Intermittent Starting Issue

**bonerjamz03** · 09-29-2015

97 GTP. I've been having an issue with my car starting over the past week. Sometimes it will start, other times nothing happens (no lights no sounds), other times I get lights with a no start no crank. I've also had issues with the shift lock release, but I don't think that would be the cause.

I checked the battery (which is a couple years old) cable connections and voltage, the alternator was replaced earlier this year, and I did the ignition switch a couple of years ago. I haven't been driving it since I don't want to get stranded and have to get it towed. Any ideas?

**FordMan77** · 09-29-2015

Ignition switch maybe?

**bonerjamz03** · 09-29-2015

Possibly, but it was already replaced not too long ago.

**ericspecullaas** · 09-29-2015

wire loose? or bad ground

**sugaryuk** · 09-29-2015

Check the wiring harness under the battery tray. Mine dripped some battery acid onto my harness and actually ate through some wires causing all sorts of weird electrical issues.

**bonerjamz03** · 10-03-2015

Anyone have a diagram with the ground locations on it?

**Scottydoggs** · 10-03-2015

follow the neg bat cable, it leads to the tranny bell housing bolt where its grounded, with 2 other wires on most cars.

**bonerjamz03** · 10-03-2015

Thanks Scotty. I cleaned up the battery terminals today even though they weren't too bad and I noticed the ring connector at the top of the fuse block in the engine bay is pretty f'd up. Would that cause a starting issue? I'm gonna replace it regardless.

**Scottydoggs** · 10-03-2015

it can. if you take it off the car has no power.

**bonerjamz03** · 10-03-2015

It would be nice if that's the only problem but it's probably not lol. Now if only this ****ty hurricane weather would go away I can work on it.

**bonerjamz03** · 10-04-2015

Figured I'd start checking wires today so I pulled the console apart and found some broken ones to the shift release. It looks like a pink and an orange/black wire which broke. Is there a way of getting the pin out of the connector plug so I can resolder them or am I looking at a trip to the junkyard?

**Scottydoggs** · 10-04-2015

you'll need a light and a pick to get the wires out, ( most have a little lever to move inside) or just junk yard a whole pig tail, and solder it on.

theres a youtube vid where a guy bought a roll of a 1,000 pins and hes selling them for very cheap. same issue shift lock wires broke off.

**bonerjamz03** · 10-04-2015

Junkyard it is. This shouldn't have anything to do with the starting issue would it?

**Scottydoggs** · 10-04-2015

not really. most of the time its a key wont turn back or it wont shift out of park type deals.

**bonerjamz03** · 10-04-2015

Yeah, kinda what I figured. Oh well at least I won't have to use a screwdriver to drive the car anymore lol.

**bonerjamz03** · 10-06-2015

I got the wires soldered into the connector today. It shifts without a screwdriver and it starts up and runs good. i still need to clean the grounds but maybe I got lucky this time with an easy fix.

**bonerjamz03** · 10-20-2015

Well it's back. No lights, no clicks, nothing. I took it over to Advance last week when it was running and had them do an electrical system check and that all came back fine. I checked grounds, fuses, looked for loose connections. I'm tempted to take it to the mechanic but would rather not since money is tight at the moment.

**Scottydoggs** · 10-20-2015

play with the plug and the new soldered wires, never know. that whole pig tail must move when shifted, why else would the wires just break off for no reason?

**bonerjamz03** · 10-20-2015

Already tried. I jiggled, tapped, played with every wire and connector I could see. Is there a solenoid or relay in the starting circuit that you know of that could cause this?

**Scottydoggs** · 10-20-2015

ive heard of the whole shiftier going bad. causes the same issue. junk yard swap is the cheap way, iirc the dealer wanted 300 for one in a thread i saw a long while back.

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