You wake up with a very busy morning and want to quickly get to work? You keep starting the car but your car still won’t start? I’m sure anyone who has ever owned a Ford Ranger has encountered this annoying situation at some point.
Ford Ranger starting problems electrical? What causes this situation and how to detect it? Let’s learn about the common causes of Ford Rangers not starting or being difficult to start.
Ford Ranger Starting Problems Electrical – Why?
Your Ford Rangers unable to start or difficulty to start the engine can be caused by many reasons such as electrical, fuel, electronics, gas, lubrication, and cooling problems or engine causes mechanics, longevity, accidents, and so on.
However, according to mechanical experts, 60-70% of the reason why your car won’t start or is difficult to start is due to an electrical problem. So, let’s take a look at some common causes of Ford Ranger electrical problems.
1. Battery Problem
If your Ford Ranger motor doesn’t spin or spins very slowly, a common cause is a weak or dead 12v battery. The voltage of the battery can be accurately measured with a multimeter. Before testing, the multimeter was set to the battery’s voltage range and connected to its plus and minus terminals.
The normal voltage of a car battery usually results in approximately 12 to 13 volts. If other values are much lower or higher, you need to consult a repair specialist.
If a dead battery is a reason your Ford Ranger won’t start, you can use an extension cord and a healthy battery from another vehicle or use a battery booster if available to start it up.
A weak car battery does not mean it is completely dead, especially with new batteries when you have used them for less than one year.
Batteries rarely have a lifespan of less than one year except for the following cases such as defective products, abnormal symptoms such as cracking and blistering of the shell, your car runs too much or runs too little, causing the battery to be depleted for a long time and you do not know to recharge it.
If you have a charger, you can completely recharge the battery according to the manufacturer’s instructions. In case your battery has been used for more than 2-3 years and you find the car often difficult to explode, it means that your battery is no longer capable of holding power.
At this point, the best solution is to replace the battery.
2. Generator Faulty
The battery is not the source of the current. The power source in the car is generated from a 3-phase generator. The generator’s job is to supply electricity to the vehicle when the engine is running and to recharge the battery.
The battery can be compared to a phone battery and the generator is like a charger. The generator is the heart of the intake system.
Therefore, a malfunctioning generator is also considered to be the cause of the battery being weak or running out of power. In addition to the main task, the battery and generator also coordinate to provide electrical energy to operate the entire electrical and electronic system of the engine and other bodywork.
When there is any problem with the charging system, it results in low battery power and no longer being able to start the engine. In case your battery is new, you move the car regularly and turn off the entire electrical system before getting off the car, but the battery is still out of power, this error is most likely caused by a problem with the charging system.
Some causes include partial or complete failure of a 3-phase generator, duplicate or broken belts, rusted or broken wires from the generator to the battery, or loose or exposed connectors, etc.
3. Start-up System Malfunction
When you press the start button or turn the key to start the engine, the current from the battery will pass through the ignition switch to the starter, which rotates the gear to pull the piston to start the combustion, compression, explosion cycle, and discharge.
If you have used a multimeter to measure the voltage at the 2 battery terminals and found that it is still in the normal range of 12-13 volts or you start the engine but the lights in the dashboard are flickering or weak.
That proves the battery is still power, but the starting system has encountered a problem and cannot receive a signal from the battery to start. In this case, you need to bring the car to a mechanic to check the boot system.
4. Broken Ignition System
The job of the ignition system including the high-pressure turbocharger, distributor, spark plug, high-voltage wire is to create a high-voltage spark at the spark plug at the right time to ignite the fuel mixture inside the cylinders. So if the ignition system fails, you won’t be able to start the car as usual.
Some signs you may notice such as you feel the car has a jerky phenomenon when moving, the rattling sound comes from the engine, using more fuel than usual, the exhaust has a strong smell of gasoline.
You can also visually inspect the ignition system components (including the high-voltage wires) for loose, broken, or explosive leaks.
Many drivers have complained about rodents frequently biting off wires or connections.
5. The Key Is Out Of The Battery
One of the reasons why the Ford Ranger won’t start is because the key is out of battery. However, many drivers inadvertently do not notice and think that the car is having a serious problem.
You may notice some signs such as the car door cannot be opened with the magnetic key but must be opened with the mechanical key, the engine starts but does not move, the lights do not come on.
Therefore, if the key has a low battery, you should replace it to avoid problems with starting the car.
Conclude
When your Ford Ranger won’t start, you should first think about electrical system causes as it will be the main cause of starting or driving problems.
You should equip a multimeter to be able to check the battery, accumulator, or current. Because a lot of Ford Ranger problems are related to electrical problems.
In any case, you should still seek help from a repair professional to get the most out of your electrical problems.