Car WON'T START!

[jabird56]

Wife drove the mm back to Omaha from Vandenberg this weekend (got back last night). I drove it to and from work today.

Now I get into the MM to move it, turn the key on fuel pump and air suspension pumps kick in. Turn to start and nothing happens. No clicky clicky clicky,....NOTHING.

Even tried another key, NODDA.

Suggestions?

:help:

It's not the BOO Switch scenario from a historical event: http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=27402&highlight=boo+switch

[Iowa Rick]

I had a similar problem with a 68 cougar. It was corrosion on the battery post. Made enough contact for low current draw but not enough for starter solenoid. There was no apparent corrosion on the battery cables but I cleaned terminal posts and it worked like new. By the way I had driven it the night before and all was normal. Its a long shot but easy enough to check. Rick

[Zack]

Hit the starter with a hammer when your wife is turning the key.
If it starts, replace the starter.

[jabird56]

I had a similar problem with a 68 cougar. It was corrosion on the battery post. Made enough contact for low current draw but not enough for starter solenoid. There was no apparent corrosion on the battery cables but I cleaned terminal posts and it worked like new. By the way I had driven it the night before and all was normal. Its a long shot but easy enough to check. Rick

Went out and cleaned the terminals and the clamps, still no worky worky.

As I turned the key to start the clock and the backlight power window buttons would go dark.

[Blk Mamba]

Sounds like the starter is drawing too much amperage, do what Zack said, then have it tested at FLAPS, and replace the starter.

[Zack]

Could be the battery as well.

it will put out the volts to run the lights, but not the amps for the big machinery :up:

[Richy04]

Put your foot on the brake and move the shift lever from park to neutral and try it.

If you can, hold the key on "start" and move the lever around neutral and park. If it starts, look at the neutral safety switch as the culprit, you may have to adjust or change it.. Richy

[Richy04]

I didnt see the post about the darkening, check the starter, selenoid and cables like they said!!

[hwy73]

Just for laughs, make sure the transmission shifter is fully in "Park", or try "Neutral" in case the safety switch is out of wack.

Sorry, RichyO4 pushed "send" before I did.

[Iowa Rick]

Based on your reply I vote the battery went TU. Check your headlights with the car off/no key in ignition. Do they look like they have a yellowish cast or even dim as you watch them? If you have a volt meter check battery voltage while checking lights. It should be in the range of 12 - 13 volts with the load. Rick

PM me if you need some help, I got a meter and shop manual. I live in CB

[Iowa Rick]

Shoot, I overlooked the obvious. Put a set of jumper cables on an see if it starts with a jump. Rick

[sicilianmarquis]

its probubly ur Battery, charge it up or get a new one or jump it, if theres corision on the terminals there will be current drawn out of the battery, hence killing it

[Richy04]

My battery went bad at 49k, had a huge hole in the top from an arc..

[ckadiddle]

Hit the starter with a hammer when your wife is turning the key.
If it starts, replace the starter.
Make really sure you don't get the starter confused with the wife. Could turn out very badly for you. :D

[grampaws]

Sounds like battery is toast, boost it with another
car. i suspect battery is fubar!

[Motorhead350]

Hit the starter with a hammer when your wife is turning the key.
If it starts, replace the starter.

I thought that was only for General Motors.

[TiTo35]

I thought that was only for General Motors.

Naw it worked with my Nissan once...

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

I thought that was only for General Motors.It works on any starter motor that has brushes, which is probably all of them

For a second though, I thought you meant the "make sure you are hitting the starter and not the wife" part was for GM only. I was imaginging domestic violence and Camaro's, and I thought, that sounds right.......

[Aren Jay]

+ whatever on the shifter. I left my Mustang in Drive twice and couldn't figure out why it wouldn't start. Radio worked but it just wouldn't start.

The second time I worked it out in a few seconds the first time a friend asked if it was in gear, and it was and it was embarressing.

I also have had a dead starter and a dead fuel pump, in my mustang, sometimes you need a mechanic to fix things.

This thread reminds me of a story my Dad told me about how he went to help a lady whose car was dead on the side of the road. He got out to help, which people used to do, and she got out with a big hammer. He stopped walking towards her she wacked her car under the hood, got back in and drove away.

Now I know why.

[jgc61sr2002]

I concur your battery is NG.

[BLACKMARAUDER04]

I Vote battery. Replaced mine 3 monts ago.

[Breadfan]

Battery!

:)

[MinnesotaMuscle]

Hit the starter with a hammer when your wife is turning the key.
If it starts, replace the starter. And if it doesn't start, then replace the starter anyways, cuz you just smacked it with a hammer.....:rofl:

[Iowa Rick]

What happened?? did you get it started or just sell it like it was??? <grin> Rick

[jabird56]

What happened?? did you get it started or just sell it like it was??? <GRIN>Rick

Nope, it's still sittin' in the driveway. The wife and I are on the east coast house hunting for our upcoming move back to MD, and I'll deal with the MM when I get back.

[teamrope]

Good luck with the house hunting Jay.:)

[jabird56]

Good luck with the house hunting Jay.:)


We put a contract on a house that specs out with:


House has 2850 sq ft living space
Hardwood floors
Has 2 detached garages:

1st one:

Is a high bay commercial grade garage
Will store the SuperDuty, the MM, the Mariner, the ATV, and our 2008 28 ft Dutchmen camper...and it's still only half full
Built-in compressed air system

2nd one has one enclosed bay that will store two cars and two carports on the left/right side of it

On over an acre
So we're now in the wait mode for the sellers to except our bid or counter back...

[Aren Jay]

I'm looking at a Bungalow with half that living space and one 24x24 garage.

Although I want a bigger garage, we will have to see.

[marauder307]

We put a contract on a house that specs out with:


House has 2850 sq ft living space
Hardwood floors
Has 2 detached garages:

1st one:

Is a high bay commercial grade garage
Will store the SuperDuty, the MM, the Mariner, the ATV, and our 2008 28 ft Dutchmen camper...and it's still only half full
Built-in compressed air system

2nd one has one enclosed bay that will store two cars and two carports on the left/right side of it

On over an acre
So we're now in the wait mode for the sellers to except our bid or counter back...


So where's the new office? And did you make Band 4 or 5?

Sounds like a great place...we just got a new guy in down here at STL who's got a house for sale back in D.C...

Dunno if I'd want to take the MM to D.C....traffic blows, and the drivers there just can't get it together, and that shiny
black paint of yours will make a too-inviting target.

[Windsor58]

My Saleen used to eat batteries when I was still driving it. The symtoms were the same. Lights, but no (or almost no) cranking. I think it was a broken plate (the Saleen rides like a loaded gravel truck). The one time I did get a little crank out of it, it started to turn over and then stopped when the car shook. I think the broken plate moved when the car shook and grounded out.
I also had a similar problem on another vehicle, but it was not the battery. It would start to turn over and as soon as the vehicle shook, it stopped cranking. Turned out to be loose cables. They were made out of alumnium and the heat cycling had worked the clamp loose.

[TAKEDOWN]

I had a similar problem at first: I thought it was the safety switch. Second: maybe electrical by an aftermarket alarm/auto start. Third try and finally found that it was a corroded wire in the starter circuit by the back of the engine.

[jabird56]

Well, had the MM towed into my friendly neighborhood LM dealer this morning. their initial diagnostics they thought the switch at the shifter (insuring you can only start the car in PARK or NEUTRAL) was bad. Nope that wasn't it. After doing some additional checking they found the problem,.....some rodent had chewed through the wiring in the Main Wire Loom going to the PCM. Since this isn't a part defect, it is now an insurance claim as the wiring harness by itself is over $700 dollars. Insurance Rep will look at it tomorrow.

They're going to have to take the driver side front quarter panel off and take the dash out to fix this mess.

Update on our move to the east coast:



We go to settlement on the NE house on the 1st of August
We go to settlement on the MD house (mentioned in an above thread) on the 8th of August
The other half just by luck was able to interview for a teaching position in the county school system in MD this past Friday and was offered a job with them this morning. The school she will be at is just 2 miles away from the house. She specializes in Special Needs type kids.

[Mike Poore]

Good for you guys....on all counts. :congrats:
Welcome to Maryland and congratulations upon becoming the newest *CAM member.

*CAM membership requirements: You don't do nothing....no membership cards, no elections, no officers, no dues, no meetings. Just hang out with a group of great folks, who enjoy good food, friendship, and peeing on tyres. (some no longer own Marauders, some own more)

:bagpipe3:As Haggis proclaimed: "Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated":welcome1:

Um, just wondering: Will the MM tow the SUPERDUTY OK? :rofl:

PSS: What part of Maryland?

[jabird56]

Got the MM back today, it cost over 2K to fix this rodent problem, thank you for a good insurance company that didn't come in with an attitude. My service writer and the maintenance Tech said they were extremely impressed with this Field Rep that came in.

Unfortunately for the MM community my service writer told me, that the new Main Wiring Loom (harness) they installed was the last one in the Mercury supply system for an 03 MM. I don't know if that triggers something where they order another to be built for the supply system or not....

Now for an oil change and the MM will be ready for the move to Maryland.

[TiTo35]

Welcome to MD!!!

[DEFYANT]

COngrats on getting back up on the road. Where about in MD? I am in Cecil County.

[jabird56]

COngrats on getting back up on the road. Where about in MD? I am in Cecil County.


We're lookin' AGAIN in Calvert County, as the engineering report came back with a DON"T DO IT. The report was 36 pages (half in red ink). So, we'll get set up at the campground at Fort Meade and start looking again. The wife did get a job with the Calvert County school system as a Special Needs teacher.