Hi!

First of all, sorry if some sentences are a little weird. Norwegian here.

I have a Ford Focus 2012 model that will no longer start ..... Talked about buying a new car, suddenly everything happend. AC that blows cold on one side and hot on the other, and a window that does not want to go up on the right side. The latest news, is that it will no longer start ..... The car has been in daily use and has worked just fine, suddenly it would not start anymore. Tried to start it 4-5 times without any luck. When I was going to make one last attempt, it started. At first I thought it was the battery, so I charged it overnight. Then I tried to start it again. Everything worked the first time and the second time, but the third time it did not start again. And now it won't start no matter what I try. Got advice from a Ford dealership to switch to two relays, it did not work. The battery that was new last year has been tested and works. Everything else works, light, radio, AC and lock etc ... Anyone who has encountered something similar, or who has experience with this? I have posted a small video on youtube that shows the problem:

https://youtu.be/uTjSf62BOBw

Hope someone has come across this and has an answer. Because I have no idea what's going on ....

Difficult to tell from your video, can you please confirm that the engine does not 'crank' (turn over) ?

Hi!

Thanks for taking the time to reply! At first it made a ticking sound when I tried to start. 

Now it doesn't 'crank' (turn over)

7 minutes ago, Manfredd said:

At first it made a ticking sound when I tried to start. 

That helps.

You probably have a bad electrical connection to the Starter Solenoid.

First check that the battery terminals are tight. Try moving the battery leads, can they be moved on the posts ?

Second check the main supply lead (Big lead) on the starter solenoid. Check the nut is clean and tight (be very careful not to short the wire or terminal to the metal of the engine.

Third check small wire to the starter solenoid, make sure it has not come loose or is corroded.

20 minutes ago, unofix said:

First check that the battery terminals are tight. Try moving the battery leads, can they be moved on the posts ?

They are tight, they are not moving.

21 minutes ago, unofix said:

Second check the main supply lead (Big lead) on the starter solenoid. Check the nut is clean and tight (be very careful not to short the wire or terminal to the metal of the engine.

Just did a quick search on YouTube ( thanks to you i finally found something to search for), is this what you mean?

You don't think it's the starter motor that's gone bad? 

In the video he uses lube on the bolt, can WD-40 be used here or will that destroy something?

I will try this tomorrow! Again thanks for replying!

Hello, see the video from 6:36 onwards.

The problem on your car will probably be the starter solenoid, which is fitted to the side of the starter motor.

You can give it all a good spray with WD40, it will not cause anything any harm.

You may need to replace the starter solenoid and the starter motor as they may only be supplied as a complete unit.

Hi again,

I was now trying to check the bolts on the starter motor. The bolt with wire connected to it was completely loose, but I could neither tighten it nor loosen it. It just spun either way. It was so loose I could use my fingers to turn it. In addition to that, of course I forgot to disconnect the battery, so when I had to tighten / loosen it, there were sparks ...... So tired of this ..... Will this mean that the starting engine is completely damaged now? Watch video I filmed:

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, Manfredd said:

of course I forgot to disconnect the battery, so when I had to tighten / loosen it, there were sparks

Just to specify, there were sparks coming from the bolt I was tightening  in the video. Not main supply lead

Annoyed as I was, I went out to the garage and put the battery cables back on. And tried to start the car ...... and you know what, it started !!!! 😃.

I have to either tighten that bolt or replace it. Do you have any tips on how get it off or tighten it?

Thank you so much for helping med out Unofix!!

 

Hello Fredrik at least you now know what the fault is.

First DISCONNECT the negative lead from the battery before starting work.

Use a small screwdriver and try and leaver it between the nut and the terminal, and at the same time use a spanner to loosen the nut. I think it must be the stud threads that are partly stripped.

Once you get the nut off then use a new nut, get one that is of the 'Nyloc' type it will possibly be able to still grip the threads on the stud. Be very careful not to over tighten the new nut.

 

Hi,

Thanks, I will try this tomorrow!🙂

Just a quick question, is the nut a M8-1.25 13mm? Can't find any information about this.

If you are using a 13mm spanner then the screw thread should be M8.

All electrical nuts, bolts and other fasteners should be brass and then this problem wouldn't happen.

It's too late now for your starter solenoid as the threads on the stud have already been partly stripped, so use a Nyloc nut.

Thanks again 🙂

Got a tip from a local store to use Loktite on the nut if the bolt was partly striped.

Just be careful if you use Loctite thread lock as it is electrically insulating so don't get it on the surface of the electrical terminal or the crimp.

 

So i tried to get the nut of today but no success. Couldn't get a screwdriver in there. The car starts so it got contact. Could it be possible to use loctite on the back of the nut to keep it from spinning?

Or maybe use a nut splitter, or could that damage the bolt?

I doubt that you would be able to get a nut splitter in, but you could try.

Is there enough stud sticking out that you could get a second nut on ?

Tighten down the original as best you can and then add the second nut on the back with some loctite to keep the first nut from coming loose ?

We managed to get the nut off by using a Dremel. We sat on a new nut with loctite, and the car starts now without any problems.

So I'm happy

Again thanks for the help Unofix!😃