Happy Sunday everyone. Hope its warmer where you are at. Than it still is here in the Cleveland area.
Okay. This is the second time this has happened to me this winter. The first time being back in January. Temperature was around zero. I went to start my 2008 F-450. And there was nothing. No solenoid clicking. No slow turning over. Just dead. I assumed it was the batteries. So i replaced both of them. Again...Nothing. No response. No starter engagement. Spoke to my friend at out local Ford dealership. And he said make sure the battery terminals to the starter were not broken They were intact. So after a PAINFULLY expensive tow to the dealership. The next morning. Which was just as cold. It starts right up. They tried a few things. Including letting it sit in the cold for a long time. Starts right up. The diagnostics showed nothing since i disconnected the batteries when i replaced them. WTH!
It was 18 degree's this morning. Turn the key to start. Nothing. But this time i had a few idea's to try. making sure it isnt the neutral/park safety switch. I try it in neutral. Nothing. Put it back into park. Hit it about five more times. Then on the last turn of the key it engages the starter. And fires up. Well i didnt interrupt the power. So the if there's a code it should still be in the computer.
Ive had the truck since April of last year. Nothing like this ever happened during the warmer time of the year.
Anyone else out there experience anything like this? Or have any idea's as to what i might be looking for. I would GREATLY appreciate it.

Thank you so much in advance.

Steve Tucholsky
Cleveland, Ohio

 

I had a similar problem with my '06 F-350. It was intermittent and would only show up just when I couldn't do any meaningful troubleshooting.

When you have the no-crank problem, try applying power to the starter solenoid itself (with trucks up thu '07s just disconnect a connector leading to the solenoid and touch it to the battery positive terminal. With luck, your truck has the same setup. This link gives a how-to
This bypasses the key switch, relay and all other stuff that can cause this problem. If the starter engages you know that the problem is between the solenoid and the key switch. If the starter does not engage the problem is in the solenoid or starter. My problem ended up being the starter.

Lou Braun

 

Thanks Lou. Mine is an '08 6.4. I have a feeling its in the key switch too. And now that i think of it. When i replaced the batteries. I tried to start it. So when it was towed to the dealership. It should have shown an error code if there was one. So im thinking it wont show anything now either.

Steve