Drove through puddle, wont start

[Colinc]

Hi all

 

Please can someone help with some advice. I have a '05 Focus Mk2 Zetec, great car, works a treat until the weekend where I rather stupidly drove through a deep puddle! Car didn't stall or anything, so parked up all okay. Two days later and it will not start now, battery is fine, all electrics all working (radio, windows etc) Turn the ignition all the way and it just does nothing, no clicking starter motor and engine doesn't turn over. I am currently bunk starting down a hill and once started it runs as normal. I cannot for the life of me find what the problem is. I have looked at the fuse box under the bonnet and as far as I can tell, no fuses are blown. I dont think there are any starter motor related fuses in the passenger side fuse box. Someone mentioned a solenoid as a possibility, could this be 'blown' or would the fuse blow first (you can probably tell, I know very little about electrics etc so really need some advice)

Help please! 

[Russ]

Might sound stupid but stranger things have happened......has the force of the water dislodged a connection somewhere in the engine compartment?

[Stoney871]

Starter solenoid probably blown.

Water ingress causes some very random problems.

Check the fusebox under the bonnet is totally dry too.

I'd spray any under bonnet wiring connectors with WD40 as well.

Sent from my SM-G930F

[Tdci-Peter]

I know someone whose starter motor solenoid seized up after getting it wet. It can rust inside.

Probably will not blow a fuse, but may burn out the solenoid coil if key is held in Start for more than a couple of seconds. Normally the solenoid switches to a lower power coil once it has pulled in enough to power up the starter motor.

If you can get to the motor, it may be possible to check that power is getting to the solenoid coil (usually the small bolt terminal), and main power is at the motor terminal (usually the large bolt).

If no obvious connection faults are seen (including earth to engine), starter motor will have to be removed for test or replacement.

It may be possible to remove the solenoid, free it & clean it. Or just replace the solenoid (I have done this). But normally a complete motor would be fitted. I doubt if many garages would try to repair one. Not worth the time.

 

[Colinc]

Thanks for the advice folks, very useful info. I'll be getting the car up on the ramps and having a look underneath, checking all connections, bit of copperseal etc. I will see how things look and whip starter motor out if need be and have a good clean up etc

[Stoney871]

Keep us updated.

Sent from my SM-G930F

[Colinc]

Managed to sort it out.  

Cleaned all electric connections under bonnet, fuse box etc with electric cleaner spray, had a good root around underneath and cleaned and sprayed what i could reach. Didn't have to remove starter motor thankfully, tapped it few times with little hammer and bingo it started!!

Many thanks for the advice folks

[williamweb]

Do you have a splash guard underneath?

Sent from my iPad using Ford OC

[Gee-Gee]

I have a similar situation. I drove through a puddle and the car stalled halfway through and won't start. It's been about 3 weeks. Had a mechanic that said it was the starter and battery. Both are still good. Crankshaft does turn by hand but car still won't start. Please help me I have a 2005 Ford focus zxw se

Edited March 11 by Gee-Gee
Left out information

[TomsFocus]

11 hours ago, Gee-Gee said:

I have a similar situation. I drove through a puddle and the car stalled halfway through and won't start. It's been about 3 weeks. Had a mechanic that said it was the starter and battery. Both are still good. Crankshaft does turn by hand but car still won't start. Please help me I have a 2005 Ford focus zxw se

This thread is 7 years old so you'd be better off starting a new one.

We don't get the ZXW in the UK, but it looks like a Mk1 Focus, whereas the car in this thread was a Mk2.

Can you please let us know which engine it is, manual or automatic, and exactly what happens when you try to start - does the engine turn over on the starter, can you hear the compression, or does nothing happen at all?

[unofix]

53 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

This thread is 7 years old so you'd be better off starting a new one

...and the puddle has dried up now ! 🤣

[StephenFord]

That's how I got my car! The previous owner drove through a huge 'puddle', water entered the engine causing a hydrolock where a big hole blew out in the cylinder head. He sold car, my garage replaced engine with intention of using it as a courtesy car, I bought it...

Every cloud...

[unofix]

20 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

Every cloud...

Was that the one responsible for the puddle ? 🤣