Sorry to resurrect an old thread!!


I have a 97 f150 4.6- the truck started to randomly one day start another day not start..... when it wont start it's not clicking from a dead battery, it's just doing nothing. The doors will lock and unlock I believe if you keep on hitting the key.

I replaced the battery and starter, no fix. I took it to a shop and they replaced the entire positive and negative line from the battery to to solenoid to the starter, ground etc....

Low and behold.... same problem left me stranded again today. So I have a brand new battery, new starter, new wiring..... so I picked up a new starter solenoid thinking it had to be it.

I replaced the solenoid and nothing. You turn the key and can hear the solenoid hit, but then nothing... and if you keep hitting the key the doors lock and unlock?

So I throw the factory starter solenoid back in, and magic it fires right up???

I'm taking this truck on a long drive this weekend coming up and I'm paranoid it's going to leave me stranded. I can't figure it out-

could I have a bad ground somewhere causing this intermittent not starting issue?

If it happens again, put it in neutral and try to start it - wiggle the lever up and down - you may have a MLPS starting to go (neutral safety switch). If it's a manual trans, could be the clutch pedal safety switch.

If the starter relay clicks, it ain't the interlock system from the key switch. This is a observation that must be made, otherwise significant time and money will be wasted.

It's a relay, not a solenoid, that's mounted on the firewall. The solenoid is mounted directly on the starter motor.

A simple multimeter test or two when it fails is all that's needed to diagnose.

I learned a very long time ago (the hard way, of course) that, just because something is new does not mean it is also good.... It's only good when it's been proven to be good.

Did you check all the cables and wiring that were touched during the repair. Something could have been left loose.