Hello,

I have a 2003 Ford Ranger regular cab with a 3.0 and 5 speed manual.

About two months ago the truck started having this issue. It's a little difficult to describe so I will try to break it down and make it easy to understand.


open the door and all lights/tones come on like normal

sit down in the truck and insert key and begin to turn ignition. As the key rotates through the run position, everything is normal.. ie gauges turn on, lights function, etc

Once the key rotates to the starting position, the starter begins to engage and then the truck loses all power.. No radio, gauges, etc.

If you leave the key in the ignition, nothing happens. If you remove the key there is a relay or somethig that starts clicking like crazy.

Even if you wait 10-15 minutes it still won't start. However, if you disconnect and reconnect the B- cable it will immedietely start up and run just like there weren't any issues.


No work has been recently done. Battery tested a-ok. Issue is intermittent, it was happening once a week or so, and now it's happening every 2-3 days.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!

 

Welcome to the fiorum

Classic sign of bad battery cables or battery cable connection issues.

First follow the two GROUND cables from the battery to the engine and body, remove and clean those connections.

There will be TWO Positive battery cables, the larger one goes directly to starter motor, I would clean it at starter motor end but it isn't the issue.

Smaller cable runs to engine fuse box, you need to clean that connection, most likely it is the problem.


All electricity needs a connection to + and - both so electrons(power) can flow thru the device that needs power.
If you disconnect either the + or the - power stops flowing
AC or DC, yes AC has + and - they just Reverse polarity vary fast

And the power that can flow is based on the smallest wire or worst connection
If I have a + wire that can pass 100 amps but a - wire that can only pass 1 amp then 1 amp is the most that can pass, or visa versa, - and +
And that 1 amp connection will heat up and pass 0 amps if you try to pass more than 1 amp thru it

Starter motor needs 75 to 100amps to work, and that comes from the battery.
So if you have a failing connection that can only pass, say 30 amps, and try to run 75 amps thru it it will heat up and cut all power to 0 amps until it cools down
So when you turn the key to START:
the ignition switch sends 12volts FROM engine fuse box to starter relay,
starter relay sends 12volts from engine fuse box to starter motor Solenoid and starter motor is activated
75 amps is now being "requested" from the wiring
If a connection heats up, all power is lost, including the 12volts from starter relay so starter motor stops