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Car won't start

C

CDC Mail Guy

Golden Member
2000 Ford Taurus won't start. No clicks from starter. Battery tests good, but nothing comes on except lights. What else besides alternator/starter could be wrong? I do not want to overlook something simple, and spend money on expensive repairs!
 
seriously though, if the battery is good and the starter isn't clicking, the answer seems obvious.

the only thing that might save you is if a wire is shorted somewhere, which you can check pretty easily.
 
HAHA to all the answers you alread got, its a ford so there may stil be a starter solonoid mounted to the fire wall. Check the connections or replace.
Folow your positive wire. See if it goes to a box on the firewall, if so replace that box. Should have 2 large wires one going to it and one from it and a much smaller wire that comes from the key power.
 
If your gas light is on you need gas.

My car didnt start once because of it. It wasn't on empty, but the light was on.

Got some gas and it worked.
 
Originally posted by: funboy42
HAHA to all the answers you alread got, its a ford so there may stil be a starter solonoid mounted to the fire wall. Check the connections or replace.
Folow your positive wire. See if it goes to a box on the firewall. If so replace that bok. Should have 2 lagre wires one going to it and one from it and a much smaller wire that comes from the key power.
Click to expand...

ahhh....good call. i had a starter solonoid go bad on my mustang. forgot about that.
 
Originally posted by: desk
Originally posted by: funboy42
HAHA to all the answers you alread got, its a ford so there may stil be a starter solonoid mounted to the fire wall. Check the connections or replace.
Folow your positive wire. See if it goes to a box on the firewall. If so replace that bok. Should have 2 lagre wires one going to it and one from it and a much smaller wire that comes from the key power.
Click to expand...

ahhh....good call. i had a starter solonoid go bad on my mustang. forgot about that.
Click to expand...

Kinda a no brainer. Has power, no clicks, lights and all still work. That goes bad you get no clicks sometimes and it will not power the starter. Bad case though is engine locked up but doubt that.
 
Originally posted by: CDC Mail Guy
lol...I want an INEXPENSIVE repair!
Click to expand...

When you say the car won't start, I take that to mean the car won't turn over. If that's the case:

If you normally have to have your foot on the brake petal to start it, then I'd check that switch. Same thing with the switch that tells the computer that the car is in park.

Could be a blown fusable link somewhere in the ignition circuit.

If Ford still has the selenoid on the firewell you can always bypass it w/a screwdriver and see if that cranks it.

Stick a hydrometer in the battery cells. Clean the terminals. Check the grounds.
 
Had the battery tested where I bought it...still good. Np visible selenoir to jmp, and no I don't have to have foot on the brake for engine to turn over. I am going to try the simplest thing and check the fuse.
 
Uh, I'd check the tire pressures first. If those are good, then maybe the radiator won't Raid, if that's not the case, then maybe the fuel won't inject. No? Well, then I'd look to make sure the pistons can piss. Do you have gas, but no fart? Then you must have a blockage somewhere. Oh, and make sure the windows are clean! 🙂
 
Not a mechanic. Know nothing about cars, BUT, do own a 2000 Taurus. Did you have the recall taken care of? It involves this stuff that TwoBills mentioned. "If you normally have to have your foot on the brake petal to start it, then I'd check that switch. Same thing with the switch that tells the computer that the car is in park. " Worked for us.
 
lmao at compuwiz 1's answer and advise! Tires are fine, radiator is fine as well as fuel injectors. However, the pistons might not be pissing well enough! I did not know about the recall, will have to check that out...thank you or the info.
 
Have you checked the wire going to the starter? Often times they are loose or corroded. Put a wrench on the nut on the starter and tighten it a little. This will break through any corrosion.
 
hit the starter with a hammer a few times.

they rust inside and sometimes lock up. if it works after you tap it then its really only a temporary solution and you need a new starter.
 
Take a multimeter and hook it up to your starter. Have some one turn the key and see if you are getting any juice to it.
 
Lots of fun replies. Keep your day jobs OK?

No clicky noise eh? Open a door so the dome light comes on. Try again. did you see any dimming of the dome light as you turned the key over? If so,
A) bad primary connection. The big wire to starter OR the ground cable. Either end, battery or motor/starter.
b) Bad starter.

No dimming?
Put it in Neutral. Try again.
If that started, then a dirty or failing neutral/park switch, located in either the column or floor shift or down on the side of the tranny itself.

Nuetral did not work?

Now check the fuzes. It is unlikely Ford fused the start circuit, but hey, he wanted cheap😉
Get a multimeter with sharp probes and check fusible links also, if so equipped.
The fusible links are somewhat large wires coming off the battery positive terminal, with a plastic bump on them, usually labeled in amps.

All good there? Now it gets technical. bad starter relay maybe, and I don't mean the big honker on older fords. Look for a plastic module near or in the fuse block, labeled as such.

For more specific actions, refer to a repair manual. They can be had for free at the
public library.

EDIT: Nothing but the lights work? No radio, wipers with the key on, etc?

That sounds like a fusible link or a bad ignition switch..
 
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