<table class="tablebg" cellspacing="1" width="100%"><tbody><tr class="row1"><td id="posttitleblock" valign="top" width="100%" height="1%"> <table cellspacing="5" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>All,
This is a long post. Sorry for being long winded, but I would greatly appreciate any insight to help us resolve our problem.

My wife and I have a used 2006 SMB based on the E350 platform. We have had it for about 8 months with no real issues. Recently we began having problems starting the engine. The engine turns over as if it is about to start, but never does. This issue has left us stranded in Death Valley...not once...but twice in the last month!!

The 1st time this happened in DV it was a cold start.The truck has been siitng for ~11hrs. We had our truck towed to Las Vegas. The Ford dealer confirmed that car would not start. He then found that the ground terminal which attaches to the frame was loose. They tighten it up and the car starts up. We come back to pick it up several days later and the car starts on 1st try. We think it is fixed.

We head back home to Northern California and figure we'll finish up the Death Valley trip which was cut short the 1st time. No issues the first day we are there. However, on the 2nd day we experience the exact same issue. This time it started fine in the morning after sitting overnight. We drove for about 7miles and then it sat for 3-4hrs. No start this time around.

We take the truck back to same dealer and he looks at it again. Car does not start initially and then one of the techs starts shifting around the engine wiring harness. Voila! The engine starts right up! So now the dealer says that the main engine electrical wiring harness needs to be replaced...to a tune of $4k!!

I ask them are they sure this is the solution to the problem. They say no.
I ask them if they were able to isolate to a specific circuit. They say no.
I say that I am not comfortable with their analysis and need a more thorough diagnosis before authorizing repairs. They are not willing to do further analysis.
I then have the truck shipped back to Norcal.

The truck is now at a Ford dealer here in NorCal, but the car now starts so they are having a difficult time identifying the issue. Batteries are new/strong, fuel injection strong, oil pressure strong...everything looks good.

The only common link between the non-start is that we were on traveling on bumpy roads prior to the non-start event (think road to Scotty's Castle which is being graded/gravel and the road to the Devil's Golf Course). Roads with lots of vibration.

Has anyone had/seen/heard of this issue before? What was the solution?

I am not a 'car person' but if you can either point me in the right direction to people in the SF Bay area who may be able to help or identify potential solutions, it would be appreciated!!

Thanks!
Darryl
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bump

any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

Hang in there one of the guys will jump in soon.But from the sound of your problem it seems to be wiring issue.The f series were knowned to have harness problems ,not sure about e series.I would check on line for prices on harnesses.Pretty much plug no go.