2019 Ford Fiesta SE starting problems

[cacates2022]

Hello all,
My Fiesta first had a starting issue when I left it at the airport in Phoenix AZ in November for 2 weeks, came back and it wouldn't start. I jump started it then and it worked fine after that. I had the battery and alternator checked a few days later and was told both were fine. I had the same issue after bringing it home from an oil/ filter change in early January, jump started it and had inspected again, no issues. I just moved up to Salt Lake City, UT and it's much colder here. It ran and started fine for the first week here, but now it's repeating the same issues from last time.
It clicks and the dash light flicker fast, but no start. Any ideas? I'm willing to try anything.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Handy Andy]

Auto or Manual Transmission?

Refer to "In" Park versus Clutch Pedal all the way down...

Push to Start or Key?

 

[scotman]

I would be getting the battery load tested. The original equipment battery is only just adequate. There also may be a parasitic drain in either the entertainment or anti theft system. They never really totally "shut down", they just "go dark".

 

[cacates2022]

Auto or Manual Transmission?

Refer to "In" Park versus Clutch Pedal all the way down...

Push to Start or Key?

It's automatic with a key to start

 

[cacates2022]

I would be getting the battery load tested. The original equipment battery is only just adequate. There also may be a parasitic drain in either the entertainment or anti theft system. They never really totally "shut down", they just "go dark".

any thoughts about a relay/ fuse?

 

[Handy Andy]

There are several things to prevent starting of the car - and then to simply "jump start" tells me something "brought the battery back".

Let's look at this from a checklist of "If I were an Electron"

Obviously, wires provide the easiest path for power (the electron) to flow, but once they get somewhere, they need a means to provide work.

That means two things, a connection to the device - and the device itself to do the work.

So, if you can supply power all the time, the circuit is complete, and the Electron can fulfill its duties to provide work.

Back to the issue of "Starting".

The battery has two terminals - one ground for the Electron - the one terminal as a Positive for the electron to go "to" - but in order to do that, it has to complete a circuit thru a wire - the device - and have a means to return home. This means connections.

Your Battery has the red terminal block with a cover for the post of the battery and has an "adapter" that uses a bolt to tie it to the wiring harness - a connection - both the vehicles need for electrical power and the way the vehicles recharges power - thru an Alternator use this block - they keep the two separated, so the Alternator has the lowest - least path of resistance for those Electrons to do their job. to get back to the Positive terminal - at that same time - they also feed into the connection going to the vehicle to help power it's needs.

​

Since you can jump start and everything seems to work, tells me you have a problem with that red post cover - it uses the (EDIT INTerminal BOLT to connect the Terminal block which has the Alternator and Starter cable to the Battery Post (like an adapter) together - bolting both to tie it to the battery post and also to feed power from it to the vehicle - even when the engine is not running - start there and look for loose or even corroded connections at the RED post and also do the same for the Battery Negative post.

It is my fear, something has come loose in the above system

 

[cacates2022]

There are several things to prevent starting of the car - and then to simply "jump start" tells me something "brought the battery back".

Let's look at this from a checklist of "If I were an Electron"

Obviously, wires provide the easiest path for power (the electron) to flow, but once they get somewhere, they need a means to provide work.

That means two things, a connection to the device - and the device itself to do the work.

So, if you can supply power all the time, the circuit is complete, and the Electron can fulfill its duties to provide work.

Back to the issue of "Starting".

The battery has two terminals - one ground for the Electron - the one terminal as a Positive for the electron to go "to" - but in order to do that, it has to complete a circuit thru a wire - the device - and have a means to return home. This means connections.

Your Battery has the red terminal block with a cover for the post of the battery and has an "adapter" that uses a bolt to tie it to the wiring harness - a connection - both the vehicles need for electrical power and the way the vehicles recharges power - thru an Alternator use this block - they keep the two separated, so the Alternator has the lowest - least path of resistance for those Electrons to do their job. to get back to the Positive terminal - at that same time - they also feed into the connection going to the vehicle to help power it's needs.

View attachment 6126
View attachment 6129
View attachment 6127
View attachment 6128​

Since you can jump start and everything seems to work, tells me you have a problem with that red post cover - it uses the both to tie it to the battery post and also to feed power from it to the vehicle - even when the engine is not running - start there and look for loose or even corroded connections at the RED post and also do the same for the Battery Negative post.

It is my fear, something has come loose in the above system

Thanks Andy, I'll check these things out tomorrow and let you know if I'm successful.

 

[cacates2022]

There are several things to prevent starting of the car - and then to simply "jump start" tells me something "brought the battery back".

Let's look at this from a checklist of "If I were an Electron"

Obviously, wires provide the easiest path for power (the electron) to flow, but once they get somewhere, they need a means to provide work.

That means two things, a connection to the device - and the device itself to do the work.

So, if you can supply power all the time, the circuit is complete, and the Electron can fulfill its duties to provide work.

Back to the issue of "Starting".

The battery has two terminals - one ground for the Electron - the one terminal as a Positive for the electron to go "to" - but in order to do that, it has to complete a circuit thru a wire - the device - and have a means to return home. This means connections.

Your Battery has the red terminal block with a cover for the post of the battery and has an "adapter" that uses a bolt to tie it to the wiring harness - a connection - both the vehicles need for electrical power and the way the vehicles recharges power - thru an Alternator use this block - they keep the two separated, so the Alternator has the lowest - least path of resistance for those Electrons to do their job. to get back to the Positive terminal - at that same time - they also feed into the connection going to the vehicle to help power it's needs.

View attachment 6126
View attachment 6129
View attachment 6127
View attachment 6128​

Since you can jump start and everything seems to work, tells me you have a problem with that red post cover - it uses the both to tie it to the battery post and also to feed power from it to the vehicle - even when the engine is not running - start there and look for loose or even corroded connections at the RED post and also do the same for the Battery Negative post.

It is my fear, something has come loose in the above system

I looked at the above as you mentioned and checked terminals. Then jump started it and drove it for about 30-40 minutes. Shut it off a few times and restarted with no issues. I will check it again shortly.

 

[Handy Andy]

A simple 1/4" ratchet with a couple of deep-well metric sockets like 10mm 11mm 12mm and 13mm really help with this.

Those fuses are fusible links - you can also see where there are several push-in terminal clips and bolts on the terminal block for various systems and like mine - ability to add on an extra wire (or two) for circuits and devices using the lugs on that block for the power access point.