I'm having trouble with my 2005 F150 scab 4x4 143k miles. Intermittently it won't start or even try to start. I hear 1 click (like a relay) and then nothing. If I try again it will start (sometimes 2-3 tries).

A few months back I replaced my starter thinking it was that. Sometimes it would make a god awful grinding noise like the starter was grinding on the flywheel. It stopped doing that with the new starter until today although the not starting never stopped.

I cleaned my grounds at the terminal, on the firewall, and near the front pass tire and I've replaced my starter.

I can't find a rhyme or reason why it does it sometimes and not others. It has worked fine and not when sitting for a couple of days and has worked fine and had problems after sitting for a few minutes. I've tried using the key fob to unlock the doors, I've tried turning auto lights off before starting, I've tried locking and unlocking doors and can't find any consistent reason for why it will sometimes and not other times.

I think my battery is about 3 years old but when it fires it fires hard so I'm not sure it's that.

I'd say it does it 33%+ of the time. Any thoughts?

 

Have you cleaned the battery cables?


Have battery and charging system checked.