OV9

Glad to come back to the forum, even if it is to check if anyone has ideas what my issue is! Haven’t posted since we left Evo as work’s been insane, but got a few days off, and whadya know, that coincides with my missus’ car developing an issue...

My missus has a 2014 Fiesta EcoBoost auto, which is having intermittent starting issues.

Turn the key, and you get one click, and that’s it. It’s not really trying to start at all. Repeat this about 10-20 times and in the end it starts.

Connected my car up, and it doesn’t change a thing, 10-20 times and in the end it starts.

Took it to Halfords where they tested the battery and the alternator, and found no issues. Phoned Ford and they’ve said they’ll take a look for £100 which I’m initially loathed to do.

Phoned the local auto electrician and they said it could be the inhibitor switch. Googling the problem has yielded bugger all, including a quick check on how difficult it is to change the inhibitor switch myself, or even source the damn thing.

Anyone got any bright ideas?

Has it been worked on at all? Sounds like the engine earth strap may be loose.

Simon wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 5:49 pm Has it been worked on at all? Sounds like the engine earth strap may be loose.

That has come up when googling. Not been worked on at all though. Done less than 30k, and bought from a ford dealer at the end of 2016. Will have to take a look.

Clicking and Ford suggest starter motor, I would imagine the click is the solenoid. Shouldn't be humped on a three year old fusty though?

Also, try whacking the case of the starter a few times with a hammer. Do this whilst trying to start it. Seriously. It may be that the brushes on the starter are screwed.

I’m pretty sure issues of Fiesta stopped well before 2014

Engine earth loose would give you completely-dead in my experience.

Starter solenoid (or power to the main circuit) more likely.

Why not ask the auto engineer you spoke to if he could take a look?

PS - I don’t know who The Binman is

mik wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 7:41 pm PS - I don’t know who The Binman is

The not so frequent poster, but ever present lurker, GK1985.

Auto electrician is fully booked this week, so haven’t booked in with him yet for next week. Everything electrical always works on the car, it just refused to start a few times.

Every place I’ve rang have said that they’ll need to experience it to have any chance to find the fault, but it works first time most times, and I can’t find a way to make it do it. Once it’s started, it tends to start if I turn it off and back on.

TheBinman wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 7:50 pm

mik wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 7:41 pm PS - I don’t know who The Binman is

The not so frequent poster, but ever present lurker, GK1985

Cheers. To be fair (to me) - it wasn’t very obvious

mik wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 7:54 pm

TheBinman wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 7:50 pm

mik wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 7:41 pm PS - I don’t know who The Binman is

The not so frequent poster, but ever present lurker, GK1985

Cheers. To be fair (to me) - it wasn’t very obvious

And to everyone else tbh. I’m not a binman, so it’s an odd choice of username I’ll grant you. Odd, and totally uninteresting

mik wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 7:40 pm Engine earth loose would give you completely-dead in my experience.

My experience is different - I had a ton of electrical issues with my first car (Opel Manta). Low oil pressure, not charging, sluggish starting and so on and so forth. Turns out it was a loose engine earth - it just wasn't getting the charge needed. I remember watching the automotive technician chap tightening it up and all of a sudden all these "issues" just went away...

OK, so check both ends of the engine earth and also whack the starter with a hammer when it does it. At least eliminate those two for free whilst you're waiting.

immobiliser lights ?

JLv3.0 wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 8:05 pm

mik wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 7:40 pm Engine earth loose would give you completely-dead in my experience.

My experience is different - I had a ton of electrical issues with my first car (Opel Manta). Low oil pressure, not charging, sluggish starting and so on and so forth. Turns out it was a loose engine earth - it just wasn't getting the charge needed. I remember watching the automotive technician chap tightening it up and all of a sudden all these "issues" just went away...

Very much this. Always check the basics first.

Even a slightly loose or corroded battery terminal can give similar symptoms, it'll work most of the time until the spot it has been arcing through erodes enough that it has to try and find another path. Can often mean everything else works fine it just fails when under a high enough load I.e the starter motor.

integrale_evo wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 10:46 pm

JLv3.0 wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 8:05 pm

mik wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 7:40 pm Engine earth loose would give you completely-dead in my experience.

My experience is different - I had a ton of electrical issues with my first car (Opel Manta). Low oil pressure, not charging, sluggish starting and so on and so forth. Turns out it was a loose engine earth - it just wasn't getting the charge needed. I remember watching the automotive technician chap tightening it up and all of a sudden all these "issues" just went away...

Very much this. Always check the basics first.

Even a slightly loose or corroded battery terminal can give similar symptoms, it'll work most of the time until the spot it has been arcing through erodes enough that it has to try and find another path. Can often mean everything else works fine it just fails when under a high enough load I.e the starter motor.

Citroen had wonky electric windows for *years* - cleaned up the battery terminals (which were in an ugly state) and bosh, they've worked perfectly since.

I'd imagine getting the MAF absolutely sparkling and updating the head unit firmware will chase this starting issue away.

mik wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 7:38 pm I’m pretty sure issues of Fiesta stopped well before 2014

after an enjoyable google search, it appears to be still running!

Rich B wrote: Thu May 31, 2018 6:22 am

mik wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 7:38 pm I’m pretty sure issues of Fiesta stopped well before 2014

after an enjoyable google search, it appears to be still running!

Rich B wrote: Thu May 31, 2018 6:22 am

mik wrote: Wed May 30, 2018 7:38 pm I’m pretty sure issues of Fiesta stopped well before 2014

after an enjoyable google search, it appears to be still running!

You're gonna have to edumacate the rest of us who don't get the reference...