91' escort just up and quit on me!!!

[Yaundastandme]

My 91' Ford Escort just up and quit one day!!

I went to start it and it wont even turn over...
u hear a real faint click(one click)
all the lights and stuff work
I tried charging the battery...
I tried jumping it ....
checked the fuel cut off...
yeayeayea!!

So could it be the starter??(no previous starting issues)

My uncle told me it was the NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH

only thing is I cant find it!

now its been there since august!!!

probably all seized up by now!!

PLEASE HELP UR GURL OUT HERE!!!!
ANY SUGGESTIONS WHAT SOEVER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!

[jeffescortlx]

If your hearing a click, than it may not be the neutral switch or ignition key, it could be the starter. But some times just a corated battery post terminal can do what your saying.

[DJ 05]

ive heard that on the escorts there a computer chip that goes out every 3000 miles and causes problems but this doesnt sound like that would be it. most cars that have that clicking sound , its usually the starter that causes it.

[danmdevries]

I just experienced a similar problem. I went back to my car after letting it sit for about 3 hrs, turned the key, got one crank in and it stopped. Now I had just driven 180 miles with 4 people in the car, we all weigh 200-280 lbs, so I was praying it wasn't major from overloading the drivetrain. But the symptoms didn't match anything wrong with that. After it died, I heard a clicking underneath the dash near the fuse panel. I assumed something must have shorted out and there was a circuit breaker down there. I spent about an hour and a half, checked fuses, checked everything, as I had no power. The battery had almost no visible corrosion, so I didn't even bother checking that. But we jumped it anyways. Once jumped, the car started, stayed running, but as soon as I would hit the lights, open the door, crack a window, hit the brake, turn on the blower/radio... anything... the car would die again. We jumped it three times before I finally just said screw it. I had a friend drive out and pick us up, as it was about 530am and we were all tired. The next day, since the car was 180 miles away, I went to a junkyard and spent every last penny I had on getting a starter, all the electronics that go along with the starter (that i could fit in the toolbox) an alternator and a battery. My buddy's car has a large soundsystem with 3 batteries, so he shut off the amps and hooked my J/Y batt up to it to get it charged. We got back out by my car, just for the hell of it decided to jump it one last time. It started, but once again, I opened the door and it died. So then I proceeded to ask myself why in the hell I bought a starter for 12 bucks when obviously it was fine. So we jumped it again. This time I noticed something. I hooked up the pos clamp on the battery, and the interior light would turn on in my car. This is without connction to the other battery.... (ding ding ding!!! Bad connection on the battery!) So I removed the clamps on the posts, and sure enough, there wasn't much corrosion visible underneath/around the posts, but underneath the terminal rings, there was ALOT.. Since I was out of money, as were my friends, we couldn't get a wire brush, or any vinegar or anythign to get the corrosion off. We were riding on a spare in my friend's car, and i remembered he had told me he picked up a screw in his tire the day earlier. Took a pliers, removed the screw, used that to "grind' the terminals and the rings, clamped em back on, started the car, drove home. So now I have $65 in extra junkyard parts sitting in a box in my trunk, but the car runs. Check corrosion on the battery, but it sounds like a starter with the clicking, but you said the jumping didn't work, so I don't know.

[mechy1barry]

have a friend turn the key and bang the starter with something heavy a couple of times, if it then turns over,its the starter.otherwise remove and test.

[lepromatous]

Same thing happend to my Escort. It was the Park/Neutral Safety switch.. put the car in Neutral and try to start it.. if it starts.. there is your problem. I had a buddy fix it for me, so i cant answer where it is. the part is about 125 bucks, but all that was wrong was an O ring.. they rigged up a ring for me and it has worked fine for over 60,000 miles so far..

[need4speed420]

well, i've worked on my escort a couple times and i blew a 100 amp fuse in my engine compartment, so i replaced it, and the bolt were snug then, but then my belt broke after that, so i towed it home, and i tried to start it after fixing it, and all i heard was a click, when it did run, it wouldn't rev up very well, i checked the fuse i put in and it was ploose again, i tightened it up and the car never did it again........ look at the fuses under the hood make sure there all in good....

[samuraispawn]

I have kind of the same problem, but my car sounds like it's gonna start, but doesn't. there is a "gas cut-out" light that comes on when I try to start it. any help would be appreciated. thanks.