4.0L with manual trans 2011 Ranger Sport Ext. Cab 4-door wouldn't start after stalling on an uphill grade today. To be sure, I turned the key all the way off and all the dash lights came on as they should pre-start but turning the key to start made all the dash lights go out and nothing happens, no click, nothing, it's like dead. Luckily nobody was behind me so I popped the clutch in reverse and it started and didn't happened again but I was on level ground the other times I started it. I will do some more testing tomorrow to see if I can narrow down the cause and effect but in the meantime, I was wondering if anyone else has had this issue.

Or is there a sensor on the clutch or something that might be going bad?

 

No, its the battery cables, Positive or Negative

The only time a battery is needed is to start the engine, that's its only purpose
After startup all power comes from the alternator, that's why "bump start" worked, once alternator was spinning you had electrical power

Clean the battery terminals then leave them disconnected, follow each battery cable to where it is attached and clean that end

On a 2011 you may have a MEGA fuse on the outside of engine fuse box, clean its terminals as well

 

It's not the battery as I stated it started the rest of the day no problem but I was on flat ground.

 

This symptom means Battery cable connection...................and that is all it can mean, there is no sensor, no circuit that can effect starting system this way except battery cables, battery is the only source of power when engine is off, and your power is going OFF when you try to draw 60+ AMPS from the battery for the starter motor

The uphill thing is a non-issue, IMO, maybe having your foot on the brakes(brake lights on) causes the extra AMP draw thats causing the battery cable connection to heat up and fail


The uphill connection is like having a flat tire when it rains, "I have had 2 flat tires but only when it was raining, so rain is causing the flat tires, why?"
There is no connection, as humans we try to assign connections to things, just our nature, this is where superstitions come from, lol

 

My battery is fine and the terminals are tight with fairly new cables ~ I know where you're coming from though because I have had battery issues before and like you say can cause a myriad of problems. I actually had it at the dealer yesterday for an airbag recall and they tested the battery and said it was fine. I asked them about what happened but service managers these days don't know jack about cars or trucks like they used to and he said he'd ask someone but when it was done, he said that they were too busy to ask the question, lol so here I am.
Here's the point I think you're missing, try starting a manual transmission with the clutch pedal untouched or not all the way to the floor, nothing happens. Manual transmission Rangers will not start without the clutch in and that is basically what I experienced. It has started at least 20 times since then with no problem; one time it did the timing pop thing because I gave it gas too soon and it took a few cranks to get things going right and started right up. There has to be a sensor of some sort that signals that the clutch pedal is down and that's what I'm trying to figure out. I have been working on my cars for 53 years and Rangers since 88 and I know it is not the battery.
I really appreciate your input and time.

 

No not the battery, the battery cables, there are two ends, battery terminal end and the "other end", the other end is what you need to check.

The clutch switch is on the clutch pedals pushrod under the dash, drawing here: https://www.justanswer.com/uploads/t...tch_switch.gif

This switch usually has 6 wires, for starter motor activation pins 5 and 6 on the switch are connected when pedal is down all the way, in 2011 this would GROUND pin 33 on the PCM, and starter relay would activate/close if PCM pin 7 was also getting 12v from key in START position

This switch can't effect dash lights, and that's the reason I keep harping on about the battery connection to the vehicle, its the only thing the dash lights and starter have in common.


Turn on head lights and try to start engine, that should push a bad connection over the edge, lol.

 

May be the ignition switch.

 

Thanks for the narrowing down!