2001 Ranger 4x4 4.0 liter V6 Ext. cab off road

Occasionally (like every few days), my Ranger won't start. I turn the key and all the dash lights come on and when I turn it to the starting position nothing happens. It sometimes does this 3 or 4 times before it finally starts and sometimes it starts on the first try (like it's supposed to).

FYI, I have a new fuel pump (6 months old). It doesn't "click" like the starter would do if its bad. Also have a newer battery. When this issue happens, there are no noises at all when i turn the key to start, all dash lights are on, but nothing is turning over....Any help would be appreciated...thx

 

Can you hear the starter relay click, when you turn the ignition key to the "Start" position, to crank the engine????

If so, next time it acts out, try thumping the starter motor with a broom handle & see if it'll wake up & crank the engiine. If it wakes up, suspect worn brushes, loose, or corroded cable connections to the starter.

If you can't hear the starter relay click, check for B+ at the relay coil terminal post when having a helper crank the engine. If you have voltage there, suspect a faulty relay, so try thumping it to see if it'll wake up.

If no voltage at the relay post, try wiggeling the auto tranny shift lever, or try starting it in "N" instead of "P", if it'll then crank, suspect the tranny TRS switch, or it's electrical connections. If you have a manual tranny, look to the clutch pedal lock out switch, or tranny neutral/start switch if so equipped.

If all that checks out, try wiggeling the ignition switch when it's in the "Start" position & if it wakes up & cranks the engine, suspect the ignition switch internal contacts, electrical connections, or wiring to it.

Some thoughts for consideration, let us know how your trouble shoot goes.

 

Thanks for the response, you are extremely knowledged at this truck. It didn't start this morning on the first try and I DID here a click, so I will check out the starter itself here soon. It did start on the 2nd try though..FYI..thx again Paw Paw..Mike

 

Also...if the only thing I'm looking at on my starter is the ground wire that is hooked to the mounting bolt, it all looks good and is tight and in tact. Anything else to look at on the starter? Hard to see on top from underneath. Thx, Mike

 

Is the solenoid on top of starter all in one piece. I had the solenoid just disintegrate on my starter last year.

 

Check/wiggle the the Red B+ lead & make sure there isn't any corossoin on it's connection, lug, or wire strands & it's tight on both ends & check it for under load voltage drop.

If all that checks out, when the starter won't run to crank the engine, have your helper hold the ignition in the start position, while you thump the starter, If it wakes up & cranks the engine, suspect the brushes are worn. How many miles on this starter????

 

Hey Pawpaw, Could this be a cam sensor going bad? I had a Mark Viii that refused to start had it towed to shop they went out to it and it cranked right up. It happened a couple of times I replaced the cam sensor socket after reading some post on a Mark Viii site and never had another starting issue with it.

 

Depends on what one means by "crank the engine", to me it means having the starter motor run, to turn the engine over. Having the engine not run, is another type problem.

Dangerrangers problem seem sto be that the starter motor doesn't always run when he turns the ignition key to Start. A bad crank sensor has no effect on the starter motor not running, but it can have an effect on the engine not running, but most newer vehicles computer can use either the crank, or cam sensor output to fire the plugs, or squirt the fuel injectors to run the engine.

 

Remind me guys what the red B+ lead is?

Also, I decided to replace the left front wheel hub due to the ABS not working. I replaced the rear one and the right front one looks in tact and wasn't dirty. The left one "didn't look right" because the copper wires were broken. Anyhow, it didn't fix the ABS light (go figure) and now my parking lights are stuck on when the truck is turned off and the only way to turn them off is to unhook the battery. The lights are not on when the truck is running, until I turn them on and turn them off and they stay on??? I'm really starting to think my computer is messed up.

Starter has 50K miles on it, the entire truck has 50K miles on it.

I will attempt to have someone under the truck to bang on the starter (or I will do it and my wife will try to start it). Just had a baby so she might not be up to "dealing with the truck" again.

Thx alot guys for your help, I really appreciate it. Mike

 

Update...when checking my fuses for possible ABS / fuse problems I ran accross a blown fuse for my trailer plug. After replacing it is when my lights were staying on. Take the fuse out and the lights work normally. Somewhere in my trailer plug is a jacked up wire.

Still trying to diagnose the ABS problem without Ford hooking the computer to it. Tell me about the recall with the cruise control switch? Does it affect ABS? How do I know if my truck has gotten the recall done? Thx, again Mike