Starting system fault

I have been having the same on and off for a year. I take the car to the mecaninc but they haven't figured this out yet. I can hear the relays in the fuse box activate when I turn the key, but no electricity is reaching the starter S point. I am trying to find a diagram that can show me / trace the starting system to further diagnose. If I figure this out I will gladly post because ther's many owners that are experiencing the same headache.

It was my key the chip in my key fob went bad so I got another key made now I’m not having that problem anymore

I had the same problem with 2011 Edge and the mechanics ant my local shop couldn’t figure it out and referred me to the dealer. Then I saw the same error message listed above so I googled it and found this thread. Using our other key solved the issue for us too.

Mine was doing the same thing. And you would not believe what it was. We have a wireless charger that stays in the car (one that clips to a vent) If we pit a phone on the charger and then go to crank it, nothing. We get the starting system fault. Take the phone off the charger, it will crank every time. I hope this may help someone.

I have a 2013 Ford edge AWD limited with a 3.5l motor and when I try to start it there is a pop up on the display saying starting system fault. The lights, radio etc . work fine, when I try to start I don't hear any clicking other then the relays. I've tried a jump box and it worked a couple of times to get it started but as soon as you turn the motor off it will not start back up. I have installed a new battery, hooked up a diagnostic code reader(several times), no fault codes no pending codes and nothing in the pats system that I can see with my cheap tester. tested the alternator and all the relays under the hood and on the interior power distribution box. I bought a new battery for my key fob (this is not a push button start) I only have one key fob no back up. I took the starter/starter solenoid out(solenoid is built on top of the starter) and took it to advance Auto parts and they tested it. So everything I've tested at this point has been good. I reinstalled the starter and now I'm going to check every single fuse in the entire car, order new key fobs and have them programmed, erase all the codes from the pcm after letting the capasitors drain for about 10min. and hopefully I'll get this problem fixed but nothing I have tried has worked yet. I will come back to this post and let you guys know what the problem was. I'm not a licensed Ford mechanic but I've fixed several vehicles in the past. This is the first car I've owned that I cannot figure out. If anyone reading this knows the issue please let me know.

Ok I just got the Ford edge back from the shop. The problem was the key. The unlock button on key fob didn't work ( hasn't for awhile). Because of it not working and me changing the battery in the car one of the control modules went out. It's the control module that has the anti theft and transmitter, receiver on it. $50 part, $200 Ford key fob(key start) and $69 for a traditional key with no remote entey etc. If your having problems starting your ford edge or Lincoln MKZ TRY YOUR SPARE KEY and or have your existing keys programmed. Some have a compartment in the bottom of center console so you can reprogram your keys (look in your owner's manual to see if your vehicle has this function). But the car does start for now. I'll be shocked if it makes it through the summer with no problems. Going to sell it and buy gmc lol.

I'm so glad that I read this article about start system fault. My truck didn't start and I had to use my other key and it start out right up right away. I'm so glad that I didn't have to kick out no extra money for maintenance technician to the shop.

My 2013 was showing the same starting system fault and not starting. I unplugged my phone charger from the cigarette lighter and it started right up. So weird!

Omg this article just saved me so much money! My husband was on the phone with a tow truck when I googled the start system fault message. Got the other key and have not had any issues! God is Good!

This is crazy. never would have thought if you folks did not post this answer! disconnect my wireless charger works all the time, Thank you for posting this solution folks!!

I had the same thing. And used my spare and it works! Does anyone know what they did with the broken key? How much money?

I’m having the same issues with my 2013 Ford Edge. I drive the car to work It was completely fine. On my lunch break I turned the key and all the dash lights , radio, a/c , inside lights and door singers all come on but nothing from the motor. You can hear the relays clicking . I had someone jump my car off and it took about 30 minutes but the car did finally start. I drove it around for about 20 minutes to charge the battery then parked the car. I turned if on then immediately attempted to start it and it was right back to where it was before. We have not gotten it to start since. I’ve checked the relays , starter , fuses, bought a new battery , tried starting it in neutral & park , wiggled the key around ... up until this point I had been able to unlock and lock my doors with my key fob and the panic alarm works. Then the key fob stopped unlocking the doors so I decided to change the battery in the key fob. When I open the key fob there was water in it or some liquid inside it. I changed the battery and it started locking the doors again. They only message I’m getting is “starter system fault” . I put it on the diagnostic code reader and I got two codes battery level (which is why I got a new battery) and PATS (passive anti-theft system) ... I cleared the codes and the PATS one disappeared . Put in the new battery and still it won’t do anything more. I put my key in rice to try to dry it out overnight . Tried the key again and still nothing. I do not have my other key. The dealership said $400 for a new key and I needed to tow the car to them so they could program my car to read the new key. The locksmith said because there’s no anti-theft light Flashing on my dash that they didn’t think a new key would be the answer and it will be $200 to find out. Someone else mention a control module but said there are several and I’d need to know which one o needed. Or maybe it’s the ignition ... I am in a bind. My car is sitting at my work still not starting and I’ve spent $155 on a battery and $10 on key fob batteries. I don’t want to continue spending money to find out what it is not . Can anyone help? The fact that it started once since all this started for some reason has me confused too .. help please.

All I had to do was unplug the phone charger that was in the cigarette looking plug thing. When my car won’t start and that message pops up on my dash, I unplug the phone and it starts right up.

Lol. I was reading this thread about the charger, im sitting my car it kept displaying that message, i have a 2014 ford taurus unlimited. I cut the radio off my car crunk right up.

Today had the same issue with explorer, initially truned off raido & AC system then did the same brought the spare key still the same... then again read this thread and found about mobile chargers.. do the same but same.. later called up mechanic and all of sudden car fot start... Seems its resets system after removing charger...

The root cause is likely this: it's a broken fuse, intermittent voltage to BCM. If you run a BCE test, U3006. Pinpoint test BCM Supply circuits. Found mega fuse #9 broken, this has been causing intermittent voltage to BCM. Replace and retest, OK. Tech notes: PCM code P0420 received. Ford part number FMC cv6z 14526 CA - circuit breaker asy. The part cost 13.75. But total repair cost at the dealership was to 238.73. For me this issue was intermittent I brought it in and they did not correctly diagnose it the first time because when this part starts wearing out, sometimes they will miss it when running the code, so I ended up with a new alternator and a battery that I didn't need. The mechanic also told me that when this part goes other erratic behaviors can also occur with a vehicle. So I would highly recommend buying this similar part for your car I have a Ford Focus 2014 SE, the part is inexpensive, swap that part out first before you spend any money on anything else , I hope this post helps out a lot of people, because this is the kind of issue that can easily be misdiagnosed and people will just be throwing money at things that don't need to be fixed

I have a 2013 Ford Explorer XLT. I started getting the message starting system fault when my car wouldn't start. After 2 day's I found out it was the chip in my key. Got new keys now it's running again.

So I found this thread and it helped me so much! Long story short, car wouldn't start, the 'starting system failure' notification popped up and I had to get a tow home. I read this thread, and I do not have a spare key so I am getting one made ($245!). But it was the charger in the cigarette outlet! I pulled that out and the car started right up. My only concern is my engine light is on. Did anyone else have this issue? Is it something I should take in to be looked at, or is this normal for what happened?

I have a Ford Edge 2011 I had the same problem “starting system failure” I called a mechanic advice me to recharge the battery but it didn’t work I even brought another battery but still not. However the following morning my car started with no problem. Not to forget I had my phone connected to the car at the time of the problem!?

I have a 2014 Ford Edge. I went to turn it on and it did not start, didn’t even make the clicking noise when the battery dies. First we changed the key battery and that didn’t work. I turned off the radio and ac, also disconnected my phone charger from the middle compartment. We tried to charge the car battery, however that didn’t help. Then we had a mechanic look at the fuse box and the starter in the front of the car. Those two worked perfectly fine. The mechanic said it could be the key losing connection to the car which we had no idea how that happened. We called a smith lock and they said that the system wasn’t reading anything because the chip inside the key broke. He programmed a new key to the car and told us to never use our original key ever again. The original key has the remote connected to the key itself and the clone key doesn’t have anything on it. If the car does this again it could be the system in the car, meaning I would have to take it to an actual Ford Dealership. Hope this helps anyone and sorry if I’m not using the right terminology, this is the first car issue I have ever had.

I had same problem.....Used my spare key and it started up

Crazy! Was 3 hours from home, shut off then BAMM! Nothing. Everything worked but just would not start. I pressed the key-less start FOB and BAMM! It started right up. Checking today to see of it is the chip or? Thank you for this post, technology!! Gotta love it!

I to have a 2011 ford edge I have changed the battery I have checked starter everything is fine it turns on but wont stay on can someone please help me I have spent to much money and cant afford anymore my machanic said he has no clue whats wrong we tried everything

I also saw all theses post and did the new key today still nothing

Starting system fault on 2016 F450... it’s a work truck, and I could tell the key felt “sticky” going in- almost magnetic feeling... Cleaned the key w a blade, no luck. Last resort, sprayed WD-40 on the key and pushed it in/out a few times. Truck magically started up on the second try‍♂️

I cannot tell you how many places I have looked and how much this finally helped -- we have an Explorer, not an Edge, but obviously so similar that was giving a PATS transceiver "erratic" error code -- had the transceiver replaced twice and 5 weeks later the same problem where it wouldn't start. Thanks to Cara's answer above, I figured out it was my wireless phone charger clipped to the dash that was causing the problem. Took that out, cleared the code and it started right up! Sure wish I would have found this out about $800 ago!

I had a 2010 edge limited now I have a 2011 edge limited, but the 10 was giving me all this same stuff off and on for three yrs. It generally happened more often than not while having high Temps outside. I changed starters, ignition switch, fuses,etc... finally I got smart and just wired up a simple push button relay switch that I got for like 13bucks at O'Reilly. Never had the issue again, ran like a champ, pushing almost 250k on the odometer.

the socket for the relay goes bad on these vehicles. Basically the blades under the fuse box get too wide of a gap. The car then starts when cold but not hot due to expansion/contraction. Use a small pic to push the side together in the fuse box.