It Won't Start!

[faded-fish]

On Saturday morning I piled the wife and kids into the Galaxy. Tried starting and the engine just turned and turned (didn't fire at all). Thought it might be an immobiliser problem so I got out, locked the car, unlocked the car, got back in and tried again. After a fair amount turning it eventually started.

 

Sunday morning, the car started no problem. We went out and, when we came back to the car 2 hours later, the same problem. My trick from Saturday didn't work so we eventually called the AA.

 

The "very nice man" tried starting the car and it didn't work still (which I was glad of - I didn't fancy looking like an idiot!) but when he was about to test for power from the coil, the car decided to start! He advised me that the problem is likely to be a sticking relay and that it is definitely nothing to do with the immobiliser. Has anybody else had this sort of problem? and what have you done to fix it?

[Guest vr6galaxy]

He's most likely on about relay 30, its been the cause of a starting and running problems for a few people before! B) do a search on the topic and add your name to the list of sufferers B)

[Guest Idris]

Mine did exactly the same today and I have the RAC guy tow me to the dealer. It is with them now and I got the impression it was the immobiliser as the little light on the door was flashing like mad.

 

Scared as to how much it will cost, but when they call with their diagnosis, I will ask them about the relay!

 

Really bad day to happen as well as I managed to get some time off work to take the missus out for lunch for her birthday :lol:

[Guest Idris]

this just gets better and better! The friendly dealer has just called to say that for some reason, they cannot get my Galaxy to work on their diagnostic machine so they can't even diagnose what the problem is!!!

 

No reason for me to post this I know, but just had to rant somewhere - they have 'kindly' only charged me an hours labour for the mechanic to spend three hours this morning trying to get it connect - yeah, real nice of them!!!

 

I get the impression I am going to pay more for them getting my car linked to the diagnostic machine than actually repairing whatever is knackered ...

 

:(

[Guest Idris]

just an update to see if any of you knowledgable folks can provide a solution. The dealer managed to get my Galaxy hooked up to the diagnostic thingy and it said that the relay was kaput. They changed this and still no change ;) Car still doesn't start.

 

Anyone have any ideas at all? Symptoms are that the car cut out when approaching a roundabout and wouldn't start consistently after this. When the key was in the ignition, the red light on the door for the immobiliser was flashing like made.

 

Any help appreciated and this bill is growing by the hour!

 

thanks

[Topbloke]

iirc the light flashing double speed means that the chip in the key is not being recognised by the immobiliser on the ign barrel, has the key been droped / fallen apart/taken apart to replace batterys. but i would have thought that the dealer should know this (then maybe not) however if there are no faults showing on the code reader the it can only be lack of fuel or ignition

[Guest Idris]

so now the dea

[Guest vr6galaxy]

The PCM is accessable via the clock binicle in the dash, the only reason they need to remove half the dash is to undo the bolt holding it in place! if your flexible and dont mind possible cutting you wrists on the sharp edges in there you may be able to undo the bolt your self and save a few hours on the labour bill? IIRC another member removed his PCM by this route <_<

[GSMGuy]

FFS, WHY do they make removal of such items so bloody difficult????

 

Mike

[paulmpaciorek]

Just a quick update on the Powertrain Control Module saga....the bill from Frauds is now a grand total (not quite a grand !!) of

[Guest Idris]

OMG! I was expecting a hefty bill, but was hoping it wouldn't get close to a grand!!! Do they have the ability to just turn the immobiliser off so that my car will actually start?

[Sharanfx]

If its the imobiliser, the car will normally start and cut out after 2 sec.

 

Are you sure the car was just not flooded, have seen in many times on mordern engines, especially if you onlt started and moved your car a few meters the night before etc.

[Guest Idris]

it originally stopped approaching a roundabout and would not start again. When the RAC man came it started fine and he suggested some possibilities. I took it round to my LPG installer as we thought it could have been that and that came back negative and it wouldn't start again. We noticed that when the key went in the ignition the light on the drivers door flashed repeatedly indicating that there was a problem with the immobiliser :angry:

 

Anyway, dea

[Guest Idris]

fun and games continuing. Now they have had the car for 8 days and they are back to opening the dash up. Surely they should have fixed this problem by now? Words cannot express how annoyed I am at the incompetence - it is as if they don't want to fix the darned car :(

 

Anyone any ideas how to deal with a dealer that just doesn't care about getting your car fixed?

[seatkid]

Owners Manual

A fault in the system will be indicated by the light flashing or remining on for about a minute after the ignition is switched on. In this case, you should have the immobilizer checked by a **** dealer

 

The immobilizer logic has most likely detected a wiring fault. My instinct is to check the wiring loom going into the drivers door. I doubt its the PCM.....that would indicate elsewhere.

[jasper]

I had a similair problemm, lights in the door flashing, stange noise from under the dash, the analyser said it was a pcm problem , the Ford garage replced the ignition switch, the battery , the PCM, reprogrammed the key and they planned to replace the whole fue board

[Guest Idris]

thanks for all the info folks. Eventually got the car back after nearly two weeks and they were not convinced they had fixed it. They replace two relays and checked all the wiring and could find no faults. They apparently reset the system and it has been working fine ever since.

[Guest Idris]

just thought I would post an update to this primarily to show how useless certain dealers are.

 

As per my previous post, the car ran reasonably well for four weeks with intermittent problems starting which were fixed by waiting five minutes and trying again!

 

... and then last Saturday it failed to start again so back to the Dealer. Then the wait, and the wait and the wait. They eventually looked at it Wednesday (even though it was booked in before the failure to be sorted on Tuesday!) and told me they had received a broadcast from Ford about this very problem. The solution was a

[paulmpaciorek]

More bad news Idris !!! If it is the PCM you aint gonna get much change outta a grand.The Gal at work also a 2.3 had one replace mid last year.I still think it was a rip off as Fraud said it was a full dash out job,but I have seen other post where it says you just need to remove the speedo cluster.Hope it doesnt cost youthat much :wacko:

[paulmpaciorek]

QUOTE

Just a quick update on the Powertrain Control Module saga....the bill from Frauds is now a grand total (not quite a grand !!) of

[Guest Idris]

:(

 

this is most definitely going to be my last ever Ford methinks. Whilst I don't mind the cars so much, the dealers are atrocious ..... Cant even trade the darned thing in as it wont start ...

 

:wacko:

[seatkid]

sheesh kebab batman! Shirley it can't be that difficult!

 

You chose the wrong dealer Idris..........you have my sympathies....

 

Have they tried the usual suspects? Ignition components, fuel supply. Something to do with the fuel pump I bet.....

[Guest kev140766]

I had a starting problem also. Just wouldn't start. Recovery man said it was either the immobiliser or a crank sensor. He towed it to my local ford dealer and I started to choose what bank I was going to rob!

 

20 minutes later, all fixed , dodgy fuel pump relay!! ( Funnily enough, leading up to this episode, it had been cutting out occassionally for half a second or so whilst driving and a couple of times took a few turns to start.)

 

All apparently cured.

 

 

[Guest Idris]

I definitely picked the wrong dealer! Unfortunately I went there as it was the one I bought the car from - even the RAC man said they were shockingly bad so if I do need to get any more dealer work done, Im off to the guys in Forfar that have been highly recommended.

 

They are trying the PCM now as the Ford Tech's said that there were two reasons for getting the specific fault code they are finding, one was the switch the other the PCM. As for the fuel pump relay, I do think it is a different problem as when it doesnt start (which is all the time now), the immobiliser light on the drivers door flashes rapidly indicating a fault.

 

anyway, thanks for all the advice folks .... I am looking around for a bank to hold up. Even more so considering a got a letter from the DVLA this morning fining me

[Guest mjp753]

I have had similar problem with starting before. RAC man took out the relay numbered 167, fuel pump,(bottom right) and dropped it from about a foot put it back and off I went! I was quite impressed. I did replace this and one marked 30 (previously quoted as an offender) as a precaution though.

I have also had the flashing drivers door light problem. At the time I was working through problems with the drivers electric window working intermittently (turned out to be electric window motor) and the remote key not working (turned out I needed a new key fob and re programming. Therefore I don't think the problems were connected at that time.

That was last year.

Last week the car got a taste of Ireland's rain and I have again had starting problems while I was there. Occasionally it wouldn't start, dropped the delays (didn't work that time) but after 5 mins it did start. The last day of the holiday I did have to bump start it - but by then I had 2 days worth of rain in the drivers footwell! This is presently drying and I will check the scuttle drains and seams (great site!). I now think the dampness behind the relays will have caused my latest problems. Love the car though................. mostly.