When it comes to Ford Ranger starting problems electrical and mechanical issues, it is important to know what causes these.
After all, it is absolutely frustrating to deal with a vehicle that does nothing but to start and stop – and then eventually stops completely. You may be on the road and needing to go to a very important destination, or you have probably not even left the house, yet your vehicle just would not start.
Whatever the situation may be, nobody likes to get stranded. This is why it makes perfect sense to understand why exactly these starting problems with the Ford Ranger happen and what you can do about it.
So, keep reading as we explore this topic further and learn how to address these starting issues once and for all!
Ford Ranger Starting Problems Electrical
There are a number of reasons why you may experience these Ford Ranger starting problems. For instance, the fuse may be blown or dead. It could also be due to a bad relay where there are zero audible clicks in your cabin. Your starter may have also gone bad, which means there is no click or swing.
Or worse, you may have zero battery charge. Hence, you may only hear a single click, followed by rapid clicking, and then suddenly dying.
So, if you are dealing with these issues, it is best to determine the actual cause of the problem. By doing so, troubleshooting appropriately can be made to further prevent these issues.
When your vehicle has problems with starting, you may notice common symptoms such as erratic idle, intermittent stalling, and low power. In case your vehicle is still covered by the warranty, you can take it to your dealership before you begin to do any troubleshooting. This way, these experts can check what is wrong with your vehicle and get the issue addressed appropriately.
Now, let’s look into the common reasons why your vehicle is experiencing erratic idling. For instance, there are certain components that are important in starting your vehicle. These include a spark, air, and fuel. When your Ford Ranger has starting problems, it means that 1 or even more of these 3 key requirements are not present.
In the case of a diesel engine, your vehicle requires compression. Then, this ignites your fuel. So, the most common issues to check out include your ignition coils or switches, clogged filters, and a bad fuel supply.
But if your Ford Ranger is totally dead when you attempt to start it, then there are some possible reasons why this may be happening.
It may be a combination of a bad starter, dead or low battery, and a broken connection between your starter and battery. If so, then you would not be able to see any lights on your dashboard upon turning the key. This also means that your battery is indeed dead. If you are able to have a strong engine to start but then gets weaker each time and then suddenly clicks, it may mean that there are a few other components that are bad.
Now, when your starter does not have ample cranking power from your battery, it is unable to turn your engine and start the vehicle. A bad starter can also cause the same result. Additionally, having corroded battery terminals and a bad connection, as well as faulty cables can cause these issues.
If your engine starts to stall while driving, then you notice the lights on your dashboard turn off and then turn on once again, yet your driving appears to be doing okay, it could be an issue with a faulty connection. Either that, or there is an electrical short happening somewhere. When you experience this, you should contact your dealer to have a diagnostic test done. You should also not drive your vehicle since this is a very serious hazardous issue.
Meanwhile, you can inspect electrical connections and use a dielectric spray on it. Check your connector plug, which you can find underneath your ECU in your engine compartment. In case there is poor or zero contact, this causes the engine to stall and act erratically.
But in the event that there is no hooter, or your headlights and interior lights are dim, then your battery is weak. You should check your battery charge by switching the electric windows or windscreen wipers. When these also seem to struggle with turning on, the battery is most certainly weak.
You can try jumpstarting your vehicle then put it on idle. If this is the case, you may want to test your alternator. This component is responsible for charging your battery as your engine runs. But if you see your lights turn on, yet fades slowly, it is an alternator issue. Usually, the red battery signal should light up on your dashboard, which can signal either weak charge or no charge at all.
If you put in a few revs and notice the lights illuminate and then dip with every rev you make, it means your battery’s charging system is not optimal. So you should check the battery life and the alternator.
When you hear rapid clicks, yet your Ford Ranger is still not starting, the battery is definitely low. It is unable to hold its starter spindle enough to be able to crank your engine. The stored energy in your battery is very low, which means there is zero cranking power. You can hear a clicking sound because of the starting motor gear and solenoid attempting to start the vehicle, yet unable to establish a connection with the right gears on your engine.
Read More: Common Signs Of Ford 2.0 Ecoboost Head Gasket Problems
Summary
There are many reasons why you may experience Ford Ranger starting problems electrical in nature. It could be a battery problem, alternator issue, and several others. With this in mind, it is best to have the right tool for diagnosing the problem and applying correct troubleshooting techniques to make sure it solves the issue appropriately.