'01 F150 Supercrew, 5.4, 142,000 miles, will not start from time to time, no rhyme or reason when it will do it. Has 14.2 volts at battery, all power seems to be normal, but when key turns....nothing. No click, no turn over, nothing. If I let it sit, sometimes 10 minutes, sometimes hours, it will fire right up, no issues. Happens whether hot or cold, sitting for days or just shut off. Should say that I am using key that was made at Ford dealership, but is not the original key. Is there history with this symptom, is there something wrong with the key, starter, solenoid, computer. Thoughts before I run to the dealership with my million dollar repair?

 

Lets review the start circuit electrically.
Key to start closes battery voltage through a fuse to the circuit to the start relay through the DTR switch at the transmission in either park or neutral position. The relay should at least click if this circuit is complete.
This relay closes power to the starter on a secondary basis directly from the battery.
If you hear no click of the start relay, it's not getting any power through the start chain.
What would you do?
Maybe check for voltage along the path to the relay or a missing ground maybe?
To see this circuit, look in a Haynes repair manuel for 97-03 F150, page 12-17.
No big secret!
Good luck.

 

Your going to hear clicks. The starter solenoid on fire wall will click. Then a clank on the starter. Then starter will engage or not. When it fails to do either give the fire wall solenoid a tap with a hammer. See if it then works. If this is the case the starter solenoid on fire wall needs replaced. Test to see if you are getting trigger voltage to the solenoid. It's the wire connection that pulls off. A test light will help you with that.

 

Try shifting out of park then shift hard back into park. That works on mine everytime. Just slam it into park. I think the sensors in the steering column think the truck is in reverse so if you give it a little push into park it helps.

 

1. That was two years ago. Check the date before reviving old threads.

2. TERRIBLE "advice", all you're going to do is break something else. There is no sensor in the steering column.