Went paintballing for sons day out yesterday; parked up after 60 mile trip - tried to start 6 hours later. Virtually no juice and difficult to boost start with anothet car. Got home last night after 60 mile return, did three more trips later on and started no problem. Dead this am not even enough to operate immobiliser, jump started with LR Assist. and towed to dealer ( I know ;-(( ). Tech said it was probably ignition switch causing drain due to a couple of small brass discs in the switch not sliding over each other properly and still running ancilleries after ign off ??
Anybody heard this one ??
John H
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A neighbor has a 1999 Taurus. One day when he ran an errand half a mile away,...
B
beamends
Ignition switches are a bit prone to falling to bits internally, so not impossible, though there is usually some evidence in the form of browning of one or more terminals on the back of the switch (I'm assuming that you didn't take it to bits to look though!) . Was the charge light still on, or dimly illuminated, if so diodes in the alternator could be iffy, though they usually just fail rather then go intermittent.
Richard
H
Hirsty's
Ta Richard,
No did'nt take it to bits as I did'nt think of it before tech arrived. However ( must be my age !!! ) I had had a problem with the ignition for a week or two in that when I turned key to fire up it seemed to hesitate for a half second or so before kicking in the solenoid and starter( did'nt usually do that ), but I did'nt think of it until tech mentioned switch problem.
Does it involve a lot to change and have you gpt a price on a new ignition unit ?
John H
B
beamends
PRC8230 =A37.83 inc VAT - assuming it's a Tdi/Td5. Fitting is either a pain in the bum, or just awkward. To do it "properly" you need to take off the cowlings from the column, and really take the column lock off (new shear bolts required), which I seem to recall involves removing all the column switches too. Plan B is to take the cowlings off and the, reaching into the tangle of cables, undo the three Allen key grub screws in the body of the column lock to release the switch - by feel! Putting it back by this method is fiddly and usually involves scratching round for the Allen screws you dropped - but it can be done.
Your starting hesitation points towards the switch being the culprit - but I have found spade connectors loose/falling off the switch terminals before now, so worth checking before going to far.
Richard
H
Hirsty's
PRC8230 £7.83 inc VAT - assuming it's a Tdi/Td5. Fitting is either a pain in the bum, or just awkward. To do it "properly" you need to take off the cowlings from the column, and really take the column lock off (new shear bolts required), which I seem to recall involves removing all the column switches too. Plan B is to take the cowlings off and the, reaching into the tangle of cables, undo the three Allen key grub screws in the body of the column lock to release the switch - by feel! Putting it back by this method is fiddly and usually involves scratching round for the Allen screws you dropped - but it can be done.
Your starting hesitation points towards the switch being the culprit - but I have found spade connectors loose/falling off the switch terminals before now, so worth checking before going to far.
Richard
thanks Richard
John H
B
Bob Hobden
PRC8230 £7.83 inc VAT - assuming it's a Tdi/Td5. Fitting is either a pain in the bum, or just awkward. To do it "properly" you need to take off the cowlings from the column, and really take the column lock off (new shear bolts required), which I seem to recall involves removing all the column switches too. Plan B is to take the cowlings off and the, reaching into the tangle of cables, undo the three Allen key grub screws in the body of the column lock to release the switch - by feel! Putting it back by this method is fiddly and usually involves scratching round for the Allen screws you dropped - but it can be done.
Your starting hesitation points towards the switch being the culprit - but I have found spade connectors loose/falling off the switch terminals before now, so worth checking before going to far.
Richard
1887 90 2.5 petrol. Since it was stolen the Christmas before last it has not started as willingly as before, it was always a good starter prior to that. Lately quite often it seems that the battery is flat with the starter only just or not quite turning the engine over yet the battery is fine, at other times she fires up properly. I've recently put on a new earth lead and another directly from the engine linking with the one from the gearbox, without changing the situation. Yesterday I got a neighbour to jump start it and again, at first, it reacted as if both batteries were flat, on the third attempt the starter spun properly, urgently, as it should and she fired up. Once warm she always fires up good as gold. I had been wondering if I had a faulty starter motor but now having read the above thread I am wondering it that may be the cause of my problem, a loose connection or faulty ignition switch. On thinking about it I suppose the thief must have done something to the ignition switch to be able to start it.
N
Neil Brownlee
An 1887 model? Gosh :>
H
Hirsty's
That's precisely why I bought mine they last forever !! ;-))
B
Bob Hobden
"Neil Brownlee" wrote
That will teach me to concentrate after spending time on the family history.
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