please help...car only starting with a jump start

Asked by ladyinNC Jul 23, 2015 at 01:58 PM about the Ford Explorer

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Went out this morning and my car would not start.  Jumped it and ran fine.  Turned it off and on and all was ok.  Went and had auto parts store check my battery and it is ok.   Later tried to start and would not start again, but starts very easy with a jump.  Have checked and all seems tight and terminals are clean.  Everything seems fine with battery but needs a jump to start... so what could it be?

7 Answers

23,590

battery positive cable could have a few wires where it leaves the battery. The older ones were recalled for connectivity issues where the wires combine in the clamp, you can just pull them out and have them go to a new clamp you put on the post. an ohmmeter could prove that was the area of concern when used by a technician. less than .5ohm would be read from the post to each leg if it was ok........If it was not ok, then the leg out of spec could be failing to send power where its needed. a battery post that "sweats" can seep into the connection and condense into the original clamp. then it could arc, producing an insulated condition. we replaced the battery, the cable, and several other operations based on individual needs.

1 people found this helpful.
23,590

yours could possibly be corrected, after you were definite that was your need, with a replaced clamp, some wire preparations, and a noco pad on a wirebrushed post.

23,590

If you knew what year it was or checked with your VIN, you could possibly have an outstanding recall? or time could have expired.

1 people found this helpful.
64,510

Still should have alternator tested to make sure it's charging correctly at 14 volts. Only starting when jumping because it is getting that extra charge.

23,590

Good thoughts, so many tests , sometimes, unless all of them are run, the problem persists in some form. Like parasitic load or draw, and then theres the flying open in a winding, thats why God made technicians and Fluke

1 people found this helpful.
23,590

Seemed to me they are not just jumping juice but clamping onto the cable connections and disturbing them during the jump. but theres fly schitt in my pepper, gotta go....

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