2013 Explorer 1200 Not Starting

[dwsdad]

I did a search and couldn't find symptoms like I'm having.

I turn the key to start, the tach needle does it sweep, all the lights come on, but when I press the start button I just hear clicking. I'm attaching pics of the voltage during the start process.

First Pic is the static voltage, the 2nd is turning the key on, and the 3rd is what happens when the start button is pushed.

Any ideas where to start looking?

 

[Qship]

Age of battery? Was it stored indoors when not in use? If the battery checks out, maybe check and clean all connections. Sounds like a bad connection.

 

[dwsdad]

Age of battery? Was it stored indoors when not in use? If the battery checks out, maybe check and clean all connections. Sounds like a bad connection.

Stored under a carport. New battery on battery tender. I've pulled/reseated all relays/fuses.

 

[Vector]

Sounds line a grounding issue?

 

[dwsdad]

Sounds line a grounding issue?

Great. Where to start on that?

I did a little more playing around with it. Seems like the clutch switch may be flaky. Sometimes it would click. Other times not.

 

[atomsplitter]

Battery voltage is good, so it's likely your ground. Clean the ground point first and give it a go. If that's not it we'll move on.

 

[dwsdad]

Battery voltage is good, so it's likely your ground. Clean the ground point first and give it a go. If that's not it we'll move on.

What ground point are you referring to?

 

[Qship]

What ground point are you referring to?

The one on the battery(-) and where it grounds to the frame I am thinking.

 

[dwsdad]

The one on the battery(-) and where it grounds to the frame I am thinking.

The battery ground is clean. I'm not sure where the frame ground is.

 

[CarlS]

The battery ground is clean. I'm not sure where the frame ground is.

Did you make sure the negative cable to the battery was good and tight? You will have to trace the cable to find the frame grounding point.

 

[dwsdad]

Did you make sure the negative cable to the battery was good and tight? You will have to trace the cable to find the frame grounding point.

Yeah, I used a ratchet and socket to tighten it. I guess another way to test this would be to run a wire from the battery to either a bare place on the frame or motor.

 

[dwsdad]

Yeah, I used a ratchet and socket to tighten it. I guess another way to test this would be to run a wire from the battery to either a bare place on the frame or motor.

I noticed that when I turn the key to start, the headlights don't come on. The little parking lights do, but not the headlights. I could've sworn they did before. So, I bought a new relay and installed it....same thing.

The ground issue...I put my meter on the negative post of the battery and an engine mount bolt. It showed about 21 ohms. I then measured the voltage across that bolt and the positive post. It was 13.25v.

 

[atomsplitter]

Your battery is fine with that voltage. It's NOT the battery. So when the ignition switch is turned on the headlight does not come on you said. That's an indicator you have a different problem if the other lights are working. Could be a blown fuse. I'll see if I can scrounge a schematic for your wiring and see what all the possible failure points are.

 

[dwsdad]

Your battery is fine with that voltage. It's NOT the battery. So when the ignition switch is turned on the headlight does not come on you said. That's an indicator you have a different problem if the other lights are working. Could be a blown fuse. I'll see if I can scrounge a schematic for your wiring and see what all the possible failure points are.

Thank you, sir. It's gotta b something relatively simple.

 

[atomsplitter]

Looking around there isn't an easily downloadable wiring diagram I can find, Sans that it's going to be difficult to diagnose easily where to start looking. Assuming your headlight goes out when you mash the starter switch so it's not drawing power from the battery, it sounds like a relay may be out. And the relay in question would be the starter relay. You can test that by swapping some relays and see if the headlight comes on.

 

[dwsdad]

Looking around there isn't an easily downloadable wiring diagram I can find, Sans that it's going to be difficult to diagnose easily where to start looking. Assuming your headlight goes out when you mash the starter switch so it's not drawing power from the battery, it sounds like a relay may be out. And the relay in question would be the starter relay. You can test that by swapping some relays and see if the headlight comes on.

I've replaced the starter solenoid, starter relay and the headlight relay.

To be clear, the headlights DO NOT come on when the key is turned on. Only the little bulbs come.

 

[goody]

I noticed that when I turn the key to start, the headlights don't come on. The little parking lights do, but not the headlights. I could've sworn they did before. So, I bought a new relay and installed it....same thing.

The ground issue...I put my meter on the negative post of the battery and an engine mount bolt. It showed about 21 ohms. I then measured the voltage across that bolt and the positive post. It was 13.25v.

I have a 2012 Explorer, when the ignition is turned on the small park light comes on . When the engine is fired up as soon as it is running the main lights come on . Its that way from the factory.

 

[goody]

I have a 2012 Explorer, when the ignition is turned on the small park light comes on . When the engine is fired up as soon as it is running the main lights come on . Its that way from the factory.

Is it possible the new battery is faulty ?

 

[shanered6]

Its ether the clutch switch on the handle bar or the side stand switch is faulty , you can check by pulling the wires and using another peace of wire to bridge between them to check .

 

[dwsdad]

Its ether the clutch switch on the handle bar or the side stand switch is faulty , you can check by pulling the wires and using another peace of wire to bridge between them to check .

Thanks guys. I think I'm closing in on it. I plugged in an OBD dongle and fired up TuneECU. The fan, pump, and tach tests all worked....and surprisingly, so did the headlight test. So, now I know the headlight relay is good and the headlights are good. Here's what I found interesting: in the lower right corner of TuneECU, it shows the voltage. Mine was showing 12.2v, it during all the testing and pressing the start button, I saw that voltage drop to 11.8v. So now I'm thinking possibly a bad cell in the battery. Rather than jump off buy new battery, can I try to Jumpstart it off my truck battery?