Hey all,
I have a 2003 Expedition Eddie Bauer 5.4. It has been running fine up until 2 days ago. My sister was driving it so I don't know what precipitated the problem.
She calls me and tells me that it won't start. I asked her for more info and she said that she had stopped to go in and get a sandwich and when she came out to start it to come home, it wouldn't start at all.
I grabbed the jumper cables thinking that it is a battery issue. I was almost sure because I had been having a problem with the battery terminal on the + end. You know where it has 3 different cables that are joined and then all of those are attached to one + terminal end that is attached to the + lead post on the battery. Well the back side of the ring that is on the lead post had cracked and was not making very good contact at all with the lead terminal. Since there is no easy fix or replacement for that cable end, I had to just put a nail in it months ago to keep the terminal connection tight so it would be able to make good contact and therefore be able to start and run without problem. I naturally assumed that this was the problem and that I was finally going to have to get a fix for that broken cable end. I took battery cables and went over to the car. I opened the hood and saw all kinds of corrosion on the + terminal end and post. I got a wire brush and cleaned as much of that goop off as I could and it wasn't that bad after I finished. It still wouldn't start or even turn over. It acted exactly like a dying battery or bad terminal connection issue.
After I got the terminal end and post cleaned off, I tests the cable end to see how tight it was on the lead post. I then saw that as I was barely moving the cable connection, the lead + post would also move a bit. I thought I had a broken + terminal and this might mean a new battery was in order. I hooked the jumpers up and it wouldn't start or even turn over. I was thinking more and more that the battery + terminal was broken and this was what is causing the problem.
I then called roadside assistance and they came out. The guy brought one of those kits that is a self contained unit to jump start a battery. He hooked it up and it still would not turn over. We tried everything and nothing worked. We were never able to get it to even turn over. He too thought it was a battery issue....or the starter. I told him a new starter had been put on it about 4 years ago.
I waited on the tow truck to get there to get it back to my house where I could get help from a family member that is really good with cars and such.
This morning we started in on trying to solve the issue. We tried jumping it again with the same results as before. All the lights and bells would come on when the key was inserted but when we tried to start it, same as the previous day. Nothing. No buzzing, no clicking, no sounds at all coming from the engine.
The first thing we did was rig up a fix for the broken cable ends that were cracked and not making good contact. We got that done and tried it again, same result. Nothing. Now we were thinking that it was definitely a battery issue in that the + lead post was cracked and that was preventing it from giving out enough power to start the motor. The battery was under warranty and I went to walmart and got a brand new one. We both were positive that this would solve the issue.
We hooked the new battery up and made sure that all the connections were nice and secure. When the key was inserted into the ignition, the bells started dinging and the dash lights and gauges jumped alive. I thought it would start. When I turned the key to start it, NOTHING happened, just like before. It didn't turn over, there wasn't any sound at all coming from the engine or starter. NOTHING was happening.
We tried a few other things but basically we are no further than we were yesterday. Something is wrong. We both thought that if it was a bad starter that we'd hear some kind of indication that it was trying to start. If the battery cables were some how an issue, we'd hear the starter trying to start but not able to because it wasn't getting enough power.
Naturally the battery is good and putting out ample power to start the vehicle. Nothing is happening though.
Can anyone give me any advice or suggestions as to what might be going on or what we should check next? It couldn't be a fuse issue could it?
What would you check next if it were your car? I really need help here. There are no codes to check, there is nothing going on with my engine. It's just sitting there. I don't know whether to go and buy a starter and put that on or what. Wouldn't a bad starter make some kind of noise? Is there a way to test the starter to see if it is in fact bad?
What should I do? If you can give me any help or suggestions, I would really appreciate it. It would mean a heck of a lot to me as I need to get my car up and running. Both my sister and I depend on this vehicle to get to work. This is getting to be a VERY CRITICAL ISSUE. I don't have the money to have it towed all the way to the FORD dealer and then pay them to fix it. It would cost a fortune from them and the tow would be probably $200 or so.
PLEASE help if you can. We really need your help and suggestions.
Thank you for your time and any help you can give us.
Larry
I have a 2003 Expedition Eddie Bauer 5.4. It has been running fine up until 2 days ago. My sister was driving it so I don't know what precipitated the problem.
She calls me and tells me that it won't start. I asked her for more info and she said that she had stopped to go in and get a sandwich and when she came out to start it to come home, it wouldn't start at all.
I grabbed the jumper cables thinking that it is a battery issue. I was almost sure because I had been having a problem with the battery terminal on the + end. You know where it has 3 different cables that are joined and then all of those are attached to one + terminal end that is attached to the + lead post on the battery. Well the back side of the ring that is on the lead post had cracked and was not making very good contact at all with the lead terminal. Since there is no easy fix or replacement for that cable end, I had to just put a nail in it months ago to keep the terminal connection tight so it would be able to make good contact and therefore be able to start and run without problem. I naturally assumed that this was the problem and that I was finally going to have to get a fix for that broken cable end. I took battery cables and went over to the car. I opened the hood and saw all kinds of corrosion on the + terminal end and post. I got a wire brush and cleaned as much of that goop off as I could and it wasn't that bad after I finished. It still wouldn't start or even turn over. It acted exactly like a dying battery or bad terminal connection issue.
After I got the terminal end and post cleaned off, I tests the cable end to see how tight it was on the lead post. I then saw that as I was barely moving the cable connection, the lead + post would also move a bit. I thought I had a broken + terminal and this might mean a new battery was in order. I hooked the jumpers up and it wouldn't start or even turn over. I was thinking more and more that the battery + terminal was broken and this was what is causing the problem.
I then called roadside assistance and they came out. The guy brought one of those kits that is a self contained unit to jump start a battery. He hooked it up and it still would not turn over. We tried everything and nothing worked. We were never able to get it to even turn over. He too thought it was a battery issue....or the starter. I told him a new starter had been put on it about 4 years ago.
I waited on the tow truck to get there to get it back to my house where I could get help from a family member that is really good with cars and such.
This morning we started in on trying to solve the issue. We tried jumping it again with the same results as before. All the lights and bells would come on when the key was inserted but when we tried to start it, same as the previous day. Nothing. No buzzing, no clicking, no sounds at all coming from the engine.
The first thing we did was rig up a fix for the broken cable ends that were cracked and not making good contact. We got that done and tried it again, same result. Nothing. Now we were thinking that it was definitely a battery issue in that the + lead post was cracked and that was preventing it from giving out enough power to start the motor. The battery was under warranty and I went to walmart and got a brand new one. We both were positive that this would solve the issue.
We hooked the new battery up and made sure that all the connections were nice and secure. When the key was inserted into the ignition, the bells started dinging and the dash lights and gauges jumped alive. I thought it would start. When I turned the key to start it, NOTHING happened, just like before. It didn't turn over, there wasn't any sound at all coming from the engine or starter. NOTHING was happening.
We tried a few other things but basically we are no further than we were yesterday. Something is wrong. We both thought that if it was a bad starter that we'd hear some kind of indication that it was trying to start. If the battery cables were some how an issue, we'd hear the starter trying to start but not able to because it wasn't getting enough power.
Naturally the battery is good and putting out ample power to start the vehicle. Nothing is happening though.
Can anyone give me any advice or suggestions as to what might be going on or what we should check next? It couldn't be a fuse issue could it?
What would you check next if it were your car? I really need help here. There are no codes to check, there is nothing going on with my engine. It's just sitting there. I don't know whether to go and buy a starter and put that on or what. Wouldn't a bad starter make some kind of noise? Is there a way to test the starter to see if it is in fact bad?
What should I do? If you can give me any help or suggestions, I would really appreciate it. It would mean a heck of a lot to me as I need to get my car up and running. Both my sister and I depend on this vehicle to get to work. This is getting to be a VERY CRITICAL ISSUE. I don't have the money to have it towed all the way to the FORD dealer and then pay them to fix it. It would cost a fortune from them and the tow would be probably $200 or so.
PLEASE help if you can. We really need your help and suggestions.
Thank you for your time and any help you can give us.
Larry
