i am a new lincoln owner. i recently purchased a 2002 lincoln ls and love it, but recently i have been having trouble with it starting. sometimes when i go to turn on the car it just won't start. the key turns and the windows and everything work but the engine won't fire up. i turn the key several more times and eventually it comes. please let me know if anyone else is having this problem or what i can do to fix it. thanks.
having trouble with the car starting
- Thread starter lpierson6
- Start date
dooneybaby
Active LVC Member
did you take the cluster out? does the anti theft light flash/blink rapidly when the key is turned to the start position??
i will check on the anti-theft light. the only modifications that have been made is that an identity chip was placed in the car as part of the security system. i don't know if that has anything to do with it.
pbslmo
Lincoln LS rules
I had the same problem before. It was a relay.
Sometimes it would start and sometimes it wouldn't. I thought it was the battery and changed it out. But still had the problem. Had to take it to the dealer.
Sometimes it would start and sometimes it wouldn't. I thought it was the battery and changed it out. But still had the problem. Had to take it to the dealer.
dooneybaby
Active LVC Member
pbslmo said:
which relay was it? did your security light flash rapidly?
Jim Henderson
Dedicated LVC Member
Start with the easy cheap stuff. Check the battery terminals for corrosion, they should be bright and shiney. Check the voltage, should be about 12.8 or so when everything is turned off. Should be 13.5+ when the engine is running. Just because the lights and radio come on doesn't mean the starter and battery circuit is in good shape.
This accouints for 90% of the hard start problems I have dealt with. I am just a hobby mechanic for 35+ years but not a pro so...
Another possiblity is that the starter solenoid has gotten some dead spots which take a few tries to nudge past before the starter works. This can be a pain to diagnose if you aren't used to playing with starters. A relay is a more likely cause in this case.
If it was me, I would start with the battery.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
This accouints for 90% of the hard start problems I have dealt with. I am just a hobby mechanic for 35+ years but not a pro so...
Another possiblity is that the starter solenoid has gotten some dead spots which take a few tries to nudge past before the starter works. This can be a pain to diagnose if you aren't used to playing with starters. A relay is a more likely cause in this case.
If it was me, I would start with the battery.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
pbslmo
Lincoln LS rules
It was the starter relay. It was in the box in the engine comaprtment. the dealer found that the side mirror fuse was out and replaced it also. I didn't know it was out. So it was a good thing I took it in. (I'm not to technically/mechanically inclined. 
My securtiy lights did as a matter of fact. The little light on the dash by the windshield flashed rappidly, (I thought maybe someone had messed with my car).
My securtiy lights did as a matter of fact. The little light on the dash by the windshield flashed rappidly, (I thought maybe someone had messed with my car).