Slow to start to crank (or sometimes no crank at all)

M

MindyMark

New member
I've been having this intermittent problem on my Cougar for about 3 years. Basically what happens is sometimes when you turn the key to start and you get nothing for a few seconds then the car cranks over and starts like normal. Sometimes this process takes anywhere from 3 to 6 seconds before the car starts cranking. When it does finally start to crank everything sounds normal and it starts like it should.

Here are a few other things I know:

  • The problem gets worse as it gets colder outside. In the summer time it hardly ever happens.


  • [*]I've had the starter off and tested about a year ago. Everything came back fine. They cleaned the connections up and I didn't have the problem again for maybe 6 months or so.

    [*]I replaced the ignition switch (because it was cheap and easy). No change.

    [*]Does not appear to be a MLPS problem, as the symptoms don't change if you move the gear shifter.

I'm thinking the solenoid is sticking on the starter. Can you replace just the solenoid like you could on older cars or do you have to replace the whole starter?

Other thoughts?
 
J

J

OCCUPY LoD :)
No cranking whatsoever? I think you're spot on with the solenoid. This is just like those starters that "click" when you turn the key to the start position but nothing else happens. Beat it with a hammer or other blunt object and the solenoid will free up and fully engage. I wouldn't say yours is "sticking" but I bet it's all corroded inside there.

Search around your are and see if there is an alternator repair shop. The reason I say alternator is because these type of shops will do starters too.

When my mustang starter was doing the "click", I took it to one of those shops (after replacing it with 4 Autozone starters, replacing the battery, cables to the starter, shimming, etc) and they fixed a bad bendix shaft for like $14. What a headache but in the end it was just cheap starters.

Anyways...before you go spend money on a new one, search around, you can probably have it fixed for less the $50.
 
M

MindyMark

New member
I just might have a shop look into rebuilding it. After 260k miles I feel like it would be wrong to give up on the starter now, we have been through a lot. :) LOL

Anywho, the shop that does the repairs I don't have time for has their's rebuilt here locally somewhere, I'll ask them who they use.
 
SCTBIRD1173

SCTBIRD1173

Mark my Bird!
Funny, the starter in my 95 Taurus 3.8L does the same thing and gets MUCH worse in the cold. The car has 224K on it and has been doing this for many years. I even bought a new starter for it years ago but never got around to putting it in yet. LOL :D

Good luck! I'm sure a new starter will fix it up nicely.

How are you liking the X? I love the look of them but Ford failed on the name! If I ever got one I'd put a Freestyle badge on it :wink:
 
M

MindyMark

New member
Just posting the solution to the problem should anyone come across this. I replaced the battery and all has been fine.
 
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