2001 Mustang Won't Start
 

Parked the car about 3 weeks ago, went back out to start it, to drive it around, keep the oils moving...

Turn the key, it makes one "click", no turn over of engine. It sounds like it is coming from the engine, and then nothing. If I re-try the key again, by turning it back to off, then back on, I get no click. If I come back a long time later and try again, I'll get the one click again.

Car unlocks just fine, using the remote entry.
Dummy lights all light up when first turning ignition switch.
I Can turn wheel
Tried starting in Neutral and Park
Horn, Radio, Lights, Blower, power windows all work fine.

New Battery 4 months ago, reading 12.65 volts
New Alternator 2 months ago.

Before I jack this sucker up and replace the starter, and thoughts on the following:
How to test the starter relay.
Any fuses that may be blown that I should look at?
How do I know if maybe the PATS isn't working (not sure what the symptoms are to try and start a Mustang with the PATS not working)

Anything else?

Thanks!

Dread battery or loose battery cable.

You probly have a loose or corroded ground from the battery to the engine block. Could also be a bad connection of the large 12v supply at the starter.

If the pats is preventing cranking you wouldn't get the click you hear in the engine bay and the security light would flash continuously when the key is on. I am also fairly certain the Pats disables cranking and the fuel pump, so you wouldn't hear the fuel pump prim with the key turned to the on position .

Thanks for the replies.

Dead Battery....
I will double check the battery, but as I noted, I did check it, and it has 12.65 volts, the horn will sound, the blower fan run, the headlights turn on, windows go up/down... all at the same time....and the battery is just a few months old, and the alternator is newer... so my guess is that the battery isn't the issue.

Loose Battery cables...
They are tight as heck at the terminals.. I cleaned them up nicely when I changed out the battery, but will check at their other termination points.

Loose/Coroded Battery cable to engine body..
So, in addition to checking the cable that is running from batt/engine, or to the starter, can I use one side of my jumper cables and run from negative to engine block, just to ensure the negative is grounded properly?

12V supply at the starter
Is that the +12V?

PATS
Does the Pats prevent cranking on a mustang, or does it just stop the fuel pump. how exactly does the alarm light supposed to flash or not flash, when the pats isn't engaged and one is going to start the car?

Not sure if I hear the fuel pump or not.. don't recall ever hearing the fuel pump on the mustang. My pathfinder, the fuel pump noise is heard every time.. not on the mustang that I can recall.

I'll give these items a shot tonight.. any more thoughts or replies to my reply are welcomed.

Thanks!

One sure way to see if its the battery is turn the headlights on and try to crank it. They will dim to almost nothing.

Yeah but it's gotta be able to crank first lol.

My 04 had this same problem. All my cables were tight but somehow had built up a thin layer of corrosion between the negative cable and negative post and was giving a weak connection. Pulled it, cleaned it, made sure it was nice and tight. Haven't had a problem since.

Have you tried to jump it? if it jumps, its a battery issue. If not, then check the connections and such (corrosion, loose, etc). Are you taking the voltage (12.65) reading just sitting there or when you try to 'crank' it? Bad batteries can sometimes hold ok voltage. When you go to crank though they will drop to almost nothing. Bad cells.

Tried jumping, same issue... nothing happens.

I haven't check the voltage while cranking (since it doesn't crank), but can give it a shot and see what happens. I hope it is the battery, as that's still under warranty. :-)

In the old days, it was easy.. if it didn't crank, it was likely your starter or starter solenoid, not a fuse, relay, PCM, PATS, Key, etc.

Well if you tried jumping it correctly with no help then theres a connection somewhere. Possibly the car ground. No idea why this would happen sitting there unless rats chewed it.

When you turn the key to the on position, can you hear the fuel pump turn on for a couple seconds? If not, then the problem is likely somewhere in the ignition circuit. If you can, then try swapping the fuel pump relay with the starter relay and see if the problem reproduces. If not, then the relay is bad. If it does reproduce then there are a couple different directions you can go, but it all depends on if you know how to read the circuit diagram on the side of the relay and how to use a multi-meter… Let me know and i can walk you through jumping the starter relay to know if it really is a problem with the starter or the starter circuit or a problem with the ignition circuit.