Ford F150 Won’t Start: Common Causes and Fixes

If you are currently experiencing Ford F150 troubles, you must understand that these things happen due to poor management and maintenance. The common causes of these problems are due to insufficient check-ups by a Ford technician.

However, you are in luck! There are common and easy ways to overcome engine ignition problems with the Ford F150 car. In this post, we will vividly expatiate on the Ford F150 car starting troubles. We will highlight the common causes of the no-start situation and ways to overcome these challenges.

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Ford F150 won’t Start: Common Causes

Technical faults and engine troubles are not uncommon in the automobile industry. One or more car components could be the cause that your F150 stopped working. The faults could be electrical or mechanical. Regardless, this part of the post will discuss the common causes for a start failure in your Ford F150.

Dead or faulty battery

With the Ford F150, the battery is always the first guess to some ailing problems. When driven in the winter months, having a weak or an empty battery takes the top spot as a contender for the start problems. Due to the cold, additional problems affecting the entire car are observable (rear screen heating, wiper system, blower, etc.).

A weak battery can give your big F150 truck a standstill even when the ignition is turned on. Some causes of a weak battery include overuse of the interior lighting or radio set in the car, especially when you forget to turn it off. Unlike other cars, the F150 doesn’t have an automatic switch-off for these parts when the car is turned off. This will drain your battery if left on.

The noise you hear from the starter component when the key is turned in the ignition indicates a weak battery. Often in modern versions of the F150, a warning light is visible on the cluster screen. The worst scenario related to the battery is the engine. You only hear clicks, which are triggered by the starter’s magnetic switch.

Damaged or loose cables

This situation is slightly associated with the battery component. If the battery of your Ford F150 is full or sufficient to power your vehicle, the next problem that could be related to the battery is a broken circuit.  The power cables cause these issues. The cause of the problems with the power cables differ:

  • Loose cables

This is a harder probable cause in a modern F150; however, it is more likely and common in older versions. The screws connecting cables can get loose over time, which will eventually break the flow of current from the battery to other parts. This is caused mostly by vigorous shaking (continuously) or loose screws in its initial installment.

  • Corrosion

Your Ford F150 is no stranger to corrosion and so also are other vehicles. Corrosion can happen to any vehicle, so it is not specific to a particular line of cars. In the presence of corrosion on your cables (either green or white), the flow of current is inhibited, eventually leading to your F150 refusal to start.

  • Marten bites

Marten bites in vehicles always mean trouble in the engine part of a car. If there are evident damages to relevant components in your F150 by Marten bites, ignition problems will arise. Fixing these problems is not an easy task – the replacement of these components is always certain.

Faulty alternator

Once your Ford F150 alternator becomes faulty or damaged, your car’s battery will no longer charge while driving. Oftentimes you are given an indicator on your dashboard. The sign is almost permanently illuminated once the car is about to start (so you never miss it). But, when driving, it might disappear, depending on the model you are driving.

The electricity generated in the alternator while driving your Ford F150  is stored temporarily in the battery. Several times, alternator problems can be a real pain in the neck and at other times, a lesser pain. Replacement is often the best solution when the problem is your alternator drive belt.

Fuel problem

This problem can happen to anyone; it can happen anywhere and at any time. Many times, drivers or car owners tend to miss the indicator light showing low fuel level on the dashboard. Once the fuel level drops below the sufficient amount for powering the car, failure to start after the engine is turned off is inevitable.

At other times, the problem might not be due to fuel shortage or insufficient fuel. It could be as a result of a damaged fuel channeling pipe. When this happens, fuel coming from the tank will not get to the engine properly, leading to a lack of mixture with the other components. If you have checked and you have a full tank and a good channeling pipe, then the problem may be due to other factors.

Check the fuel injector pipe. Supply the right pressure to keep the engine running. The filters might be clogged or blocked with extra components in the fuels. A sub-case might be fuel quality. It probably has been tampered with, and provide substandard quality.

Ford F150 won’t Start: How to Fix

Here, the most do-it-yourself fixing methods for the F150 refusal to start will be discussed. The troubles you are currently facing with your Ford F150 might be less than it actually seems to be. Let’s see some fix methods.

  • Clean the air filters if blocked with debris.
  • Check that the fuel injector works properly and there is sufficient fuel in the tank.
  • If the alternator is the problem, replacement is the best fix.
  • Refill if your battery is low.
  • If the battery is damaged or cannot store power for a long duration, replace the battery.
  • Check the cables for corrosion and clean them off.

Faults in your Ford F150 are fixable, and that’s one of the best things about the car. These common causes will hinder your vehicle from reaching its maximum potentials. Use the how-to-fix methods elaborated in this article to get your car sorted out and back on the road again.

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