No Start

[jglen490]

We have a 97 Ranger, regular cab, 3.0, automatic. We've it for about half its life and it's been a great and reliable work horse. Yesterday tried to start it and - nothing! All the lights work, all the electronics are good, and the battery is about two weeks old. The day before it was working fine - started it and used it with no indications of a problem.

When we turn the key now, there are some relays clicking and the door chimes go through their routine, but nothing from the starter motor. So could it be ignition switch, starter relay, fuse/fusible link, or perhaps the starter motor itself?

 

[RonD]

On the starter motor Solenoid(on top of starter motor) there will be 2 wires, a larger one that comes from the battery's positive terminal, and a smaller wire that comes from the ignition switch, via the NSS(neutral safety switch) on the transmission.

Make sure transmission is in Park, and key is OFF or not in key slot
get a Jumper wire and hook it to Battery Positive terminal
Touch the other end of the jumper wire to the Small wire's terminal on starter Solenoid.
Starter should activate and start turning engine.
If not then starter/solenoid is bad

If engine turns then ignition switch or NSS is not working, solenoid is not getting the 12volts to activate motor.

It could be the shift cable is loose and when you shift into Park it is not going in far enough to Close the NSS switch.
Try starting in Neutral.
If it starts in Neutral but not in Park then shifter or cable is loose, common issue on Ford column shifters

 

[jglen490]

Thanks. Yeah, the cable is getting sloppy. We'll try the start in Neutral idea first, then probe for wiring issues as you suggested.

'Preciate it.

 

[RonD]

There are some youtube videos on repairing Ford column shifters.
Just google: ford ranger column shifter loose

All Ford trucks used same setup so any video will help ID your issue

 

[jglen490]

Thank you again. We did try a start in Neutral and that did work, so it is a shifter cable problem. Like I said, it is pretty sloppy. So onto the fix!

EDIT: Just looked at a couple of videos, the Chris Fix ones are pretty detailed and informative.