1996 Mercury Sable Won't Start

BELOVED SERVANT

MEMBER
1996 MERCURY SABLE
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
205,000 MILES

My wife was out with the Sable, driving around to several places. Each time she went to start it, it got harder and harder to start until finally it would not start. It turned over, but very slowly. The battery was new in July. I went to rescue her with jumper cables and had a huge brain disconnect. She asked me what connects where and I told her red to positive and black to negative. On that car, it would be red to red and black to black. When she went to connect the black to the negative, she had a lot of sparking. Upon further checking, I found I had reversed the way I had the cables on the battery of my vehicle. After that it would not turn over at all. I disconnected the battery and connected the jumper cables directly to the cables of the car and still could not get any turn over. The battery measured 13.25 volts without the cables on and 14.05 volts when connected to my vehicle. I am wondering if I managed to take out the starter with my disconnect or if I am looking at some other issue, besides in my head. Thanks. Beloved Servant

5 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
108,192 POSTS

Is anything electrical working in the car? Also, have you checked the fuse / relay block under the hood of the car? You may have taken a main fuse out there. Check that and let me know what you find.

Joe
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Thursday, December 31st, 2009 AT 11:39 PM

BELOVED SERVANT

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3 POSTS

At this point the car is not at home, so I will have to go check the items you asked about. However, I do know that the head lights still worked. Also, when you turn the key to try to start it, you get a slight click out of somewhere, I am thinking the starter area, but at this point cannot say for sure. I will go check those other items though, if this new info doesn't suggest something.

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Friday, January 1st, 2010 AT 9:48 AM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
108,192 POSTS

IF you hear a click, I need to know if it is coming from the starter or the starter relay which is located in the relay block under the hood along with the fuses I mentioned. If the noise is coming from either of them, have a helper turn the key to the start position while you check for power to the smaller wire on the starter. You should be getting 12+ volts. Let me know what you find with that too.

Take care of yourself and let me know if you have other questions before you go to the car.

Joe

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Friday, January 1st, 2010 AT 10:56 PM

BELOVED SERVANT

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3 POSTS

I checked the items you asked in the last response. The clicking is down by the starter. I put a meter on what I thought was the small wire on the starter and I had 12.85 volts. It would drop some when the switch was turned, but it was voltage there without the switch being turned. It also tried to turn over but only a low growl came out once or twice. Dave

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Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 AT 8:10 PM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
108,192 POSTS

Based on your description, I think you have a bad starter or battery. What I recommend doing first, because it is easier, is remove the battery and have it load tested at a parts store. THey will do it for free. If it passess, then you need to remove the starter, take it back to the parts store and have it bench tested. IF the battery is good, it sounds like the starter is drawing too many amps.

I realize this may sound elementary, but please make sure the battery terminals are clean and tight before going through this work. You can't believe how many times that is the problem and I would rather you not go through the work if you don't have to.

Joe