won't start, won't shift out of park

[fordfocus]

I have a 2001 focus and had my first problem with it today...I hope someone can help me. I tried to start my car after it had been parked only five minutes...then it wouldn't start, wouldn't turn over, nothing. I tried to have it jumpstarted multiple times and it wouldn't start. It also will not shift out of park...it is completely stuck. Someone suggested to me that the not starting could have something to do with it not shifting out of park, is this the problem??? Please help!!

[USD-Trinity]

are you sure that it is all the way in Park? and are you able to turn it over or get it into aux?

[fordfocus]

Thank you for responding....

I am not really sure if it is all the way in park. It won't turn over at all, when I turn the key it just makes a fast clicking noise. Any ideas??

[USD-Trinity]

have you had your battery checked out? If it's completely dead I don't think you would even be able to jump start it. Give that a go, maybe that will help.

[USD-Trinity]

Okay, here's another option. the clicking noise would be your solenoid working..and if that's working than you have battery power. you could have possibly overheated the engine, but if that happened then by now you should be able to start it back up because it would have had time to cool down. If that's what happened then you have a heating problem. That's the best I can do for ya.

[TFNC-Fury]

It could be that the spring inside the starter itself has broken.... so it cant engage the crank to turn the engine over.... that requires the starter to be replaced since i dont think you can open the starter and replace just the spring

As for the park issue i thought you had to have the car in park to turn the engine over (not totally sure since ive driven sticks all my life so far)

:EDIT: One little trick i learned with the starter is if you gently tap the housing with a hammer or handle of a screwdriver while trying to turn it over sometimes that taping will get the crank to engage and turn the engine over. Its worth a shot if your starter is accessible enough to access it without loosing an arm :P this is however a temporary remedy with each start up like this it will become harder and harder until the starter is just completely shot

Good luck and let us know what happens

[fordfocus]

Thanks alot for all your help!! It ended up just being a really dead battery. It wouldn't jumpstart even after being hooked charging for a half hour. I finally had the battery tested and put a new one in...and now it runs great!!