I replaced the starter and same thing. Connections look good as far as I can tell.

I'm starting to think it's in the cables, particularly the negative cable. When I peel back the insulation I do see corrosion in the cable. I know early 90's explorers had corrosion issues. Could the cable be the issue?

 

[bobflood]

Yes, it could. You need to repace or supplement the ground connection. Good luck.

 

[stickboy]

It really sounds to me like the neutral safety switch is going bad. Mine does the same thing. All the dash lights and everything come on, but it will not crank, click or anything sometimes. When that happens, I put it in neutral and it fires right up. I have heard from a few people that eventually, it will even fail to start in neutral.

The switch is on the driver's side of the transmission, near where the linkage connects in. I think the part is fairly inexpensive ($20, maybe). If you've made sure the cables are all tight and clean and still have the problem, it might be worth testing and maybe replacing.

 

[gjp163]

It is the Neutral Safety Switch... I haven't gotten around to replacing it yet.

 

[elpotreropardo]

YOU MUST CHECK SHIFTER CABLE INSIDE THE CABIN IT GOES TO THE STEERING COLUMN HAS 2 BOLTS WHEN THOS GET LOOSEN WITH THE VIBRATION SHIFTER AND NEUTRAL SWITCH HAVE MISALIGMENT THIS BOLTS ARE IN THE STEERING COLUMN HAVE A TORX HEAD MY BROTHER IN LAW HAD SAME PROBLEM WE REPLACED NEUTRAL SWITCH BUT I FOUND ONE VIDEO IN YOUTUBE ONE GUY SAW ONE OF THE BOLTS WENT DOWN IN MY BROTHER IN LAW HE HAD SAME ISUE HE TOLD ME WHERE IT CAME FROM AFTER I SAW THE VIDEO I CHECKED UNDER OF COLUMN AND THERE WAS THE WHOLE WITH OUT THE BOLT SOME TIMES YOUST GET LOOSEN NO FALL DOWN BUT YOU CAN SEE THE SHIFTER IF LETTER AND INDICATOR DON'T GET STRAIGHT :exp::exp:
ONLY REMOVE THE PLASTIC UNDER STEERING BEHIND HAVE A METAL PLATE REMOVE THIS TO SO IT'S HARD TO REACH THE BACK I TOOK PICTURES OF THEM WITH MY CELL SO IT WAS BETTER GET TO THE PROBLEM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBkHWnEwRsQ