whimsicaldalliance Posted March 29, 2014 Report Share Posted March 29, 2014 I had an oil change a few months ago and had no issues. Car consistently starts well and I have had no troubles until now. Interior lights come on. Engine won't turn over. Looked at the engine and noticed a loose wire but by no means understand anything. Could this be the issue? If so, how do I fix it? Attached are pictures of the engine as well as the loose wire. If needed I have a video of the engine attempting to start. Thanks in advance for any help! car 4.mov Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted March 29, 2014 Report Share Posted March 29, 2014 (edited) Not sure what the problem could be. Looks like a wire for the ignition coil nearest the blue wire has come off. I looked at mine and it is a white wire with a blue stripe, so maybe yours is a ground wire? Also sounds like your battery is weak/drained or the starter is dying. It should turn the engine over much faster than that. I assume it is a 2007-10 Edge? How old is the battery? Are your headlights (and accessories) turned to the OFF position when trying to crank the engine? That will allow the battery to provide more power towards starting the vehicle. Edited March 29, 2014 by WWWPerfA_ZN0W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whimsicaldalliance Posted March 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2014 (edited) Hi, Thank you for replying!It's a 2010. As far as I know it's the original battery but I did get it second hand. I haven't had problems with it previously and I do live in a warm climate. I could try and boost it but where it is parked it is extremely difficult to get another car near it. *Just tried to start it again with no lights. I got no response. I'll post again when I manage to get it boosted, until then any idea about what is happening with that loose wire? Thank you so much for your help. I will try my best to get it jumped and get a new battery in it asap! Edited March 29, 2014 by whimsicaldalliance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted March 29, 2014 Report Share Posted March 29, 2014 (edited) Do you have a service like AAA or emergency road service thru your insurance? No clue on availability of these things in Canada. I am sure long booster cables are available though, unless you are parked in a 3-sided corner of a parking garage. I have seen 20' long cables listed for local pickup in auto stores. You could ask them for help also, see if they will help you with a loaner jumpstarter? BTW, getting more than 3 years out of a car battery nowadays is a miracle due to the demands put on them by modern electronics. Edited March 29, 2014 by WWWPerfA_ZN0W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ls973800 Posted March 29, 2014 Report Share Posted March 29, 2014 Looking at the way that wire is taped to the vent pipe, I don't believe that is a factory run wire. It looks like someone added it at some later date. The tape is different and looks newer than the electrical tape the factory uses. Also, I have never seen a wire run over a metal pipe or rubber hose like that from the factory unless it was also in a plastic cable protector (I can't think of what those are called, plastic cover with a slit in them to put the wire inside). Can you tell where the other end of the wire goes? Do you have an aftermarket alarm or anti-theft system? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CARR142 Posted March 29, 2014 Report Share Posted March 29, 2014 (I can't think of what those are called, plastic cover with a slit in them to put the wire inside). Wire loom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ls973800 Posted March 29, 2014 Report Share Posted March 29, 2014 Yes, thank you! I even concentrated on the ones shown in his pictures and couldn't come up with the proper name! Oh well, birthday this Monday and getting ICRS syndrome. (I can't remember shi$%) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted March 30, 2014 Report Share Posted March 30, 2014 Don't overlook the simplest explanation. I think your battery is toast. Also - you should buy a jumpstarter - they're relatively inexpensive and you don't need another car or jumper cables and it doesn't matter where you park. Just charge it and keep it in the vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ls973800 Posted March 30, 2014 Report Share Posted March 30, 2014 I'll agree with having the battery checked out and replaced if needed. My F150 acted fine one day, parked and went into the store. When I came out, the gauges were pegged, there was a relay clicking from behind the dash, all kinds of weird things. Lights came on no problem, but the truck would not crank at all. The battery went dead that quickly! Replaced it and no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whimsicaldalliance Posted March 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2014 Thank you everyone! I'll look at getting a jump starter for it. As for the cable, I do have a security system but the wire gets lost without too much digging so I suppose that could be it? If I get it up and going I'll get the battery checked and maybe replaced if need be. It is a bit old so I can see it being out after what you've said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted March 30, 2014 Report Share Posted March 30, 2014 Sometimes a bad battery will test ok. They're only $100 at Advance Auto Parts (installed). If it were me I'd just replace it to be safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted March 30, 2014 Report Share Posted March 30, 2014 The battery went dead that quickly! Just so you understand what happened - it didn't just die that quickly. Batteries get weak over time. When you crank the car you drain the battery. As it runs it recharges. When it's new you have plenty of reserve capacity so it's not an issue. As it drops over time it loses that reserve capacity so one day you crank it and if you don't run it more than a few minutes it doesn't recharge enough and then it won't start. A bad charging system (alternator) can also cause it to die but nowadays that seems to be rare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PartsPaul Posted March 30, 2014 Report Share Posted March 30, 2014 I see a couple of issues that need to be addressed. First the negative battery terminal looks to have copious amounts of corrosion on it. I can't see the positive terminal as it's under the protective cover but I'd guess it looks just as nasty. The corrosion affects the connection between the car and the battery, not a good scenario. Second, in northern climates batteries rarely see the end of the warranty period. Four years may be all you'll get out of it. And have you checked the water level in the battery? I'd bet its low too. That will shorten the life and the ability for it to keep a charge. Third, I see lots of nut shells laying in the lower intake manifold, under that stainless steel fuel rail. You have got a rodent problem. Small furry creatures seem to be attracted to our cars. The plastic insulation on the wiring seems to be a draw for them. They nibble away until they are full and then your car won't start. Find out what the locals are using to keep them at bay. As for the errant wire, I don't know about that. But it should be connected to something, Ford doesn't put extras on like that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordService Posted March 31, 2014 Report Share Posted March 31, 2014 I had an oil change a few months ago and had no issues. Car consistently starts well and I have had no troubles until now. Interior lights come on. Engine won't turn over. Looked at the engine and noticed a loose wire but by no means understand anything. Could this be the issue? If so, how do I fix it? Attached are pictures of the engine as well as the loose wire. If needed I have a video of the engine attempting to start. Thanks in advance for any help! Have you been to your dealer for this concern, whimsicaldalliance? I recommend scheduling an appointment. In addition, you may contact the Ford Canada Customer Relationship Centre at 1-800-565-3673. Todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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