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1995 Ford Taurus 1995 Ford Taurus Wagon Cranks But Wont Sta

Tiny
PROUDMOMMY1987
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 FORD TAURUS
Computer problem
1995 Ford Taurus 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic

Our car tore up about two months ago. The original symptoms of the main problem was that early in the morning when the car had not be driven it would take several cranks to start it. It would run fine for the rest of the day as long as we did not leave it sitting for a few hours. After leaving the car sitting for an hour or more the car would again take several cranks to start. Sometimes the car would start and die about two minutes after driving once it finally start. The car would usually start back up with a few cranks but the problem got worse. The car would take several hours like 6 hours to start back after dieing while driving it. The cranking sounded fine it just would not turn the engine over. My uncle is supposedly an ASE certified mechanic and one day when the car died while we were driving it he came to the rescue. We did not know what the problem was but he was thinking it was the main computer located (i am assuming) above the radiator in a box. He said the computer was hot and poured ice cold water inside the box which he said was the computer. The car never started again. I am tired of not having a car and if anyone would help me with this I would be very very thankful. I am finally able to have the car fixed and trying to decide the best step so that I keep the peace with the family. The car is currently sitting at my uncles auto garage and I am going to tow it to someone else. I want to have some professional suggestions before I let another family member fix it at his garage. Please help me!
Additional problems that may be related: Lights came on would not go off, took lights out. Door lock in drivers side door messed up, dad fixed it and alarm system doesn't work anymore nor does the driver side door lock. Car would idle high when started in park and then go low enough for the engine to jump a little. The idling problem only existed in park. Sometimes the car would act like it was running out of gas when the starting problems started.
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Wednesday, October 6th, 2010 AT 8:02 AM

11 Replies

Tiny
BLACKOP555
  • MECHANIC
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Can you get a picture or a good description of what he poured ice water into? Did it have around 100 wires or no?

How didd he pour it in, take cover off?

He may have toasted the computer and it wont start unless you get a new one. That is if he infact dumped water in the computer.

Get back to me with what happened first and well try and get this solved.
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Wednesday, October 6th, 2010 AT 11:14 PM
Tiny
PROUDMOMMY1987
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No I did not get a good look at the car because I was going to the store to get the water that I thought he was going to drink! The box was located in the front of the car where the car information and warnings on the sticker are. It is the plastic guard cover that he pulled up to pour water into whatever is under it. This morning, the latest news is that the part is called a control relay module. I personally do not think this is right but I am not a mechanic. What do you think about this? I am completely confused about it now.
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Thursday, October 7th, 2010 AT 7:33 AM
Tiny
BLACKOP555
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Well first im left to belive that since the water being poured on a relay caused it to not run again that theres good chance that may be part of an issue. Well have to verify what it is and if it affects starting first.

Do you have means to get a fuel pressure test guage and a spark tester and some basic tools to check for fuel pressure and spark?
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Thursday, October 7th, 2010 AT 9:26 PM
Tiny
PROUDMOMMY1987
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I am not sure what those tools are and I am not really even sure where to get them. I will check on the price of them and maybe advance auto parts will have it in the rent a tool. I have not touched the car in two months but the night we had it towed it would not start for three hours. After he poured the water on that part all of the lights did not work on the inside, the brake lights the lights behind the speed ometor and the radio did not work. I think it would still crank but would not start. The lights worked before the water but did not work after the water. I have not checked the spark plugs or wires and they have not been changed since I have had the car which is about 4 years or more. There is some type of line under the hood that was like a valve stem and a friend stuck a pen in the valve stem to see if gas came out and it did because the fuel pump or clogged fuel filter was our first thought when the not starting and dying while driving happened. On the receipt from Advance that my uncle took my money and purchased said the part is called an RCM. I really appreciate your help on this issue. We have put so much money into this car I don't want to junk it and the mechanics around here are obviously not the best.
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Friday, October 8th, 2010 AT 7:22 AM
Tiny
BLACKOP555
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Rcm is the restraints control module, that is for airbag, and seat belt tensioners. Shouldnt be causing the problem unless when he poured water on the wires he caused the computer to short out. Doesnt take much pressure for the fuel to shoot out on that method but at least the pump is turning on. I would be checking for spark. You will need a spark tester and a spark plug socket, and a wrench. For about 10 bucks you can check for spark. I can give you step for step to use it;
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Friday, October 8th, 2010 AT 8:46 PM
Tiny
PROUDMOMMY1987
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I have not been able to find any information about the spark tester, but the part was put on the car today and it is running. I was able to pick up my car today but it is still having some issues. None of the windows will roll up or down from any switch but the drivers switch and the car dies when it is placed in park. We are giving it an oil and filter change tomorrow. From what you said that part was for I am really not sure why it was keeping the car from running. The receipt from Advance does say that the part was called an RCM though. I wish I knew something about cars! If you still need it, since I have the car now, I can take a picture of the area where the water was poured tomorrow when there is light outside. Again, thank you very much!
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Friday, October 8th, 2010 AT 9:13 PM
Tiny
BLACKOP555
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Would love a picture. Could also have been shorting out the computer as they are linked together causing an issue making the computer shut down. So car can be driven just fine just not put in park?
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Saturday, October 9th, 2010 AT 8:51 PM
Tiny
PROUDMOMMY1987
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We have driven the car all day. Sometimes the car would die when put in park and others it would not die. We drove the car fine all day. I went to pick up my brother from his girlfriends house, same thing I was doing the last time the car died mind you, and the car dies in her driveway in drive. Would not start back for 20-30 minutes. It finally started and I got the car home. Something is definitely still wrong and it is electrical. I noticed tonight that two of the buttons on the cluster of controls for the Air/Heat are not lit up. I will take a picture of that also. My brother changed the oil and filter under the hood and the oil filter. I will get pictures up here tomorrow. Thanks!
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Saturday, October 9th, 2010 AT 10:54 PM
Tiny
BLACKOP555
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Any pictures yet?

Would your brother be able to help you with a few simple tests or would you like to do this or have some help because this could be a pretty simple fix. We just have to find whats missing
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Wednesday, October 13th, 2010 AT 8:11 PM
Tiny
PROUDMOMMY1987
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The day I planned on getting pictures I lost my phone at lowes and just got a new one. My phone is the only device I have that will allow me to take pictures and get them to the internet. It's 2010 and I still don't have a digital camera! Anyway, the car is still doing the same stuff I hope to get pictures tomorrow. I am probably just going to take it to another family member mechanic but I am still open to any advice. I have read the troubleshooting in the book we have that I mentioned earlier and it could be a variety of things. I already know that the spark plugs and the fuel pressure should be checked as you said in a previous post I believe and I hope to get that done as soon as I can. I don't really want to go buy a pressure tester when I will "hopefully" only need it once. Any advice that you would like to give me or more tests that we can do to the car would be appreciated. Although my great uncle has been a mechanic for a while I am sure that he would not mind some suggestions! Thanks again for all your help! I will try to get the pics up tomorrow assuming I don't manage to lose this phone.
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Thursday, October 14th, 2010 AT 11:56 PM
Tiny
BLACKOP555
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Get car to not start. Then check for ignition if its gettign ignition on all cylinders, bright and blue spark and the rhythm that fires on all cylinders is pretty rhytmic then it would be safe to assume you should start looking towards the fuel system.

From there check fuel pressure, and injector pulse with a noid light and build from there.
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Friday, October 15th, 2010 AT 9:47 PM

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