Wouldn't turnover then started what's up

2000 Windstar wouldn't do nothin. Good battery. year old starter.
Drove all week end no problem. Today couldn't even get the radio or fan to run with the key on. Dome lights worked and only the air bag indicator worked in the counsel display. The "theft" light didn't blink.
When I turned the key all I heard was a mutted clunk some where in the bowels of the car.
This evening I was looking here for some ideas. Thought I'd try the neutral
position. As soon as I opened the door I knew it would start because
the "theft" was blinking again and I guessed right. Started up like nothing
ever happened. Anyone know what happened?
Could a trailer cause this.
I ask this because if I hook up the electric on trailers a tail light comes on after about a half hour of parking the car, in the instance above the trailer was not hooked up.
Is it something that got recorded?
Windstars seem to have wierd electrical things go on.
Thanks Jan

2000 Windstar wouldn't do nothin. Good battery. year old starter.
Drove all week end no problem. Today couldn't even get the radio or fan to run with the key on. Dome lights worked and only the air bag indicator worked in the counsel display. The "theft" light didn't blink.
When I turned the key all I heard was a mutted clunk some where in the bowels of the car.
This evening I was looking here for some ideas. Thought I'd try the neutral
position. As soon as I opened the door I knew it would start because
the "theft" was blinking again and I guessed right. Started up like nothing
ever happened. Anyone know what happened?
Could a trailer cause this.
I ask this because if I hook up the electric on trailers a tail light comes on after about a half hour of parking the car, in the instance above the trailer was not hooked up.
Is it something that got recorded?
Windstars seem to have wierd electrical things go on.
Thanks Jan
Looks like a discharged battery ( partly or almost totally). About the trailer, is it possible that the connexion is not done properly? For the 1999 and late Windstar models, All the rear light system, parking lamps, flasher, brake and back up lamps are controled by the REM ( rear electronic module). Positive current is always present to each lamps and the REM send negative to the bulbs when individual system are activated, brake, tail, flashers light etc.
You cannot connect a trailer without a special electronic adaptor for this system with positive always present on lamps. You have mentionned that the parking lamp came on after half an hour, maybe this is relate to the REM
who has partly drained the battery. Maybe the REM has resetted after a while but anyway be sure to see if the trailer connexion is done through this adaptor.

catvents, thx for the reply.
I promise the battery had plenty of juice. Dome lights were bright.
I am convinced it was/is in some part of the electronics.
Do you think this type of event gets recorded?
Jan

did you say that when you put it in neutral it started no problem? I'm not 100% clear on when the second start what gear you were in. If this is the case, I'd look at the TRS as it will go bad, particularly if you've had a dripping brake pressure switch, and it will stop the van from starting. On mine, the TRS was bad but it wouldn't start in N as well. I do know that sometimes the TRS will go bad and allow a N start though.

Piper

No ...ment to say started it in park. It's done it before.
It may not happen again for months. Would love to figure it out. It's like Russian roulette, 1 out of 400 to 800 starts .....bam!

the other thing could be a "flat spot" in the starter. I understand that it's pretty new but if a rebuilt one was put in, you never know. 1 trick to determine if the starter is the culprit is to carry a small hammer with you. When the van acts up again and won't start, give the starter a little tap with the hammer. This will often loosen it up a bit and make the contacts "contact".

Piper

Today couldn't even get the radio or fan to run with the key on. Dome lights worked and only the air bag indicator worked in the counsel display. The theft" light didn't blink. When I turned the key all I heard was a mutted clunk some where in the bowels of the car. This evening I was looking here for some ideas. Thought I'd try the neutral position. As soon as I opened the door I knew it would start because the "theft" was blinking again and I guessed right. Started up like nothing ever happened. Anyone know what happened?


The reason why Piper mentioned the TRS (Transmission Range Sensor/Neutral Safety Switch) is b/c you said that it started right up when you put it in Neutral. If this is true, then you might have a problem with your TRS b/c it is not recognizing that the transmission is in park and won't let you start the van.

Could a trailer cause this.
I ask this because if I hook up the electric on trailers a tail light comes on after about a half hour of parking the car, in the instance above the trailer was not hooked up.


If your trailer lights are not functioning properly, then I would disconnect it and figure out if you have the proper adapter. Just pulling a trailer does not make the van start to act funny. In fact, you can check this by removing the trailer and seeing if the van acts funny. If it doesn't, then you can attach the trailer but not the harness and again see if the van does anything funny electronically. If not, then your last test would be to attach the harness and if it acts funny, then you have isolated your problem to the electrical harness from your trailer.


Is it something that got recorded?
Windstars seem to have wierd electrical things go on.
Thanks Jan


If you mean the black box that all Windstars have, it might but it also might not. Normally, the recording is when the van is running. Your situation appears to be a problem before the car even starts and is not running so I would guess that it probably is not being recorded.

Again, your last comment, the Windstars like any other car normally will not have weird things going on unless something is broken. By your comment about your trailer lights, it tells me that something is amiss and my guess would be the trailer wiring harness. I would make sure that you have the proper adapter for your Windstar and that it is attached correctly to the Windstar also.