So this is my fourth expedition....1 & 2 had new transmissions within a year. 3 was great and now 4 will only start half the time. Drove to the store Sunday and wouldn't start when I went to leave. A few hours later I tried it and it started. I thought maybe it was a fluke?? Nope!! Drove it Monday and it was fine, on Tuesday it would start. Kept trying it and it finally did so I drove it to my local Ford service center and when I got there it wouldn't start again. They have had it and can not figure out what the problem is. It now will start for them. Has this happened to anyone?? Thanks!

 

So, they knew there was a problem and they can't fix it? Did they give it back? Does it still not start?

 

They admit there is a problem with the truck but it is now starting fine and today they could not get it to repeat the problem, even though it happened to them yesterday. They told me I could continue to leave it or come and get it and wait for it to happen again. They also said they have a computer they can hook up to the truck while I drive it around to find the problem, but....they only have one computer and someone is using it now. Sooooo.....I took my truck because I think it would only collect dust at the service station and they will call me when they get the computer back and hook it up to my truck. In the meanwhile I hope I don't get stranded and have to rely on road side assistance AGAIN!

 

I have had other problems with my 07 but not this one (so far). I don't know what the problem might be, but on other Fords I have had in the past when this happened it was usually a dead cell in the battery. The dead cell condition will allow your car to start fine most times but not at other times and otherwise will test ok on a battery tester. Of course this usually happens with a old battery, but I did have a new battery do this once. Might be a place to start. In any case I now carry a jump start type battery just in case. I like to install a new battery every four years no matter what because of the above.
Please let us know what they find.

 

When it won't start, what happens? Do your lights come on? Does it crank? Does it click?

When it will start does it start fast and strong, like it should?

 

When it will not start everything lights up and my seat pulls forward as it should, I turn it over and it clicks once. Then when it does start it starts as usual. No weak start. It is all very strange??? I have driven it since yesterday and it starts fine so far, just waiting to see if I get stranded again....

 

Might have been a glitch. If it does it again, pull the key out and wait a minute. Then try it.

 

Did you check to see if your battery cable connections are clean and all cable connections tight? I know it is a new 07, but.....

 

The service center checked the battrery first and all was well. We will see how it holds up over the weekend I guess.

 

I'm with the guy who thinks you've got a funky battery.

When you say they checked the battery do you mean by that they did a load test on it?

Take it by Sears or AutoZone and have a load test done on it.

If it fails the load test, buy a new battery from them and take your 'old' battery back to the dealership and stick it up that service guys A$$, sideways.

 

....................and you will be out the $50.00-$70.00 you paid for it,I see your from florida,so am I,We have a load tester at my campground and if your in the gainsville/jacksonville area I will load test your battery for you,post back on here if your close enough and i'll figure out a way to hook up,I own the KOA in Starke on hwy 301 south and have a ford dealer 3 mile's south of us, if it checked out bad we could drive over with the load tester in hand and show them it's bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

 

Try shifting to neutral and see if it will start. Might be a PRNDL switch problem.

 

It's probably not your battery.

Each time you prepare to start, turn on the dome lite and watch how it dims.
If you try to start and it doesn't crank and the dome light stays bright it is unlikely to be the battery.

If the dome light dims way down, it may be the battery or a terminal connection.

You are using the dome light as a voltmeter and this is a good technique to use.

You will need to do this or something effective to get at the bottom of your problem rather than stumbling around in the dark.

Relying on the dealer to diagnose something intermittent and relatively simple like this is likely to lead to frustration, when you can do a lot to help yourself.

 

I think there may be a clue when you say that everything seems to be ok, but when it won't start there is just a "click once" then nothing happens. That click may be the the starter trying to kick in, but the added load on the battery causes a problem. Here again the starter pulls more current than anything else on your SUV. So other electrical items work ok may be because they take much less power but, when the starter kicks in, "something" can't get the job done.

Seeing that this does not happen all the time I would guess, (and it is only a guess as trying to do this over the computer, not being there is, well, just a guess) that may be the battery may have a dead cell, the battery connections may not be clean, (the dealer said they checked them, but I would clean them my self any way as it is easy to do) the battery cables loose on the starter or engine ground, the starter may be defective.
If when this "click" happens and the starter won't go and every thing else seems to be working ok (no lights dimming down like a big load on the system) I would say that the problem is between the battery and the starter, or the starter it self.

Now when I say a "dead cell" in the battery, usually this happens in an old battery, but once I had a new one do this, and talk about going "bonkers", well this did it for me as the car (65 Mustang GT) would start fine most of the time, but just "click" at other times. In that case the "click" was that the battery had enough power to operate the starter solenoid and lights, but not enough power to operate the starter. But this only happened some times and at other times worked just fine. After replacing the solenoid and starter, I thought I had it fixed, but no it happened again. (went bonkers at this point) I thought "well it can't be the battery as it is a new one". Replaced the battery and no more problem.

Anyway, I don't know if it your battery or not. may be something else, any way as with these new cars today with all the fancy electronic do dads I don't know.
I hope this helps as place to start any way.

(Yes it was a 65 Mustang GT convertible with 30,000 miles, I wish still had it now. Oh well.)

 

Had the same dead cell issue in a mercedes. I bought the new battery from the dealer when I bought the car. Everything was find for a month and a half then it would just ecided when it wanted to start. I tokk the car in and they checked everything and siad it was Ok. I got stranded again and got towed to a gas station yes this was in the 80s when gas stations still did work. The guy tested the battery on some type of bench machine. Sold me a new battery and a reciep with the cause of the problem and price of the tow battery and batter check. Mercedes dealer paid and said they where sorry and asked to speak with the gy who helped me. New batteries can have issues and I hope this is the case for you as it it a quick fix. Good Luck.