Escort Intermitent Starting Problem

Go under the car with a volt meter. unplug the wire going to the soleniod. have a connect the positive lead of the volt meter to the wire that you disconnected and with another person in the car have him or her turn the ignition to the start position. a needle movement or a voltage movement shaould be noticed every time the key is turn to the start position. If the voltage shows up everytime it is time to get a new starter. If there is no power of the wire at all or once in awhile replace the ignition switch. Good luck

Hiya,

First check for loose wires on the starter motor, especially the thin ones if you can't hear the solenoid. If you're brave ('cos it still makes me jump!) you can try running a test wire back to the battery +ve and checking the solenoid operates every time.

Then the ignition switch. Remove the steering wheel column housing and short the starter wire. If the starter runs every time then replace the ignition switch. This is a seperate unit from the key barrel so you won't have to have another key.

Then there's the lockout switch on the gearbox. Bridge the wires here and see if the problem goes away. Make sure you put this back in place tho' or you may hit something when you start the car in gear in future.

After that it's a cable problem and probably the fastest and easiest way to cure that is just to run a new wire from the switch to the starter motor.

good luck

pottsy.

I had the same problem on my '90 Escort and the starter was the problem.

Chris

Thanks

dave