The engine turns over but it doesn't crank over?

Tiny
SALMONMIKE
  • MEMBER
  • 2007 FORD TAURUS
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 49,000 MILES
When I tried to start my car it sometimes does not want to start. The engine turns over but it doesn't crank. When I quit cranking I hear a clicking. I continues when I turn the ignition off. It will sometimes quit when I remove the key. Other times it doesn't quit until turn the ignition to Accessory and back to off and remove the key. The car will eventually crank but the Tach and Temp and Gas guages just jiggle a little for awhile and then they start working. After that everything works fine. I also notice that if I have been listening to a CD it sometimes starts where I left off other times it goes back to the radio.
Thursday, April 9th, 2009 AT 9:37 AM

15 Replies

Tiny
ERIC MAKI
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
I have the same problem started about 2wks ago after the car sat for the weekend and didnt drive. After trying to start it 3 times it finally started. Then about a week and a half later it did it again but in the afternoon and it had run in the morning just fine. I also noticed that the tacometer and other guages where jumping around when it first started and then it went away after the car ran for a few min.
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Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011 AT 10:20 PM
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Hello,

This sounds like the rear control unit can be going out but to be sure here is a video to show you how to run a CAN scan which can tell you for sure whats going on. You can get a CAN scanner from Amazon for about $50.00

https://youtu.be/InIlnsjOVFA

Please run down this guide and report back.

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Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011 AT 10:32 PM
Tiny
GKSORENSEN
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2007 FORD TAURUS
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 80,000 MILES
Hi. I have a 2007 Ford Taurus and it randomly won't start. Sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn't. The battery is only 2 months old and we just had all of the connections cleaned and checked last week because it wouldn't start. When I turn the key, it just makes a quiet click and that's it. Do you know what this might be?
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Tuesday, November 26th, 2019 AT 7:42 PM (Merged)
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
It could be a bad starter among other things. The wiring circuit will have to be troubleshooted from a wiring diagram to be sure. Here is a guide and the starter wiring diagrams so you can see where it looses power and I have included how to change the starter motor out.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/starter-not-working-repair

Check out the images (Below). Please let us know what happens.
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Tuesday, November 26th, 2019 AT 7:42 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SSUDROW
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 2007 FORD TAURUS
  • 3.0L
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 120,000 MILES
My car randomly wont start after I have driven it for a while. Seems to be heat related, as if its a short drive, and cool weather, it wont happen. When its a longer drive, or a short one in hot weather, it wont crank. When I turn the key, I hear a click, and that's all. This happened before, but using the clicker to turn off the PATS system worked every time, now it wont work from that at all. The car has to sit for several hours before I can start it again.

Already Checked: Battery, Starter, Spark Plugs & wires, Fuses.

Is it a relay, or something else?
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Tuesday, November 26th, 2019 AT 7:42 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
You tested the starter when the engine was cranking over?Starters can be very intermittent when they fail. They can test fine and then when they get hot to a certain temp not restart the the car till they cool down.
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Tuesday, November 26th, 2019 AT 7:42 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SSUDROW
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
The starter was tested and appears to be working fine. It seems like, when the issue occurs, the starter doesn't get power. It's definitely not the pats system, as when it does start up again, I don't need the clicker.
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Tuesday, November 26th, 2019 AT 7:42 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Let me say this again a starter can test good then when it gets to a certain temp it can fail and not start the car. Its not uncommon have seen this a lot and is difficult to diagnose. Because you have to check for the power trigger at the starter with the key in the start position with the starter not working at the time.I hope explained like that you now know what iam talking about?To the starter can test good a 100 different times but I still wont not rule it out with the issue your describing.I even made a feed back light for those intermittent starters I suspect and let the person drive around till it doesn't start.I have them tell me did the liggt come on when it wouldn't start?
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Tuesday, November 26th, 2019 AT 7:42 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SSUDROW
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Ok. I'll get a starter and see if that fixes it. Thank you so much.
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Tuesday, November 26th, 2019 AT 7:42 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JOHNAGOURLEY
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2007 FORD TAURUS
  • 3.0L
  • V6
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 150,000 MILES
My wife drove it to work and she said it felt like it lost power, like she has to give it more gas than normal. The engine was making a noise like a cat purring. Her steering wheel starting vibrating and she pulled over and the car died. It will start for a half a second then just turn over. Any ideas
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Tuesday, November 26th, 2019 AT 7:42 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,047 POSTS
Did the check engine light come on when this was happening? Have you checked to see if there is proper fuel pressure to the engine? Have you checked for spark to the plugs?
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Tuesday, November 26th, 2019 AT 7:42 PM (Merged)
Tiny
WILDBOAR
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2007 FORD TAURUS
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 38,000 MILES
When it does crank it idles up then just dies, if you pat the accelerator constantly for about 30 seconds when it starts to die it will finally smooth out and start idling after this it cranks fine until it sets for about 20 or thirty minutes then you have to repeat the same procedure over again, after getting it to run smooth it still has a slight hesistation when you take off from a stop but it picks up and goes just fine. The check engine light came once but when I tried to retrieve the code my scanner kept saying error, tried another scanner said the same thing, disconnected battery and went through procedure of getting it to crank now light hasn't came back on.
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Tuesday, November 26th, 2019 AT 7:42 PM (Merged)
Tiny
FOXYAIDE
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2007 FORD TAURUS
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 32,355 MILES
My car will not stay started when it is real cold unless I press the gas a little. Then it starts fine the rest of the day.
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Tuesday, November 26th, 2019 AT 7:42 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,047 POSTS
If there is no check engine light on, I would start with checking the fuel pressure under the conditions mentioned. If the pump is a little weak, it may be causing the problem.

Joe
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Tuesday, November 26th, 2019 AT 7:42 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PECARMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
I had this problem and had to get a new rear control module cost me $328.00 hope this helps
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Tuesday, November 26th, 2019 AT 7:43 PM

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