Fiesta st refuses to start randomly

[Dennis]

Hi my fiesta st has given me no bother after a year of ownership however it is refusing to fire up at random intervals tries like mad to start but something is wrong been recovered twice only for the car to start next day???????

 

[CanadianGuy]

What are the symptoms?
1- The starter does not turn?
2- The engine turns slowly?
3- The engine does not fire?
4- Battery tested (load and no load)?
5- Charging circuit tested?
6- How do you get it to eventually start?
7- key not detected(low key battery)?
8- Any messages on the screen?
9- etc..

There is a known issue prelevent to earlier fiestas that the ground from the battery can be weaken over time causing a reduction of current. This is mainly due to corrosion. Check the ground cable where it attaches to the frame (one bolt), clean it up, add some antiseize to help the electrical connection.

To be honest I am guessing. With the limited information it could be anything including such things as a bad switch in the clutch

 

[wvandenbree]

what are the symptoms?
1- the starter does not turn?
2- the engine turns slowly?
3- the engine does not fire?
4- battery tested (load and no load)?
5- charging circuit tested?
6- how do you get it to eventually start?
7- key not detected(low key battery)?
8- any messages on the screen?
9- etc..

There is a known issue prelevent to earlier fiestas that the ground from the battery can be weaken over time causing a reduction of current. This is mainly due to corrosion. Check the ground cable where it attaches to the frame (one bolt), clean it up, add some antiseize to help the electrical connection.

To be honest i am guessing. With the limited information it could be anything including such things as a bad switch in the clutch

exactly what he said, thier just isn't enough information to go on

 

[FordService]

Hi my fiesta st has given me no bother after a year of ownership however it is refusing to fire up at random intervals tries like mad to start but something is wrong been recovered twice only for the car to start next day???????

Hey Dennis,

Welcome to the forum! Have you had a chance to reach out to Ford UK about this? They'll be best to assist. Their number is 0845-841-1111.

Nick

 

[pedrito0906]

This looks the same problem that I'm having, in my thread "Car won't start/crank when let alone for more than 6 hurs"
I would like to know if this got resolved.

 

[jfdana]

I had this problem: my car randomly wouldn't start. No crank, no switch sound, nothing when I hit the button. Completely occasional and random. Yet the battery was charged. I checked and cleaned the terminals (but not the ground - D'oh), all to no avail. Finally, I made a hard foam shim as I noticed that the battery had a half inch to slide forwards and backwards in its tray during acceleration and braking. Haven't had a problem since.

This is about as scientific as Gatorade, but it seems to have solved whatever problem I was having.

 

[pedrito0906]

I had this problem: my car randomly wouldn't start. No crank, no switch sound, nothing when I hit the button. Completely occasional and random. Yet the battery was charged. I checked and cleaned the terminals (but not the ground - D'oh), all to no avail. Finally, I made a hard foam shim as I noticed that the battery had a half inch to slide forwards and backwards in its tray during acceleration and braking. Haven't had a problem since.

This is about as scientific as Gatorade, but it seems to have solved whatever problem I was having.

In my case every time I hit the power button, the dash lights turn on, every single time, just no crank/start. I also have cleaned the terminals of my battery and nothing has helped.

 

[thePete]

Sounds like a clutch switch issue or something.

Sent from my SM-G870W using Tapatalk

 

[CanadianGuy]

Here is what I keep saying as a bad ground contact. The negative of the battery post is fine but the chassis connection is poor due to corrosion, paint, loose, etc... I am not suggesting this is the be all and and all cure but can explain why a moving battery has problems. Only takes a few minutes to loosen the bolt, clean the area, remove some paint and apply so dielectric grease to prevent arcing.

[video=youtube;eh8PIL5E_6M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh8PIL5E_6M[/video]

 

[DEss]

Here is what I keep saying as a bad ground contact. The negative of the battery post is fine but the chassis connection is poor due to corrosion, paint, loose, etc... I am not suggesting this is the be all and and all cure but can explain why a moving battery has problems. Only takes a few minutes to loosen the bolt, clean the area, remove some paint and apply so dielectric grease to prevent arcing.

[video=youtube;eh8PIL5E_6M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh8PIL5E_6M[/video]

I'm a little confused with the video. He sands down the metal to ensure better contact, but then applies an insulator like dielectric to interrupt the contact?

DEss

 

[CanadianGuy]

I'm a little confused with the video. He sands down the metal to ensure better contact, but then applies an insulator like dielectric to interrupt the contact?

DEss

Yes the grease is an insulator. But only where there is a gap and the grease remains. As you tighten down the connection most will be pushed out to have metal to metal contact. Thus it forces the electricity to go to the path of least resistance and prevent arcing(heat) which causes more deterioration over time. I have added dielectric to all light bulb connectors, battery posts, etc... It helps prevent rust, oxidation and heat due to arcing.

 

[pedrito0906]

Although this is not my thread, this is the problem that I'm having, and no dealership has been able to detect the F****N problem, not even 5 mechanics with really good scanners, because there is no code stored.

[video=youtube;1gmstM6iAOk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gmstM6iAOk[/video]

As you can hear, it tried to start in the second try, failing miserably

 

[pedrito0906]

OP any progress with your problem?