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Starter Does Not Crank

  1. Verify battery condition. Battery voltage should be 12 volts or more. Load test battery at approximately one-half cold cranking amperage rating. See load tester manufacturer's instructions. If battery is okay, go to next step. If battery voltage is less than 12 volts or loaded battery voltage is less than 9.6 volts, service battery or charging system as necessary.
  2. Measure voltage between positive battery terminal and battery ground cable connection on engine. If battery voltage is present, go to next step. If battery voltage is not present, replace battery ground cable and check for normal system operation.
  3. Measure voltage between battery positive terminal and starter motor housing. If battery voltage is present, go to next step. If battery voltage is not present, verify starter is correctly and tightly installed. If starter installation is okay, remove starter motor and clean mounting surfaces. See STARTER MOTOR  under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Install starter motor and check system for normal operation.
  4. Measure voltage between starter motor battery cable terminal and ground. If battery voltage is present, go to next step. If battery voltage is not present, replace battery positive cable and check for normal system operation.
  5. Momentarily jumper starter positive battery cable terminal and start terminal (White/Pink wire). If starter motor operates properly, go to next step. If starter motor does not operate properly, replace starter motor and check system for normal operation. See STARTER MOTOR  under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION.
  6. Disconnect starter electrical connector (White/Pink wire). Place transmission in Park or Neutral (A/T), or depress clutch pedal (M/T). Measure voltage between connector terminal (White/Pink wire) and ground with ignition switch in START position. If battery voltage is not present, go to next step. If battery voltage is present, clean starter motor and connector terminals. Check for loose or intermittent connection. Check system for normal operation.
  7. Turn ignition off. Remove starter relay from battery junction box. Place transmission in Park or Neutral (A/T), or depress clutch pedal (M/T). Measure voltage between starter relay connector terminal No. 85 and ground with ignition switch in START position. See Fig 1 . If battery voltage is present, go to next step. If battery voltage is not present, go to step  12 .
    Fig 1: Identifying Starter Relay Connector Terminals
    G97J28125Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  8. Turn ignition off. Measure voltage between starter relay connector terminal No. 30 and ground. If battery voltage is present, go to next step. If battery voltage is not present, check IGNITION SWITCH fuse (40-amp) in battery junction box. If fuse is okay, repair Light Green/Purple wire between fuse and starter relay connector and check system for normal operation.
  9. Measure resistance between starter relay terminal No. 86 and ground. If resistance is less than 5 ohms, go to next step. If resistance is 5 ohms or greater, repair Black wire between starter relay connector and ground and check system for normal operation.
  10. Measure resistance between starter relay connector terminal No. 87 (Brown/Pink wire) and ground. If resistance is greater than 10,000 ohms, go to next step. If resistance is 10,000 ohms or less, repair short to ground in Brown/Pink wire and check system for normal operation.
  11. Measure resistance between starter relay connector terminal No. 87 (Brown/Pink wire) and starter motor connector (White/Pink wire). If resistance is less than 5 ohms, install new starter relay and check system for normal operation. If resistance is greater than 5 ohms, repair open in Brown/Pink wire and/or White/Pink wire. See WIRING DIAGRAMS  .
  12. On M/T models, disconnect Clutch Pedal Position (CPP) switch connector. On A/T models, disconnect CPP jumper connector located left of pedal assembly. To identify harness, see WIRING DIAGRAMS  . On all models, measure voltage between CPP connector (or jumper connector) Red/Light Blue wire and ground with ignition switch in START position. If battery voltage is present, go to step  14 . If battery voltage is not present, go to next step.
  13. Measure voltage between central junction box fuse No. 6 (20-amp) input side and ground with ignition switch in START position. If battery voltage is not present, go to step  17 . If battery voltage is present, check fuse No. 6. If fuse is okay, repair Red/Light Blue wire between fuse and CPP connector, (or CPP jumper connector), and check system for normal operation.
  14. Measure resistance between CCP connector (or CPP jumper connector) White/Pink wire and starter relay connector terminal No. 85. If resistance is less than 5 ohms, replace CPP switch (or CPP jumper connector) and check system for normal operation. If resistance is greater than 5 ohms, go to next step (A/T) or repair wire between CPP switch and starter relay connector (M/T). Check system for normal operation. See WIRING DIAGRAMS  .
  15. Disconnect Transmission Range (TR) sensor. Measure resistance between CPP jumper harness connector (White/Pink wire) and TR sensor connector terminal No. 10 (Red/Light Blue wire). See Fig 2 . If resistance is 5 ohms or less, go to next step. If resistance is greater than 5 ohms, repair open White/Pink wire and/or Red/Light Green wire between CPP jumper connector and TR sensor connector. Check system for normal operation. See WIRING DIAGRAMS  .
    Fig 2: Identifying Transmission Range (TR) Sensor Terminals
    G98I07053Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  16. Measure resistance of White/Pink wire between starter relay connector terminal No. 85 and TR sensor connector terminal No. 12. If resistance is greater than 5 ohms, repair open White/Pink wire between starter relay connector and TR sensor connector and check system for normal operation. If resistance is 5 ohms or less, adjust TR sensor and recheck. See TRANSMISSION RANGE (TR) SENSOR  under ADJUSTMENTS. If resistance is still 5 ohms or less, replace TR sensor and check system for normal operation.
  17. Turn ignition off. Disconnect ignition switch harness connector. Measure voltage between ignition switch harness connector terminal No. B4 and ground. See Fig 3 . If battery voltage is present, go to next step. If battery voltage is not present, check IGNITION SWITCH fuse (40-amp) in battery junction box. If fuse is okay, repair Light Green/Purple wire between IGNITION SWITCH fuse and ignition switch harness connector. Check system for normal operation.
    Fig 3: Identifying Ignition Switch Connector Terminals
    G98D12248Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
  18. Measure resistance between ignition switch connector terminal STA and central junction box fuse No. 6 input terminal. See Fig 3 . If resistance is less than 5 ohms, replace ignition switch and check system for normal operation. If resistance is 5 ohms or greater, repair White/Pink wire between ignition switch and fuse. Check system for normal operation.
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