ok well this started about a month ago, one night after work i went to start my truck well i turned it over and all it did was click once, well it took some trys and finnaly it started. i called the ford dealership took it in they sayd it was a wire in the wiring system for the starter so i had to wait a day to get the wire, it did the same thing the next day, so i took it in they sayd they supposedely fixed the problem. well yesterday i go to start my truck(mind this is in cold weather only that it happens) and it did the same thing, it only took me 3times to get it started, then it happened again today. Has anyone else ran into this problem or does anyone know what it culd be. im gunna be taking it back to the dealership hopefully tamaro, but i wanted to get some feedback on here if theres anyone that knows anything or has ran into the same problem. I have an 04 f-150 4x4, with around 34k miles. any help is appriciated. thanks
Josh

 

ok so the dealer fixed the starter wires??? is the engine cranking or??? is this click you hear like a dead battery click?? what motor do you have?

 

Most likely the battery terminals are dirty. Remove, clean, reinstall, & tighten them.

 

4.6l v8, they claimed to have fixed the starter wires, the engine doesnt crank when i turn the key it jus clicks, then after while of turning it will finnaly turn over. it has nothing to do with the battery, i have full battery and everything else works, its just when i go to start it i turn the key and it clicks once,, like the battery is dead but its not cuz wetried to jump it the last time n it did nothing, you seriously have to sit there and turn the key 100 times or more till it will fire. sometimes its not as long others it takes awhile. I have no idea what it is, iv taken it in once and they claimed to have fixed it, but i called the other day and have an app. for tomarow if they can fit it in, but if .they dont fix it this time i have no idea what to do. any help is appreciated

 

I am currently having the same problem and have had it once before. Just for reference, I have a '99 XLT 2WD with the 4.6. I go out yesterday to leave work, turn the key and all I here is one click (best described as a clunk). Having heard that same noise in the past, I am fairly certain that I know what it is. The clunking noise is the solenoid engaging. The reason the vehicle will not turn over is because there is no power to the starter itself. While this could also be cause by a bad ground, when I fixed the problem earlier, the power cable had simply corroded just behind the brass eyelet. Although I have yet to take it apart (waiting for a tow), I am willing to bet it is the same problem again. I will let you know when I am finished. In the interim, you may want to try removing the right front wheel to take a look. It will be the large gauge (looks like about 4, if I can remember) wire attaching directly to the starter. The ground will be right next to the loom where it intersects with the frame rail. Good luck!

 

My guess was also the solenoid. Common problem on starters, but should not be for an '04, maybe yours is bad. Some "shadetree" mechanics fixes I used to use on my old mustang was to hit the solenoid a few times with a wrench. The beast would fire right up. The problem is in your starter/starter cables.

 

Have you physically taken the cables off the POS and NEG posts, cleaned the post with that post cleaner thing like a wire brush? Also cleaned and checked the cables themselves?

Put them back on and try it?

I've had that occur on several cars I've owned...

How do you know your battery is OK? It could show that it has 12.8 volts, but the moment you click the starter, if it drops below 8 volts, then it's a dead battery.... When the volts get that low, it won't have the amps to crank the starter.

You say this is happening when it's cold? That's when a battery is at is worst...

Do the post clean thing and if it still does it, I'll bet it's the battery....

Mitch

 

yea double check those battery comections. really clean them off good. even invest 10-15$ for some good terminal clamps. no matter how many complex sensers,computers cars will have,nothing happens without that battery at full strength.