Gremlin need help!!

[03redrocket]

I drove the car today for about 25miles, when I got home I stalled the car on the drive way. When I went to start the car it would not start infact it would not even turn over. Nothing no lights no horn nothing!!! I opened the hood all looked well but no power at all. Then a moment later I hit the key fob a couple of times and then the door locks worked. So I got in the car and it started right up?? Any ideas??

Julian

 

[Black Talon]

I drove the car today for about 25miles, when I got home I stalled the car on the drive way. When I went to start the car it would not start infact it would not even turn over. Nothing no lights no horn nothing!!! I opened the hood all looked well but no power at all. Then a moment later I hit the key fob a couple of times and then the door locks worked. So I got in the car and it started right up?? Any ideas??

Julian

Is this a Cobra R?

 

[03redrocket]

Yes???

 

[Philcsag1]

I do not think this is a Cobra R specific problem, but when posting tell us your Model year, sometimes there are items specific to each model.

Check your battery cables.

Both Positive and negative at the battery.

I seen this happen on many vehicles, the negative battery cable is loose or not making electrical connection either the battery or engine, and you end up with a bad ground connection.

 

[wheelhopper]

When I first got my '95R, it started and ran fine at the sellers place. I towed it home. when I went to unload it, it started fine. I backed it off the trailer, put it in first, then everything just shut down. The electric would work, and I am not sure if the motor would turn over or not.

I traced nearly the whole damn electric system looking for something. It turned out that my distributor module went bad. Even though it had only 7K miles on it. I replaced it with one from Auto Zone and life was good again. Not sure if that could be your problem since you did not state the year. I think this would only apply to the '93 and '95.

 

[03redrocket]

Sorry about that it is a 00R, I will check the cables at both ends to see if they are loose. It was just really weird how it had no power at all and then in a couple a minutes without touching anything it had power?

Thanks for the help

Julian

 

[cobra186]

Sorry about that it is a 00R, I will check the cables at both ends to see if they are loose. It was just really weird how it had no power at all and then in a couple a minutes without touching anything it had power?

Thanks for the help

Julian

I have heard of several and had a friends '00R do this and it turned out to be a bad connection at the power distribution box..... the battery cable runs over to a stud on the side of the box. The nut on it was not tight causing a bad connection. On my friends '00R (that he bought new) the nut was actually cross threaded on the stud and therefore would not tighten down all the way on the cable.

 

[Robert M]

I drove the car today for about 25miles, when I got home I stalled the car on the drive way. When I went to start the car it would not start infact it would not even turn over. Nothing no lights no horn nothing!!! I opened the hood all looked well but no power at all. Then a moment later I hit the key fob a couple of times and then the door locks worked. So I got in the car and it started right up?? Any ideas??

Julian

Does it still have its original MOTORCRAFT assy. line battery? Last year my original 95R battery shorted internally and did the same thing at 12 years old, except for the fob and door locks of course.

"Luckily" I had another original assy. line MOTORCRAFT battery from one of my 95 2-Tops that had, up until that point, been on a battery tender since 1995. I put it in and it is starting the 95R now, almost 14 years old and still starting a car, WOW!! Battery Tenders are GREAT!!

R

 

[03redrocket]

Thanks I will check the connection and yes it is the original battery. So if the connection is good I guess it is a new battery. Can you get the same one as new and where??

Julian

 

[Robert M]

Thanks I will check the connection and yes it is the original battery. So if the connection is good I guess it is a new battery. Can you get the same one as new and where??

Julian

Julian - I do not remember if the 00R assy. line battery is like the replacement or not. The 93R and 95R Motorcraft replacement battery is different from what Ford puts in the car on the assy. line. Either way, the 00R has a heat shield/blanket around the battery. I personally would order a Motorcraft replacement from Ford parts and put in the car, but that is just me. Use your original battery number for a correct cross reference. It will be interesting to see if the replacement battery is of the same dimensions to use the heat shield blanket as Ford/SVT felt was needed in this application.

R

 

[03redrocket]

Thanks I will order the battery just to be safe, after all the old one is eight years old.

You guys are awesome thanks again for all the help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Julian

 

[TcM-668]

Check and see if you have a chip on the Computer. I had a chip to adjust mine for the Bassani Catback, etc and mine did the same thing.

Pulled the chip and all is well. Turns out that either mine was not making a good connection, or does not like the external chip.

Either way, its outta here and all is well.....

 

[03redrocket]

Where is the chip located?? Also does the ground connect under the car?? I could not find the post you guys were talking about.

Julian

 

[Philcsag1]

Stay Focused

Julian

The ground cable from the battery is bolted to the engine block.

The Positive terminal stud that was referred to is on the exterior of the under hood fuse box

Follow the precautions listed below if you need to tighten this.

Also clean the battery cable connections, at the battery, especially if you see any whitish built up on the cables

And this is IMPORTANT!!!

Disconnect the Negative cable from the battery first, and leave it disconnected.

Then remove the Positive, clean it an then reinstall it.

Now clean the Negative and re connect it.

Following these instructions will prevent you to cause a short if the wrenches hit a body part when working on positive cable.

 

[Cobra R Man]

Julian

The ground cable from the battery is bolted to the engine block.

The Positive terminal stud that was referred to is on the exterior of the under hood fuse box

Follow the precautions listed below if you need to tighten this.

Also clean the battery cable connections, at the battery, especially if you see any whitish built up on the cables

And this is IMPORTANT!!!

Disconnect the Negative cable from the battery first, and leave it disconnected.

Then remove the Positive, clean it an then reinstall it.

Now clean the Negative and re connect it.

Following these instructions will prevent you to cause a short if the wrenches hit a body part when working on positive cable.

Very well stated.

 

[03redrocket]

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I still feel its better to ask a dumb question than make a dumb mistake.

You guys are awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Cobra R Man]

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I still feel its better to ask a dumb question than make a dumb mistake.

You guys are awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No dumb questions here. :beer: