Ford Escort Electrical Problems

hokieneer

Just an update to my situation, in case this helps anyone else.

So after way to long trying to figure out my gremlins myself, I took it to a shop and they found the negative terminal cable was lose. Tightened it up and the car has been working fine.

PF_Flyer

hokieneer said:

Just an update to my situation, in case this helps anyone else.

So after way to long trying to figure out my gremlins myself, I took it to a shop and they found the negative terminal cable was lose. Tightened it up and the car has been working fine.

Great to hear it turned out to be something simple and relatively easy to find. Sometimes those electrical gremlins are real bears to track down!

xwesx

Thanks for updating us, Hokie! It's always good to hear what happened, even if it isn't what we *want* to hear. In this case, I believe it was, though.

mcompz

I replaced the switch ignition on my escort 99 and the right headlight is gone with the dashboard & radio lights too when  switch on the lights!  Help me! 

xwesx

Sounds like an improperly seated connector. Have you gone through all the wiring you worked with/around and verified that all connections are good?

milesv36

I have a 99 ford escort se. I bought it around christmas.I recently replace the spark plugs and wire. I have also replaced the alternator. A few days ago I drove to the convenience store down the street. when I when to come home, it wouldn't start. Lights would kick on but one I turned the key to start, nothing. Not even a click. I got it towed home. Tested the battery and the starter, both tested good. After putting everything back together tried to start it on a whim, and started right up. Tried again an hour later and it wouldn't. Its been back and forth, any ideas as to what can be causing this? I don't want to drive it to work and get stranded.

Mr_Shiftright

You might check to see if you are getting a signal from the ignition switch to the starter solenoid when you turn the key (test light).

milesv36

I know pretty much nothing about cars, so how would I go about doing that

Mr_Shiftright

The starter solenoid sits atop the starter motor and should have both a large cable going to it (from the battery) and a smaller wire from the ignition switch marked "S". If you have a simple test light, you can put the probe (needle) on the "S" terminal and the ground clip to any metal ground. When someone turns the ignition key to "start", the test light should light up. If it does, that means the solenoid is bad. If it doesn't light up that means something is interrupting the current signal from the ignition switch to the solenoid---broken wire, faulty switch, corroded fuse, etc.

xwesx

It should be noted, however, that the starter is in a ridiculously difficult-to-access location. I don't recall *exactly* where the starting wire connects to the unit, but I want to say it is on the "head" of it, which is tucked on top of the block under the intake manifold and between the cylinder head on one side (front) and firewall on the other.

You should be able to get the lead on it, but you may have to remove the windshield washer tank to get enough clearance to snake an arm in there.