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Ford Expedition Starting and Idling Problems

roybus14roybus14 Member Posts: 5
in Ford
The truck would initially crank but would not turn immediately turnover to start. This problem never occurred on this truck for the first 51,000 miles prior to me taking it in for service at Ford. This problem is intermittent but none the less it was a problem. I reported this to a Ford dealer and they attempted to duplicate the problem. They started the truck several times without this problem. I explained to them that this indeed was a problem and it's intermittent.

This is an intermittent problem and the service manager finally experienced the problem himself. But then he says it hasn't happened since which I don't believe because it would happen to the wife and I every other or every 3rd for 4th time we started, hot or cold. Because it has happened only once and they didn't have on the computer, it's like they can't fix it.

Someone please help me with this because it appears because my truck is still under the warranty and this problem appears to require troubleshooting outside of using a computer, they are unwilling to fix it. I have called Ford Motor Company about this also and they are going to try and help. But I need your help too.

I wonder, if my truck was out of warranty and I had to pay all of the costs upfront and out of pocket, would I get the run around???

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated....
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Comments

  • johndoe9johndoe9 Member Posts: 1
    well my suggestion it might be your spark plug nor the starter altenator or if you run any sort of systems in your ride it could be anything to a switch ignition,low in gas alarm ignition switch etc......let me know your update what really happen
    john
  • ltdoggltdogg Member Posts: 1
    My 04 Expedition is doing the same thing. Did you ever get a resolution on this?

    Thanks,
    Lawrence
  • roybus14roybus14 Member Posts: 5
    LT,

    Yes. It was resolved by another dealer and not the original dealer I purchased my truck from. They found the problem the first day they had it in their service area.

    They replaced the fuel pump, starter solenoid, start ignitor, spark plugs and double-checked the battery connections. Because my truck was still under warranty, I only paid the $50 deductible for about $900 worth of work. They took the time to troubleshoot the problem. I will have to look further at my paperwork and give you the full detail of what they replaced....
  • lazyexpylazyexpy Member Posts: 1
    I would be REALLY interested to know what the problem was... same issue with my 2003 XLT!! Driving me crazy...

    Thanks,
    Greg
  • dragontatdragontat Member Posts: 3
    I have a 03 expedition and replaced the starter. The problem is still there. The original problem is that when you turn the key to start, it does not click or anything but we have power and all the lights and whistles. Just won't Crank over. Replaced the starter and auto parts store shows it has a fender mounted solenoid but we can't locate it on either fender. The last thing left is to use a screwdriver and cross the poles on the solenoid. If this doesn't work, can anyone give any assistance to the problem.
  • zoomzoomnzoomzoomn Member Posts: 143
    It could be a key recognition problem. Have you tried to remove the key and reinsert it before turning it again?
  • thediyguythediyguy Member Posts: 2
    if the theft light goes off its an easy fix if its the starter relay switch like mine was.as it gets hot it quits starting?its located on the right side firewall just below the rain tray behind a snap in plastic cover.here's a link of what it looks like http://www.autozone.com/R,APP210913/vehicleId,2545102/initialAction,partProductD- - etail/store,267/partType,00102/shopping/partProductDetail.htm. hope this helps.
  • shhafallashhafalla Member Posts: 1
    I recently hit a ditch and as soon as it happened my engine when dead. I have had someone tell me it may have to do with a security feature with the fuel line. I had right a a quarter of a tank of gas at the time it happened and have since added gas to my tank. I haven't been able to get it to start since. I would just like to know what the problem may be. Is there a such security feature?
  • wvgasguywvgasguy Member Posts: 1,405
    There is a reset for a fuel shut off in a lot of vehicles. It should be noted in the owners manual
  • kdecoitokdecoito Member Posts: 1
    Can some one please help. I just got a 1999 expidition about a week ago now the problem I have is that it take about 2 to 3 trys before it starts run good just won't start on 1 try. another problem is that my door lights won't go off it just stay on all the time .
  • ayakataayakata Member Posts: 14
    Hello there, please can anyone please kindly help with my situation? I have a 1999 5.4L expedition. The truck was running fine before, but I parked it down for a while because I have another car that I drive due to gas price. On Friday nite my girl decided to take the truck to a store but the truck will not start, so at first I thought it was just the battery even thought the battery is very new because it is just a year old. On Monday morning I decided to jump start the car but to my greatest surprise, the car still will not start after jump. I called triple A and they came and test the battery and confirmed the battery is still good and now I am as clueless as to what is going on.

    I am wondering if anyone has experience anything like this before. The truck won’t even crank at all. I have read several discussions on this forum but did not come across anything like this, now I am just hoping that anyone on this forum might have good suggestions or know exactly what I need to do. Any help will be greatly appreciated
    Thanks much in advance and God bless.

    God bless
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Do your lights and other electronics work? Your ignition switch may be at fault.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • ayakataayakata Member Posts: 14
    Yes sir, my lights and other electronics work fine. How do I know for fact to know if it is my ignition switch in deed, is there any kind of test I can perform on my own?
    I would like to narrow the problem down before I take it down to the show.
    Thanks
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Yes, you can test your ignition switch but I will defer to anyone who has hands on experience (I don't) with the Expedition. Can anyone help out here? Thanks!

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • msgtinco05msgtinco05 Member Posts: 2
    Here is a strange one.Last week my 03 Exp started then died after about 3 seconds. Then all it would do is turn over. We had it towed to a local mechanic and they syarted it as soon as it showed up. After a day they returned it to us claiming to have "fixed" an alternator connection that was loose/bad. Next day it worked fine until the weekend when the wife had an appointment, it did it again. Would run for a few seconds then die. She took my car and I went out and it staretd and ran fine. Took it to dealer where we bought it and they now have had it for 2 days and can't duplicate it.
  • alwaysfords2alwaysfords2 Member Posts: 339
    IAC valve maybe? (Idle Air Control)
  • msgtinco05msgtinco05 Member Posts: 2
    Not sure, dealer gave it back today because they started it probably 100 times in 2 days and it started every time.
  • nikkia1175nikkia1175 Member Posts: 1
    Hello, check power cables at the starter for corrosion, if the connections are okay it probably the starter needs to be replaced.
  • canuhelpcanuhelp Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1999 exp and it was running good and the next morning would not crank. It would turn over good but just would not crank. I was told to change the cam and crank positioning sensor tried that and still would not crank then was told to change the ignition switch. Did that and now it will not even turn over any more. Checked all the wiring and everything is hooked up. Can anyone help me please.
  • fishhead316fishhead316 Member Posts: 4
    You can by-pass the ignition switch by jumping the starter relay.
    I have a 1997 Expedition, and the starter relay is just to the right of the battery, mounted on the firewall. There are some large red wires bolted on with ring connectors, and a push-on connector. The push-on is the line from your ignition switch. If you remove that and jump 12v from your pos. battery terminal to that post, it should fire you starter. If that doesn't work, you're not getting a signal from your ignition...
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Thanks for the info! I hope the original poster sees it.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • newbie76newbie76 Member Posts: 1
    in response to #23 it fired the starter but didn't turn-over. Wat should i try next?
  • fishhead316fishhead316 Member Posts: 4
    I know this post is old- but I just dealt with this on my own 1997 Expedition.
    Your starter relay is mounted on the firewall right next to the battery. If you follow the red wires from the battery, they go right to it. Remove the small boot on the starter relay- this is the line from your ignition switch. Put 12v to the small post. If your starter runs- you've got no power coming from your ignition to fire the relay. If not- then the problem lies in the relay, starter, or somewhere in-between. In my case, my truck starter would 'click' (fire the starter solenoid) but didn't have enough power to turn it over (brand new battery- brand new starter!) I found that the power cable feeding the starter had corroded really badly underneath all the electrical wrappings, and couldn't carry enough juice to the starter to do the job....
    Hope this helps someone out there!
    Peace!
  • macitmacit Member Posts: 2
    I would say it was the fuse relay. Part # FSTZ*14N089*B cost 16.24. We had a situation like that as well. You will not find item other than the Dealership. You can replace it yourself.
  • carwoman43carwoman43 Member Posts: 1
    I have an intermittent problem with a 1998 Expedition 4.6L. It is sometimes really slow to turn over, sometimes just 'clicks' the relay and sometimes completely drains the battery. The battery checks OK (820 cca and it's a 750 battery), tests right at 12v but then drops to 4-5v when the problem occurs. The starter and solenoid have both been changed as well as the 4" connector wire at the starter that is said to have had corrosion problems (mine did not). It seems to happen mostly after the truck has started in the morning and sat for a couple hours mid-day. It always starts eventually, but usually with a jump/charge. Any ideas?
  • bobmelsambobmelsam Member Posts: 1
    My 04 Eddie Bauer edition will not start periodically. It has power going to the car as all the lights come on and everything seems to be working electrically, but the car just won't turn over. We at first thought it was associated with temperature as it always did it when it was 34 degrees or lower and it has sat (overnight) in that temperature. Once the car sat in the sun or the temperature went up it started right away. The connections on the battery were replaced a year ago as they were corroded and the dealer recently fixed/tightened one of them hoping it was the problem. So there are new connections on the battery and no corrosion. We thought this fixed it as the car started fine for several weeks. Now it has started to do it again. Just less frequently and less predictably. It starts in 3 degree weather now and other days won't start on a day it is 28 degrees. It also does it just a couple hours after it was run versus sitting overnight.

    The dealer wanted it to stay with them so they could start it on a cold day and they have had it over three weeks total at different times and it starts every time for them. They just can not figure it out without it not starting for them.

    The other night it was in the mid 20s and did not start after only sitting for a couple hours. I tried 9-10 times with no luck. I was so frustrated that I decided to try anything. The steering wheel was not locked so I started to crank on it really hard and suddenly on about the 3rd or 4th position of the wheel that I tried it just fired up. It occurred to me that the car at the time was parked at the same angle that it had been at my home almost every time it did not start. I recently have been parking it in another place where the wheel is not turned in that same angle, so maybe that is why it has been starting. Is there any chance that the angle at which my wheel is turned has something to do with it not starting. Keep in mind the wheel is not locked. My husband thought it might be acting like it is locked even though it is not -- that it is getting the wrong signal. I thought it might have to do with a loose connection behind the wheel or corosion right at the starter inside the car.

    Any thoughts as the mechanics seem baffled? The car is unreliable with the way it acts now and I need it to start every time.

    Thanks for any thoughts.
  • cindavleecindavlee Member Posts: 1
    I have an 05 expedition and had been experiencing an issue for a few months now where intermittenly my car would not start and it would take a few tries for it to actually start. I took it the dealer yesterday and they were first thinking it was the fuel pump, but it turned out be a computer issue. Ford has a fix for this and they had to reprogram my computer in my car. This is a known issue with the expeditions. The issue has to do with idle setting on the car that is controlled by the computer or something like that.
  • foggyriverboyfoggyriverboy Member Posts: 1
    If you have an expediton that turns over but wont start or dies when you let off the key, especially in cold weather, it is probably the ignition switch/commutateur/interrutor that bolts under the steering column. The rod from the cylinder ignition swtch runs down to this contact box and starts the vehicle. If you are having trouble in cold weather with the ignition working intermitently, this is probably the problem if the vehicle turns over and doesn't start. The BWD part number for an 01 is CS287 at oreilly auto parts. If your vehicle turns over in the cold but won't start, try turning the ignition on and off several times without starting the vehicle. This moves the starting ignition rod up and down inside this box and if the contacts are bad inside, it will probably start after several tries. The contacts on the inside of these ignition switch boxes get worn and do not make contact, especially in the cold. Hope this helps someone....
  • djenningsohdjenningsoh Member Posts: 1
    Nice afternoon - sunny, 80 degrees - cruising down the highway at 55mph when SUV suddenly stalled out and wouldn't restart.

    Cranks but won't start.

    PATS tests out ok.

    Oil and fuel levels are ok.
  • wade22wade22 Member Posts: 1
    my starter stays engaged and burns out my solenoid. this has happened twice now about a month apart. replaced solenoid twice. why is this happening
  • yusukeyusuke Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1998 Expedition it was running great I turned off ignition for about 5 mins while waiting for my daughter...tried starting it and it cranks but wont start!! I noticed the theft light blinking...it's neverf done that! What can it be??
  • ealmekinderealmekinder Member Posts: 9
    I have a 1999 Expedition that in November would not start after I drove to Home Depot and let it sit for just a few minutes. It had been running fine before that. Engine would crank but it would not turn over. Had it towed to mechanic who replaced battery and battery conections, did a throttle body cleaning and cleaned the fuel injectors. I don't drive this vehicle much, usually just to Home Depot so I only had driven it 5 or 6 times since November and it worked fine. Yesterday the same thing happened at Home Depot. After parking it for 20 minutes it would not start and I noticed the theft light flashing (had never noticed this before). I left the car there and came back three hours later, it started just fine and I drove it home. Any ideas why it won't start when the engine is warm?
  • fishhead316fishhead316 Member Posts: 4
    I had a similar problem- only got worse until the truck wouldn't start at all. Ended up taking it to a dealer, who spent 3 hours (and $230) to discover that it was a loose grounding wire on the firewall- I had taken all the boxes off when I did the head gaskets, and apparently didn't tighten one well enough. It's worth checking. To narrow it down a bit- it was on the passenger side, near the top of the firewall. Good luck. ~B
  • ealmekinderealmekinder Member Posts: 9
    Fishhead316, thanks for your reply. I checked all of the wires connected to the firewall and they were all tight. My thinking now is that the fuel pump is on its way out (another site I looked at suggested that the fuel pump could be in it's early stages of dying). How much does it cost to have a mechanic change a fuel pump on a 1999 ford expedition? Or am I wrong on this assumption of the fuel pump being the problem?
  • msbcoatesmsbcoates Member Posts: 1
    How much was it or them to reprogram the computer?
  • fishhead316fishhead316 Member Posts: 4
    A fuel pump problem should be easy to detect with an in-line pressure gauge- you can pick one up at any parts store, and it will be a lot cheaper than paying for one that doesn't need replacing! Like I said though- MY issue was a corroded starter cable- the corrosion was hidden, and it was carrying enough voltage to "click" the solenoid- but the starter wouldn't turn. Is that what's happening with yours?
  • pinkwavepinkwave Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2000 ford expedition. All winter it starts just fine, as soon as the weather warms up when I turn it over it acts like it's not getting gas and dies within seconds. I had the "normal" stuff done, fuel line, fuel filter, gas cap, starter and it still is having the same issue. Can anyone help?
  • shortz1995shortz1995 Member Posts: 1
    been having the same problems as you, wondering if you have it solved?
    wife came home for lunch, an now the truck will not start. as you descibed in your post. i can do the same thing. (word for word). leave it sit for around an hour an she will fire right up.
  • ealmekinderealmekinder Member Posts: 9
    I am not sure if it is fixed yet or not. We don't drive the Expedition much, so it may sit for a week or two between short drives and I think that may be a lot of the problem. The last time it happened (about 1 month ago) we let it sit for 2 1/2 hours and then tried it. It failed once and on the second attempt it backfired or coughed twice and then started up. The next day we took it on a 3 hour drive. About 5 times within the first half hour of freeway driving I could sense a very minor shudder or hesitation which seemed to be like a small misfire due to dirt or moisture or something. Then it stopped misfiring and we continued on our trip with no problems. We returned the next day driving 3 hours at freeway speeds and no problems. It has started for us since then, but again I am not convinced it is fixed. I think it is either the fuel pump beginning to fail or some sort of sensor that is going or has gone bad. Sorry I couldn't be more help.
  • pinkwavepinkwave Member Posts: 2
    Unfortunately not yet =( It happens at the worst time too. I've been all over the net because I don't want to take it to the dealer and have them change $1000 worth of parts and not know what the heck is wrong with it. I can guess for free!
  • openingsceneopeningscene Member Posts: 1
    So, has anyone been able to get the issue fixed? Could you please share? So far I have only found things to possibly try, and some stated that it works to start it in neutral when it's warm.
  • pullinghairoutpullinghairout Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2000 ford expedition xlt. I moved the truck the other day off the driveway and it was fine, when I got back in it it wouldn't start, it turns over fine, I replaced the camshaft position sensor reset the battery and it was fine. now 5 days later my wife was driving she stopped and did her shopping and when she got back in it, it would turn over but wouldn't start. if I take the negative battery terminal off and leave it for 5 minuites it starts right away. there are no check engine lights on and I don't know what the problem could be, can anyone help
  • captainroy1captainroy1 Member Posts: 1
    SITTING IN MY HOUSE HEAR A CAR TRYING TO TURN OVER NOTICE ITS MINE RUN OUT AND HAVE TO DISCONNET BATTERY TO STOP IT. ITS A 99 FORD EXPEDITION. PREVIOUSLY TRIED STARTING WITH KEY AND STARTER KEEPS TURNING OVER HAD TO DISCONNECT BATTERY CABLE TO STOP. WHATS GOING ON?
  • riffraff3riffraff3 Member Posts: 1
    My 1999 expedition does the same thing. I found that by slightly stepping on the gas pedal it will catch. Also, sometimes when it's cold it doesn't idle very well and almost stalls, again just slightly stepping on the gas pedal and it smooths out. Guessing it could be the IAC, but not sure.
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