starter motor not turning

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Stevecvo

Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
Messages
124
My son has been driving my 1.4 Puma lately and he complained that it would occasionally stall when he depressed the clutch at low speeds. I immediately thought of the switch on the clutch pedal and checked that and sprayed it with contact cleaner but apparently the fault still persisted so I cleaned up the plug at the throttle body (ie where the hose from the air filter joins the engine) and then decided to disconnect the battery for an hour to reset the ECU. When I reconnected the battery and turned the ignition key the starter motor did not turn. There is clearly no power drain because although the digital mileometer goes out the handbrake, oil light and battery light remain illuminated while the key is turned to the normal position to engage the starter motor. The battery is good with a reading of 12.85 volts.

I can't see any obvious fault in the wiring from the battery to the starter motor and the only other thing I touched were the spark plugs which I took out and cleaned but I cant see any link to this. I should be grateful for any advice or ideas as to what to look for or check especially as it is my birthday today and this has put a bloody great damper on it!!
 
As the only thing you've done is disconnect the battery, I would guess that's where the problem is.
Check and make sure the connections have been replaced clean and tight.
Paul
 
I have taken the terminals off several times and retightened them again. All the warning lights and the headlights function OK. It is just that when I turn the key to the point where the starter motor should turn nothing happens and apart from the digital odometer the other dash lights stay on so clearly the starter is not drawing power from the battery. I have left everything disconnected overnight and will take another look tomorrow. It is a puzzle because I have done nothing to obviously affect the starter motor or the ignition switch
 
Mystery solved . After spending ages tracing the wiring to see why there was no current at the starter solenoid when the key was turned it turned out that the problem lay in the key. After leaving the battery off apparently the chip in the aftermarket key no longer connected withe the immobilisor system. Luckily I had the original Ford key which started the engine immediately and I used this to pair the aftermarket key so that now works again. The car is still not running right and I am beginning to suspect the lambda sensor as the emission reading was a bit odd at the recent MoT
 
What were the emission readings from the print out at the Mot?
 
Glad to hear you got it started, not heard of many Pumas with after market keys?

The only thing I could suggest was checking the ICV since this has some part to play.
 
The MoT was done in Portugal and they don't give you a print out here. The tester seemed to spend a long time on the emissions so I asked if there was a problem and he said that the lambda reading was high but the reading went down to an acceptable level. After I had got the car started again I unclipped the connection plug for the lambda sensor and it was pretty gungy inside so I cleaned it and the car seems to be running better. The lambda sensor has been replaced at some time judging by the crimped connectors in thye wires to the connector. I earlier cleaned the ICV plug but I will take the ICV out and clean that as well.

The car only came with one key - an original Ford one - and I had a spare made at my local key cutter. This has worked perfectly until I left the battery off for an hour to reset the ecu. If I start the car on the original key and then try the aftermarket key it will start but if I try again later with the aftermarket key nothing happens.
 
i know this is an old thread but have similar problem....fully charged battery, ignition lights and everything on, turn key to starter position...nothing..no click no nothing, most lights stay on (radio lights go off) ideas please
 
As no one has replied yet, another question, could it be a relay problem? what exactly does the "start inhibit" relay do?

And is there a fuse somewhere for the battery itself? I had stuck it on charge without disconnecting battery so wonder if it has blown a fuse...which one ?
 
Ok so nobody loves me :-(

Am going to change the battery in the key first see if that works, guess it could well be the original and the buttons stopped working some time ago, hopefully it will then work, mind you if it does I may not tell you ;p
 
zinc2000 said:
[post]368648[/post] Am going to change the battery in the key first see if that works
It won't fix the starting problem. The transponder in the key is non-volatile memory i.e. ROM and needs no power (like a phone SIM card). The key battery is only needed for the door remote side, which is volatile memory, i.e. RAM and needs power to function.

As for your starting, I'll keep this short as I'm a bit busy atm.

#1. Usual checks on battery connections and leads.
#2. Whip off cover on engine bay fuse box - check that line of 'glass' topped big fuses on the right - visually (you'll soon see if any of those are blown). Those are the 60amp ones. Check any 'normal' fuses while you're there, just by meter continuity probe on the back of them - no need to remove them that way. Don't forget the fuses by the steering wheel as well.

But, it's those big 60a that I really want to know about.

#3. In that fusebox, locate the green starter relay, put finger on it and get assistant to turn her over. Can you feel/hear any solenoid activation?
#4. Mark that relay and then swap it with a spare or one of the existing ones that looks the same. What then happens when you turn over?

I'll check back later and see what we've got.
 
Thanks very much Frank, much appreciated as you are a busy man :thumbs:

Really annoying as its booked in for its MOT tomorrow

I had already checked everything that you suggest and as everything looked good (had to simply swap the relays to check as wife confined to bed with severe muscle strain) the only other option had to be the key but as you very clearly explained the battery or lack of, in the fob has no relevance..so I just been and traced all the wiring to the starter and back, all tight/clean/connected etc, checked all the extra wires on the terminals, again all clean tight etc
Tried again..same..all lights on, turn key..silence..

So then I resorted to the one and only option left.....remove hammer from tool box, tap gentle..ish on the starter motor (very old school)

And.........MOT tomorrow it is then :thumbs: :thumbs: :oops: :oops:
Checked all lights etc, good to go apart from one number plate light, there is always one!! small screwdriver to unclip..came on as I unclipped it!! fine now

Cheers Frank, have a good day mate
 

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