please help with my question about my mondeo

[Pajc]

Can someone be as kind to help me with a problem? let me explain that I drove my car with no problems then parked it up, the next day I went to start it and nothing but clicks coming from the starter motor. I took this out and had it check and a new solnoid replaced. After re-fitting it still clicks? I then jumped it from another car by-passing my battery and still nothing but clicking. All the power is there but no starting. Also all the leads appear to be secure so I am now stumped as to what it could be? My car is an automatic and is in park postition and cannot be moved so please please shed some advice to this problem.

Many many thanks

Paul

[bob57]

have you tried putting it in third gear and rocking it back and for and then forward one turn of the engine

by doing this you would be clearing what is known as a flat spot on the flywheel

[Pajc]

Hi

Thanks for the reply but it's an automatic and is stuck in park position. Any more advise? cheers

[bob57]

sorry you got me on that one what I know about automatics I can write on the tip of my finger best of luck mate

[qapmoc]

As the starter motor clicks is seems that the starting inhibit circuit is working OK and the problem is with the starter motor itself.

Starter motors are DC motors which have carbon brushes contacting a rotating armature, this sounds like either the brushes are worn out and not touching the armature or they may be really ''gunged up'' (technical term) and stuck in the brush holders and not touching the armature. you need to remove the starter motor and get someone to check out the brushes for you. Of course it could also be a broken wire inside the starter motor but that is not usually a problem as they are very well made and reliable from that point of view.

Probably the easiest way out of this would be to get another starter motor that you have seen working and fit that.

[qapmoc]

p.s why is it stuck in park, you should be able to move the selector without the engine running.

[Pajc]

Hi

Thanks for the information but I have taken this starter to be tested and they said it was ok, I even see them test it and heard it turn after he replaced the solnoid. He assured me that it was fine. The strange thing for me to understand is that one day it runs like normal and the next day it does not start, do starter motors end all of a sudden in this way?

The car is stuck in park and I cannot move the lever unless I use force which would not be so good I guess.

This has to be such a small problem, any other idea's other than the starter or battery?

Thanks

[Toureman]

As your gear lever is stuck in park this could be your problem, there is an electrical switch somewhere connected to the gear lever which prevents the engine starting unless you are in park or neutral, perhaps this switch has become dislodged and is jamming the gearlever and is also sending a signal that your car is in gear so making it impossible to start.

[Toureman]

P.S.to above, try gently levering up the surround of your gear lever and have a look.

[qapmoc]

But toureman if it is a problem with the selector switch inhibit system the starter would not ''click'' when the key is turned, but I do agree that the problem with the selector should be sorted out first and then look for the starter problem if it still exists.

[Pajc]

Hi

This information is great but I will contiue with a few more questions since now I have managed to lift the cover up on the auto selector and now have manage to release this from parking position which now means I can move the car forward and backwards. When I place the car in 1st or 2nd it still moves as if it is not in gear, is this normal? also I had to move a plastic catch forward to release the selector but when I place it back in parking it again locks until I release the catch. I can see wires within the selector but at the moment cannot lift it out high enough until I investigate further. Does anyone think that it could be the transmission gone as I understand that this often happens with the sports option? My car is from Aug 2000 and has around 120,000 on the clock. I am sure this is not a major issue since it was running perfect the day before and overnight whilst parked up it was -6 not that I am saying the cold was anythinf to do with it. Many thanks to you guys for giving this great information and more if you have it.

[Pajc]

Could it be the imoblilizer if I have spelt it right? if so do I have to re-set it, and how?

Thankyou

[qapmoc]

Everything you mention about the actual auto-gearbox sounds like it is behaving normally don't worry about that.
The point about the inhibit system is that it is a safety system that makes it that so you can only start the car when it is in either selected to PARK or NEUTRAL. The system might have a switch which detects the position of the lever or it might be a switch in the gearbox, wherever it is, if there is a problem with it it might not allow you to start the car at all.
Where is the ''click'' coming from in fact.

[Pajc]

Hi

The clicking it from the starter moter area hence why I removed it and had it checked out. I find it strange that something must be wrong within the selector. I have checked all and everything seem to be secure. I managed to release it from the parking and placed it in neutral and it clicks when I turn the key. So then I came up with the imobilizer since I removed the battery. Is it possible that it is that what is preventing the car from starting?

It has to be something real simple?

Can you email me [email protected] and I will send you picture from inside the auto selector and mabe you can circle where this switch is?

Thanks as you really are helping.

[erimus1]

Hi. A starter works by sending a shaft out and then turnning the engine. This is called the 'Bendix' spring and sometimes sticks. Try getting someone to keep turning the ignition and giving the starter motor a few hard taps with a hammer - if it come loose, it shold kick the engine over.

If all this works, you may well need to get a new starter or get this one re-furbished.

Good luck,
Steve

[qapmoc]

Hi Pajc, I still think the problem is with the starter motor in some way.

The gearbox inhibit system will prevent the starter to operate in drive or low or reverse and allow it to operate in park or neutral, so - if it clicks in park or neutral but not in drive or low or reverse then the gearbox is OK, if the above is correct forget the gearbox.

If the starter clicks it MUST be getting the signal from the key, the starter solenoid works as follows -
the keyswitch sends a voltage to a coil in the solenoid, the solenoid (electro-magnet) attracts which moves the drive gear into engagement with the flywheel teeth and when it is fully engaged and reaches the end of its movement it makes a big heavy duty switch contact inside the solenoid which gives power for the motor to turn.
So your solenoid attracts hence the click but it does not engage far enough to make the heavy duty switch contact - therefore something is stopping it to move completely into engagement with the flywheel - if you remove the starter it will work perfectly because it is not touching anything on the flywheel.

Now the question is what is stopping it to engage complely with the flywheel ??? There must be something damaged on the flywheel teeth or something, you will have to look inside the housing and see if you can spot what is stopping it to engage.