Ford - Taurus :: Won't Start Intermittently
Jun 29, 2012
My parents' car is a '99 Ford Taurus. The first time they go to start it in the morning, it either won't start or has some trouble starting. If it doesn't start, they can go back out a little later and it starts fine. Either way, once it does start, it runs fine for the rest of the day, and can be started with no trouble at all. Then the next morning the cycle begins again. It's been to the mechanic twice for this problem, but he can find nothing wrong with it. Btw, this problem has been happening in May and June, so cold weather is not responsible, it has been warm.
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My 2003 Taurus sometimes refuses to start. There's no real pattern: sometimes it's after the car has run for a while and other times not. Sometimes the starter clicks, other times the engine lights come on with no sound at all from starter/engine. Thing is, the car always ends up starting if I let it sit long enough (15 minutes--several hours). I've read around on the internet and realize this seems to be a problem experienced by many owners. I've changed the battery, checked all the connections, cleaned the starter connections and the Mass Air Flow Sensor. If the starter was bad, it seems like it wouldn't start at all, right?
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I'm having trouble with my Taurus 2003 and the mechanic is struggling to find anything wrong;When idling, if I turn on the A/C on the car will start to shudder intermittently. It feels kinda like an engine misfire...The mechanic replaced the spark plugs and the trouble seemed to disappear but was back again after a number of weeks. When I took the car back the oil-seal was leaking so I got those replaced. It may possibly have been better for a few days [It's a bit difficult to gauge as the problem is somewhat intermittent] but then the problem was back.
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I have a Ford Taurus 2003 wagon. We bought it used in 2010. Initially we had the car checked out and only needed a transmission fluid flush because of a shift delay. We replaced the battery and oil changes for it on a regular basis. Last year, we had an issue where the engine would suddenly turn off while driving and then turn back on. The dealership said it was the synchronizer and replaced that. We also had then check out a burning scent and they said that it was from oil leaking from the engine.
I am not sure that they fixed what they said they did since it still smells and some times there is smoke or steam coming from under the hood on the right side near the windshield. A month later the car was still turning off while driving and the dealership said they didn't know why. We ended up taking it to Advanced auto parts and having the battery tested. The alternator needed to be replaced. We wasted a ton of money at the dealership... So mad about that and never going back there again. They clearly don't to a good job. We replaced the alternator.
So now, a few days ago, the abs and fuel lights came on while driving, and the radio also made a noise like an electrical surge type. ~10 minutes later I noticed smoke or steam coming from under the hood. What is going on with the car?
I am so anxious driving it since last year when the engine would turn off while driving. I have my baby in the backseat and I have already decided what to do if the engine catches fire. I want to get rid of this car and get a new/used one but my husband wants to keep it since it should be cheaper to fix then to get a new one. I don't want to spend a ton of money either, but I also want a car that will reliably drive us to work and daycare. Oh and of course the car works fine anytime when time my husband is driving it, but that is only on the weekends occasionally.
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I have replaced the battery, spark plugs and wires and also replaced the starter in the last 8 months. also I have replaced some fuses and the fuel filter and changed the oil. My car won't start sometimes. it cranks but will not turn over. The fuel pressure is good and it sounds like it is firing but it will not start. Sometimes it will start right up after a try or two.
Also wanted to mention that when we replaced the battery less than a month ago, we bought some ethanol for fuel system and bought some starter fluid to put into it. once we did all this, it ran GREAT for about 2 and a half weeks. it started up every time on the first try. Then a few days ago it started doing what it use to do, start when it wanted to and not a minute sooner.
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I have a 1991 Ford Taurus 3.0 V6 and when we go to start it, the thing tries to keep starting(turning over). Even after the key is turned off and removed. The starter just keeps going. Have to remove positive battery cable to stop it. While it was doing that the neg wire started to smoke. If I just touch the battery cable back on it tries to start. If it sits for a bit we can hook it back up and it works ok. I just had the starter and the starter solenoid replaced.
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192,852 miles. I pushed down on the wiring harness when reattaching the (now) somewhat shorter "H" hose. Thought this could be a problem, so I then ran the "H" hose UNDER the harness (which seemed better). Any chance I could've broken a wire in the harness? I didn't move it very much at all, but those wires have been drying out for 13 years now. The car started right up afterward repairing the hose, but suddenly stopped after idling for about 5-7 minutes ... then it wouldn't start again for at least 15 minutes when it "caught" and idled for about 1 minute. Hasn't started again since. Besides the usual P0430 and P1131 codes, I noticed two other codes: P1744 and P0340.
Don't know if they just showed up today or if they've been there a while. My guess is it's the latter because I once saw P1744 about 7+ years ago and it was due to the cooling system not cooling the tranny fluid sufficiently (which is what has been happening again lately with the coolant leaking out of the "H" hose ... and the Degas tank before that). Temp gauge has been running past mid-scale at idle ... an indication of low fluid, and I've been filling as needed to prevent overheating until this weekend when I finally installed a new "T" on the "H" hose (it was leaking at the molded "T"). P0340 I saw pop up about a year ago during very cold weather. I wouldn't doubt that the damn magnet on the sensor has once again fallen into the synchro like it did 8+ years ago, but would this cause a no-start condition? I wouldn't think so... The car cranks plenty strong. Just won't "catch" and start. Up until today and the hose job, it had been running fine. Even drove it this morning about 10 miles. Could I have a coincidental fuel pump failure? Seems TOO coincidental, doesn't it?
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My Taurus has developed a problem where it refuses to start. When I try to start it, it just cranks over and over and over. I keep trying till the battery starts getting weak. I charge up the battery and then try it again with no luck. A neighbor suggested I get a piece of lumber and gently pound on the gas tank suggesting it might be a stuck fuel pump problem [whatever that means!]. Actually it worked once but after I drove the car all day doing errands the next morning was the same problem. That was three weeks ago.
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This has been driving me crazy for the past 3 years. My car has 276,000 miles and runs great with no hesitation. I drive this car 1/2 the year and my 2012 Nissan Altima the rest of the year. I alternate every other month so neither car sits for too long.
My problem is most of the time the 2003 FORD TAURUS starts right up. However, sometimes, about 1 out of 5 times or so of starting, when I turn the key, I get nothing. The dash board lights come on, but the car does not start. So I found that after turning the key back and forth from ON to ACC (with nothing) and then turning the key back and forth (left to right and back) after doing that 6 or 7 times, the car finally starts .
Then it runs fine, starts the next 5 or 6 times with no problem. Then I turn the key to start it again, then nothing. So I turn the key back and forth 6 or 7 times and it starts. I took it to the Ford dealer and they said I need a starter. I went out and bought a starter and had Pep Boys install the starter (total price was around 1/3 the price quoted from FORD dealer). By the way, Pep Boys also said a new starter will fix this.
Then 3 months later, same problem. I took it back to Pep Boys and they said most likely the starter is defective. So I got the starter replaced, and all was great for another 3 months. Then the same problem. So I took it to NTB and NTB said it was also the starter. So I had them install a brand new starter.
All was Ok. My battery is brand new and my alternator is ok, used but OK.
Then 6 months later, the same problem. So a friend of mine tried to fix it. He unplugged the battery over nite, and had my re plug the battery cables to the battery terminals the next morning. And all was fine for 4 months. Then the same problem again. This time it took about 14 or 15 key turns before the car finally started. (Note: after 8 turns of the key back and forth, it resets the key FOB for programming on the Ford Taurus). This guy checked my electrical and cable from the starter to the battery, and he said all was Ok. He then tried to start the car, turned the key, and it started right up.
I don't mind turning the key back and forth, but if someone is in the car with me with the summer Atlanta heat and humidity, it can be a little uncomfortable, until the car finally starts. Keep in mind, the car always starts eventually. The car has never let me Down. I got the car in 2007 and the car still runs great and the A.C. blows super cold, no funny smells inside the car and the transmission is good. I like this car. I think it is built Much better than the 2012 Nissan Altima.
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The problem I'm having with this vehicle is that, it will start up just fine most of the time if I just hop in my after and haven't drove it for a while, however after I drive lets say 20 min+ and then decide to turn the car off and go back to turn it on, it just wont, it will turn over and its getting power but it won't follow through to start the engine, took it to a place by my house for 3 days and they said its probably the fuel filter but they couldn't give me a straight answer, what it most likely is? Its a 2001 Ford Taurus...
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2003 Ford Taurus, 49k miles, 3.0 OHV V6 (Vulcan).
It's my daughter's car, she's away at college, so it only gets driven once a week at the most. For the last year or so when I turn the key to start, the starter starts to turn, hesitates for a second, and then turns over and starts the car. I've been assuming the battery was a little run down from sitting so much. There are no noises, clicking or grinding, just this slight hesitation. The battery terminals are clean.
Last night it wouldn't start on the first try, I had to turn the key 2 to 3 times before the starter would turn the engine over. I took the battery to Advance Auto and it tested fine but needs a charge (~12.2V). I'm slow charging the battery with a Battery Tender so it's going to take a while.
This hesitation, is it a sign of a failing starter?
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1996 Ford Taurus 3.0L EFI DOHC 6cyl...... Every time I try to start the car it want start less I push on the gas pedal... Then its start to sputter really bad then dies.. I put new spark plugs in and new spark plug wires.. I do hear the fuel pump turn on... Car has about 147000 miles...
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I drove 10 hours in my 02 Ford Taurus perfectly fine then a day later New Year's Day car didn't start for some reason I took it to the shop turns out I needed a new alternator, battery, new belt, made sure all wiring was good, and topped off all fluids (which were very low) ...... After that everything was fine for awhile then in the evening I drove bout 36-40 mins turns out my fan wasn't on the whole drive and car started smoking bad (white smoke) when I got to a parking garage popped the hood water was trying to burst out of its compartment in a panic.
I opened the dam thing shit spewed everywhere and burned my arm we let the car cool down started it again added water to the tank where it was lost everything seemed ok then not too long later I was getting off the highways car starts smoking yet again but this time the engine literally stop working I pull over looked under the hood white smoke is now coming from engine and when I try to restart it it's starts and died couple seconds later and from the looks of it I was leaking some fluid as I was getting off the highway and still was leaking something when I pulled over. I just got smacked for the alternator earlier in the day and now all this happens and I'm so confused ...
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My daughter has a 1997 Taurus SHO and it's been running pretty well until this morning when a turn of the key failed to start the engine. The battery is fully charged but when she turns the key, we get the click from several places under the hood, including the starter relay. I'm pretty sure it's the starter relay, it's inside of the fuse box, is identified as "starter" on the guide printed inside of the cover and is black plastic about 1.5 inches square. The windows, radio, horn and all of the other accessories work, but no reaction to the key.
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Car has been having a myriad of problems that seem to be related to the electrical system. First warning sign that something was wrong was the car wouldn't start up immediately after turning the car off. We had to wait between 5 and 20 minutes before the car would start up again. It was also revving up briefly at idle. Brought it into the mechanic, they replaced the power steering pump. We told them about the issues with turning the car on, they said they didn't see anything.
Car worked fine for a couple of weeks, then when we were driving a longer distance (more than an hour drive) the tire pressure alert light went on. We were close to our destination, so we drove and parked, and the tire pressure was a little low. We were asked to move the car to a different spot in this lot, and it wouldn't turn on. When we came back to the car (this was after flying out of down for four days) the car started up fine, and we filled the tires with air.
Next time we went on a longer drive, the tire pressure alert light went on again, but we checked the pressure and the tires were fine. This light turning on issue has continued, without seeming to be related to the tires actually losing pressure at all.
A couple of other problems that may be related. One, the car completely stalled out once at an intersection, and the battery warning light went on. I turned the car off, waited 60 seconds, then turned it on again and drove home just fine. Also, the right turn signal is flashing at double speed on the dashboard, but there aren't any issues with the headlights or taillights themselves that would cause the light to flash at double speed. The left turn signal and the light on the dash flash normally.
I'm worried that this may be indicative of a larger problem in the electrical system, and since the mechanic told us the first time that they didn't see any issues I wanted to get a second opinion before I brought the car in again. I also don't really have a lot of money to spend, so I need to know if this is a critical issue or just something I can ignore until I get a new car early next year.
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My 1995 Ford Taurus wagon has just developed a starting problem. When the air is damp and foggy, it will just crank but won't start. It has 177,000 miles on it and has always started right up. What could be causing this new problem?
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I have a 2003 Taurus wagon (a real babe magnet) that has 63K on it. On random occasions recently, I turn the key to start it and there is dead silence--no groans, no clicks, nada. This happened for the second time last week at a tire shop, and the technician had me hold the key in the start position while he tapped the starter with a metal rod, which worked miraculously. He showed me where the starter was and how to perform this miracle. Unfortunately it is a two-person job, and I was stranded the next evening alone at my house, and missed work the next day. Later that day it started right up like nothing had happened.
It stranded me again two days later, and nice lady in the parking lot held the key in start position while I used my cane to tap the starter as I had been shown. I took it to the dealer and explained the problem and my temporary solution, hoping they would know from this exactly how to fix it. After four days, they said they could not duplicate the problem, that the car started right up every time they tried it. Meanwhile the car I had borrowed from a friend broke down in a busy intersection, stranding me again for a short while. I went back to the dealer and brought the Ford home, figuring there isn't much to do but play the odds....Logic suggests that because tapping the starter seems to get it to go, that the problem must be in the starter. Yet the guys at the dealership wouldn't touch anything until the car refused to start for them. Where does one go (or in this case, possibly not go) from here?
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I have a 2001 ford taurus. just changed the engine with a used engine has 130k, did tuneup changing all spark plugs, wires and distributor cap. Also changed the 02 sensor upstream. And the check engine light remains on. if i start the car and it idles the check engine light flashes. but once i drive it, it just remains on. brought to the mechanic and he put on the machine and it reads that the problem is the 02 sensor upstream and the spark plugs misfiring. my mechanic is lost not sure what the problem is. someone told me it could be the manifold gaskets and pedlum gasket.
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I have a 99 Taurus. Had the car about 2 and a half years. When I bought it the previous owner said he had the transmission rebuilt a year before,(he did have the repair receipt). Some times, not all, after you've you had to accelerate hard (like getting in a highway),or after a long drive, the car starts to shift hard. It also seems to go from first then neutral then second when taking off from a stop. A quick hesitation,rpm's go up a little,then shifts. I can park,turn the car off, sit a few minutes and it goes back to normal shifting. What this issue is? I thought about changing the filter and fluid,but I've known a few people that have done this while having issues, and the transmission went out soon after! I can't afford a rebuild! What to do? What to do?
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When starting, especially in colder temperatures, the engine start is interrupted by a "thud" sound. The start occurs after this one-second "interruption" while I keep the key in the start position. This interruption occurs only once, usually when first starting in the morning. Subsequent starts are normal,unless the car has not been in use for a few hours. Then the "first start" problem re-occurs. The starter motor has been replaced. No improvement.When the problem first began a few months ago, very intermittently, the gauges in the dashboard would not register as would normally happen and I could hear a whirring sound for a few seconds. Then the gauges would perform as normal. This is a 2004 Taurus with mileage of 64,000.
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I own a 2007 Ford Taurus with about 108k miles on it. When I first start the car, the rpms stay very high (2000) or so for about25 seconds. Once I start the car, until it gets all the way warm, the rpms want to stick around 1300 until I'm stopped for a few seconds, then they jerk downwards hard to almost 400 and come up to around 700.
After the car gets warmed up, it no longer sticks when I brake, but then when I'm stopped it lurches shakes and jerks between 400 and 1000 rpms. Occasionally it will die ( maybe twice a week) but then starts right back up again. I have replaced:
Air compressor
Idle air control valve
Throttle body sensor
I replaced the throttle body sensor yesterday and it seemed to drive better but it only lasted for about 12 hours then the next time I started the car it's doing it again. The only solution I've found so far is that it jerks just a little less when I'm in neutral.
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