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No starter operation? Why is my engine not cranking over?

Tiny
SHELBYNUNYABIZ
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 FORD EXPLORER
So I have a 1998 Ford Explorer that has 102,000 miles on it.
I haven't had any problems with it other than replacing the battery about a year ago.

But just a week ago, I went out to my truck and it didn't start. Me not knowing a thing about cars (I'm a girl) I just wiggled around the battery cables hoping it was some loose connection or something. Well it seemed to work because my truck started and continued to work for the next few days.

Today, it stopped working though. It just wouldn't start. It didn't even click or anything when I turned the key as if it were trying to start.

My friend whom works on cars has a machine that he brought over and it said that my battery was at 12.9 volts. He tried charging it because the machine said that my battery charge was at 0%. So we charged it to around 80% according to the machine, but my truck still wouldn't start. He didn't know how to check the alternator, so he wasn't sure the status on that.

He then wiggled my battery cables around again, and surprisingly my truck started.

Does anyone have a clue what might be wrong? He's not sure if it's bad connections or my alternator. Because before, I wasn't having any weird things happen like lights dimming out. Literally it was just dead one day.

Thanks for any help!
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Tuesday, September 18th, 2012 AT 3:57 AM

35 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
These guides can help us fix it

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/starter-not-working-repair

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-load-test

Please run down these guides and report back.
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Tuesday, September 18th, 2012 AT 4:02 AM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
I would say you have a poor connection at the battery trminals. Maybe the cables are not tight against the holder.
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Tuesday, September 18th, 2012 AT 9:08 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
I thought thats pretty much what I said I guess not lol.
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Tuesday, September 18th, 2012 AT 9:16 AM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,815 POSTS
Yes, maybe I did not read correctly, lol. But I have seen many terminals that are clean and tight but the cable itself has deteriorated against the base. If the base is OEM, they need some recrimping or replacement.
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Tuesday, September 18th, 2012 AT 9:26 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
Deteration wouldnt be clean or tight lol.
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Tuesday, September 18th, 2012 AT 9:49 AM
Tiny
STRETCH90568
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1998 FORD EXPLORER
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 165,000 MILES
I recently will go out of the house and try to start the car and all I hear is this low reving sound, not enough to start the car. I then have to jump start the car which helps. I already bought a battery and it started to do the same thing. Is it the alternator or the regulator?
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Thursday, December 31st, 2020 AT 9:15 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,133 POSTS
Have you checked to make sure the ground to the engine block is clean and tight? Also, have you checked how many amps the starter is drawing? Also, if the alternator and regulator are one unit on this vehicle. If it isn't charging, the light would come on in the car. Also, when you try to start the car, doe the battery terminals get hot?

Let me know.

Joe
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Thursday, December 31st, 2020 AT 9:15 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SHANECLOWER
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1998 FORD EXPLORER
Went to work got in my car to leave radio, lights, heater all came on but not engine. When I turn the key NOT A SOUND from the engine, had someone come and give me a jump, just in case but no luck, any ideas? I was told solenoid? Or starter?
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Thursday, December 31st, 2020 AT 9:16 AM (Merged)
Tiny
GODBEAR839
  • MECHANIC
  • 77 POSTS
Probably solenoid they usually go first, but don't rule out the starter. If you hear a loud click under the hood when you try and start it it is probably the starter, but no click then it's probably the solenoid.
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-1
Thursday, December 31st, 2020 AT 9:16 AM (Merged)
Tiny
GENE GAINES
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1998 FORD EXPLORER
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 157,437 MILES
I have a 98 ford explorer that the battery is slowly going bad on. I charge it and it lasts a month and it needs to be charged. Monday evening I tried to start it and it chugged a couple of times but would not start. The next morning I hooked it up to the charger until it was done and then tried to start it. All the lights on the dash work normally and the radio and heater but it does nothing when you try to start it. No clicks or anything-no sound- but it is getting power. When I check the relay box under the hood you can hear a small click when the key is turned. When I touch the relays when the key is turned I can feel that the Ignition Relay is the one clicking. I dont know if this is normal or not but anyway. It does not give the multiple click like when the starter goes bad. I found out that I could bypass the solenoid to see if it was bad but I dont know how. Could the battery going dead be a symptom of the problem? Any ideas to fix it would be really appreciated. Thank you
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Thursday, December 31st, 2020 AT 9:16 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,133 POSTS
First, make sure the battery has the power to run the starter. Remove it and have it load tested. If it does, then you need to check if the starter is getting power. If it is, then it is bad. If there is no power, then you need to check the relay, ignition switch, wiring.

Just switch the relay with another one with the same part number. There should be ones on the relay box. Next, check to see if power is getting to the starter. If it is, remove the starter and have it checked.
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Thursday, December 31st, 2020 AT 9:16 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BOOKIE1227
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1997 FORD EXPLORER
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 190,000 MILES
I shut off the car and then about 15 minutes later, it wouldn't crank. Just that day the "check gage" light appeared. Its a 1997 V6 Ford Explorer. Do you have any suggestions of what may be the issue?
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Thursday, December 31st, 2020 AT 9:16 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,133 POSTS
When it doesn't start try this. Under the hood there is a power distribution box. Remove the lid and on the underside you will see a listing for each relay, fuse. Look for the EEC relay. Switch it with another one with the same part number and see if the car starts. Let me know what you find. If it doesn't help, pay attention to see if you can hear the fuel pump come on for a few seconds when you first turn the key on.

Joe
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Thursday, December 31st, 2020 AT 9:16 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RJHAYES75
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1997 FORD EXPLORER
  • 160,000 MILES
Car sat for three years, was told it ran great til the starter went out and then it was parked. When I bought it it had been sitting 2-3 years without a starter. It looked like it was in great shape. New starter, battery, new cables, new solenoid, missing a relay in the fuse box under the hood. For some reason when you turn the key, solenoid thumps or clicks once, a relay under drivers dash clicks once as well. Can't hear the fuel pump, or the starter warm up. No crank at all. Seems as though a couple relay slots are not getting power at all in fuse box under hood up against fire wall drivers side when checked with a light tester. Grounds are clean all cables and wires are clean and tight. Seems as though starter is not getting enoughhh power all though I don't know why. Meter says it has over 12v. Need help bad plz. I desperately need to find what's wrong so that it can be fixed.
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Thursday, December 31st, 2020 AT 9:17 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,728 POSTS
Need some more detail. Where and when are you measuring this voltage? During attempted cranking or just standing still? You need to read the meter further to at least one decimal place. 12.0 volts at the battery is bad. 12.6 volts means the battery is fully-charged. 12.2 volts means it's good but discharged.

Ford has had a lot of problems with battery cables that corrode under the insulation where you can't see it. Measure the voltage right at the starter while a helper turns the ignition switch to "crank". If it drops to less than 9.6 volts we need to locate a bad connection.
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Thursday, December 31st, 2020 AT 9:17 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RJHAYES75
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Got that fixed. It was the wires. Cranks all day now but now start. Cant hear the fuel pump come on.
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Thursday, December 31st, 2020 AT 9:17 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,728 POSTS
You mentioned a relay that appears to be missing, but if it was running okay three years ago the most likely suspect is a tight or failed fuel pump. Sometimes banging on the bottom of the gas tank while a helper is cranking the engine will get them going.
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Thursday, December 31st, 2020 AT 9:17 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JJSIZEMORE
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1997 FORD EXPLORER
Electrical problem
1997 Ford Explorer V8 All Wheel Drive Automatic

I removed the battery to clean the termanials. When I put it back in it will not start. T tried jumping still will not start.

I
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Thursday, December 31st, 2020 AT 9:17 AM (Merged)
Tiny
ROB2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 258 POSTS
Clean the terminals again first.. Then if it still doesn't crank get a multimeter, or just a simple test light hook it up to the battery post (Not the terminals ), did you get about 12. Volts,
If not get a good working battery, but if you did

. Test your connections from the battery to the terminal. Hook the test light or meter up to the negative and the positive WIRES . If you didn't get any volts or your test light didn't light up then your not getting a good connection at the terminals.

I think the terminals are just loose or need clean.
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Thursday, December 31st, 2020 AT 9:17 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BIGGIANT22000
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1996 FORD EXPLORER
I have a 96 ford explorer one day I went to start it up and it cranked but didn't turn over the starter was good I replaced the alternator, and the battery. And and now that I've replaced the solenoid starter the car is just dead now the battery terminals don't even work. What could it be?
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Thursday, December 31st, 2020 AT 9:20 AM (Merged)

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