windstar won't start - sometimes

[thomastidewater]

12Ounce, Thanks very much. I'll take your advice and throw a new fuel pump relay in her. That will be a cheap and easy bit of preventive maintenance before the snow flies... could even spare me some super-cold grief this winter. Heck, it might even work! My old Windstar is such a mess, but the drivetrain so far has proven bullet proof... even the notorious transmission still shifts like new. The old gal just won't die. I'll try it, drive it awhile to see if I suffer any further mis-starts, and post back with the results. Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

[serge_saati]

I agree with 12Ounce, it could be the circuit that power the fuel pump. Maybe the fuse box circuit board is cracked Inside but I doubt. Try also to push on the fuse and relay in the power fuse box and remove the pump relay and put it back, it could help if it's the board. Or swap relay with horn if the problem is the relay.

And puting in neutral wil not affect the fuel pump, only the starter, so not useful in your case.

[scubacat]

Have you changed the fuel filter in the past couple of years? That's often overlooked and could cause a drop in fuel pressure. If it's been a while, I'd throw in a new one just to rule that out.

[thomastidewater]

Thanks everybody for taking the time to post your thoughts and advice, for which I'm truly appreciative. I replaced the fuel pump relay, hoping for a quick, cheap, and easy fix. Unfortunately, my old Windstar had some thoughts to post on the matter as well, and yesterday she voiced her opinion loud and clear in the form of a total fuel pump failure, in a cramped and busy grocery store parking lot during rush hour no less. So I thought "did the new relay fry already?" So, I tried putting the old one back in, and still no luck. Dang it, Ford, my ice cream's melting! (Well, in her defense, it wasn't like she hadn't given me plenty of warning that this was coming. I guess I just need to listen to her better). Then the old rustbucket gave me some sage advice... "call a tow truck". So I took her advice. And now, one new fuel pump and fuel filter later, and with my wallet now being much easier to sit on, she's back to purring like a kitten and ready for a fresh new winter of Minnesota road salt. It looks like I'm now stuck with the rusty old gal for another several years (sigh). Thanks, Ford... she truly is the gift that keeps on giving.

[serge_saati]

I'm glad your van is fixed. You were right, it was the fuel pump. It was getting old and weak. I know these parts are expensive when they're new and break sometime.