2002 windstar starting problems

For the past couple month i randomly have trouble starting my windstar. when i put the key in and turn it i just get clicking. The dash lights up and the lights and radio come on but it just keeps clicking.

Every time it happens im able to start it with a jump from another car. Its been getting harder to jump though as this last time i couldnt get it to jump at all and had to have AAA come out and give it a jump.

I have a new diehard battery that i have had tested and came out fine. i had the alternator tested and it passed. So the next thing i did was check all fuses under the hood and in the interior by hooking it up to a multimeter. All the fuses under the hood are good but on the interior i have no power to fuses
#19- Starter interrupt relay (coil)
#22- Heated mirrors
#25- Radio antitheft

None of these fuses are blown and ive replaced all three but no luck. I think i've narrowed the starting problems down to this but am not sure where to go from here. Any suggestion would be helpful.

Good that you have a voltmeter. With the voltmeter and the wiring diagram ... and perhaps a helper to twist the key ... you can find any thing keeping you from starting.

Look for a $100 diagram book at such as Books4Cars, or the like ... for your exact model. Money well spent!

Remember that some circuits are only live when you have the key in the run/on position.
Also check the voltage at the battery terminals with the engine not running, then with the engine running.....If your battery is loosing charge, you could have a bad alternator.....or (hopefully not) a bad NEW battery.
Verify that the connections at the battery and starter are good.

I'd test that you're getting power at the starter terminals when the key is turned and work backwards from there. Of course, if the charge is good at the terminals, it's probably a bad starter.

Remember that some circuits are only live when you have the key in the run/on position.
Also check the voltage at the battery terminals with the engine not running, then with the engine running.....If your battery is loosing charge, you could have a bad alternator.....or (hopefully not) a bad NEW battery.
Verify that the connections at the battery and starter are good.

your right, i retested the inside fusing after realizing i should have been testing it while i was cranking it. so i do have power at the starter fuse. I've also tested that the starter is getting power at its terminals. I'm having the hardest time pinpointing the problem because it happens intermittently.

Sounds like a burning/dirty relay contact ... continuity varies with coil strength/voltage "at the moment".

It could still be a bad starter. Did you ever replace it with a rebuilt one? I did that on my other car (camry) and about every 10-20 times or so, it would randomly seize up and not start unless I tapped it while someone else turned the key. I guess it was just a bad rebuild; probably not machined evenly. I swapped it under warranty and the new one has been fine for 3 years and counting.

You might also want to pull off the starter and see if the teeth look bad. It could just not be catching the flywheel very well. I haven't personally seen this on a windstar, but it could happen. Also, if it were replaced and someone didn't put the shim back in, it might not be in the right position which could also cause it to not grab the flywheel very securely.

Finally, you could just try a new starter. The solenoid does just wear out sometimes.

It could still be a bad starter. Did you ever replace it with a rebuilt one? I did that on my other car (camry) and about every 10-20 times or so, it would randomly seize up and not start unless I tapped it while someone else turned the key. I guess it was just a bad rebuild; probably not machined evenly. I swapped it under warranty and the new one has been fine for 3 years and counting.

You might also want to pull off the starter and see if the teeth look bad. It could just not be catching the flywheel very well. I haven't personally seen this on a windstar, but it could happen. Also, if it were replaced and someone didn't put the shim back in, it might not be in the right position which could also cause it to not grab the flywheel very securely.

Finally, you could just try a new starter. The solenoid does just wear out sometimes.

Thanks for the info. I haven't replaced the started on this one yet its still the original. I guess ill probably just go ahead and take it off and take it to the local autozone and make sure its still good and go from there.

You could also install a somewhat-permanent jumper conductor ... permanently attached to the starter solenoid ... and the other end, bared of insulation for about 1/2", and located near the battery, available to be pressed against the positive terminal when ignition is "on" and tranny in P or N.

I like to have such a jumper in place when I am on long vacation trips ... or in bad weather and don't want to fool around when getting started. There are a lot of relays and such to prevent the starter from doing its job ... the jumper goes around all of it ... but be careful when using!

well if you say that the starter its receiving current, it should be the starter as all has say.


have you checked out its terminals, they may be full of dirt, the starter is in front of the engine, the terminals are under a red plastic cover.


also if you want you could give the starter a little maintance, is not a rebuild but it works, i have do it in my other car because it was making strange noises, and in the windstar i make it because i have the starter already out of the engine, so i just take the chance.

the procedure its very easy, open the rear cover, separate the two pieces, remove the rear flat cover ant themn the rotor, gears and everything, then you could clean the gears and mecanical things with solvent , and in the rotor, you could clean it with electronic contact cleaner. Finally you put grease in almost everything and then rebuild it form reverse of unbuilding it.


its easy and you only need BAT3 high temeperature grease, or bearing grease, and well the solvent for cleaning, for removing the starter a 1/2 inch spanner and i dont remember the other meassures but i think they wer 8mm and for the bigger one i use a universal adaptable spanner