Won't start/PATS problem?

[Ilikemice]

So I go to the Post Office this morning to pick up some Explorer goodies that I'd missed in the post and having only stopped the car for 5 mins it refused to start up again. I just got clicks from the passenger side near the glove box.

I tried unlocking the doors, locking them, shutting the window, opening the window again, putting the key in, pressing the fob button, turning it on, pressing the button and eventually shouting at it but all it'd do is click. I checked out that fuel pump button in the passenger footwell too but that was okay.

I called up my friend for a hand and when he got to me 5 minutes later I tried to prove it wasn't working by turning the key and it fired up perfectly. It's done this once to me before a few months back after I turned the car off having just finished a green lane and getting the car muddy and wet, but it started again after about 5 minutes.

The red key light came on as I was driving at about 7am this morning but the car has started a few times between then and the above story taking place. It has once, in the past, not primed the fuel pump so it just cranked until I locked/unlocked the doors again.

I have a '97 4.0 SOHC. I only have the one key and fob for it too, if it helps. The car has worked beautifully apart from these few times where it left me stranded.

Can anyone help? (Sorry for the novel)

 

[Howard]

The single button fob system is notorious for radio interference. By chance was there a cell tower near you when you stopped? The receiver for the fob is in the rear on the nearside, behind the flap. Pushing the button near to this may help. Of course it could just be a sticking relay for the fuel pump, or the fuel pump itself.

 

[Ilikemice]

Thanks for the reply

The car was getting the signal... the key light was going off/on as normal though now you mention it I did have to disarm the PATS from inside the vehicle which was when it decided to fail - although I did get out, lock the doors then unlock and try again to no avail.

There's no cell tower for miles and miles although I do have a CB radio. Having said that when I was off-roading and it failed I was using my CB and when I was sitting in the car park I had a play with the CB before collecting my parcel. Could that have anything to do with it?

My CB is wired into my cig lighter which, a quick read on these forums suggests, is connected to the fuse for the PATS led display. A tenuous link at best :

 

[Howard]

Don't think the wiring will effect it but the transmission might. Try moving your CB antenna further away from the receiver. We have different frequencies to those in the USA.

 

[swampyrbs]

i had a simular problem ,i changed the fob battery and it hasnt done it since

 

[Ilikemice]

I'll change the fob battery but my antenna is slap bang in the middle of the roof. I have a secondary one that's mounted on the passenger taillight but it hasn't been used yet. It'll have to go anyway when I fit my light guards today.

I'll do an experiment today and see if it'll start after fiddling with the radio.

 

[kevin p]

If you heard clicks near the glovebox, could that be your starter solenoid?
Is your battery good?
My engine would turn over, but refuse to start, and it was a dirty crankshaft sender connector.