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Delayed start
My 2016 F150, XLT Sport is a wonderful vehicle. Few issues. However, on occasion when I turn the key to start, nothing happens. This may last for 2 or 3 seconds, and if I keep the key turned it almost always then starts. I do not turn the key back and forth, just keep it turned to engage. This wont happen again for may 30 or 40 starts and then the same thing happens. Most recently this pattern changed and the engine did not turn over. I then actually did turn the key back to the off position and tried again and it started perfectly. I never get a warning light or anything to indicate that anything is wrong. Any thoughts? Ford says there are no service bulletins about this. I know something isnt right and I want to address it before it gets worse, or happens catistrophically at a really bad time. |
Welcome to the site..
A slight delay would be normal, back some time ago the ignition switch and starter motor just shared basic solenoids/contact components and cranking was instantaneous. Now, the starter motor relay is under control of PCM for activation to then engage the stater motor through the closed starter relay contacts. That said, it shouldn't be seconds + or not at all.. I didn't see an bulletins/messages for a No Crank concern.. At a guess,, either the PCM control sense is delayed/intermittent or missing (if no crank), or the PCM control/ground for the starter relay is same.. Probably hard to hear or check without a helper, but the starter relay is out in the Battery Junction Box (passenger side up near the firewall) If the delay follows a pattern or overly extended, probably not a relay issue, but if it doesn't crank at all I'd try and verify the stater relay is cycling.. Or, as a first step (more so if no crank) you can swap the relay with another there and see if there's any change. During a no crank,, or if extended delays, checking at the starter relay for the needed control, if either/both were missing should help to the cause... |
Many thanks. Very frustrating when it happens only occasionally. Thanks much. |
Just a suggestion for what it's worth,
what has worked for me, there is nothing like a visual picture of what is or is not happening. I placed a simple test lite in the starter circuit, starting at the starter motor itself and ran a wire up into the vehicle so you could, "see the light". It was easy to see where the signal was getting lost. You just moved the test point back from the starter on back to the point where you could see where the signal was present or not when the problem showed itself. Sometimes you hit it right away, other times it took a few moves to see where it was being detained. Simple, but effective ! You must be careful to confine the connecting to hard wiring only and no PCM controlled circuitry. |
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