no starter operation - not working?

Fords need the modules programmed when a new switch is put in. Cluster, RAP and PCM all need the info on the new key. The new key must be programmed into the system, Take it to Merc dealer, or call a locksmith and see if they can do it... Merc will charge an hour labor. This guide can help us fix it

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/starter-not-working-repair

Please run down this guide and report back.

Can u rent the tool from auto zone and do it your self? i hate to havt it towed, and then pay to have dealer to reset the computer

No, only A Ford super star II tester can do the two way communication needed...sorry!

My car was working fine all day then when I went to go to work it would do anything. When I turned the ignition nothing happened, it was silent. The only noise I heard was the bell af the car door being open. I tried jumper cabvles and that did not help. What could be the cause of this?

Probable causes: Check the battery and connection, starter, starter relay, starter relay diode, 40 amp fuse and ignition switch.

Electrical problem
2002 Mercury Cougar 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic

Car wont start but it has power,gauges and lights all work, no clicking when I try to turn the ignition, I tried changing the battery and it did the same thing.

No crank at all/nothing/nada:

Could be the starter, starter relay, clutch switch/park and neutral switch and ignition switch assuming the battery and connections are good.

The car won't crank and makes just one heavy click sound when key is turned. It does not make a rapid clicking noise, just one click and it stops.
About a week before the battery started dying after sitting for any period of time and had to be jumped. Had the battery checked and it's good, the starter is good, the alternator is good. Could the engine be siezed?

Tighten the two copper nuts on the large terminals on the starter relay. Be careful that the wrench doesn't touch any part of the car body or other metal parts. That could cause a short across the battery.

If that doesn't help, suspect hidden corrosion in the fat cable going to the starter motor. We can find that with a voltmeter or a test light, and a helper to turn the ignition switch

caradiodoc

I am so frustrated! We have a 2001 Mercury Cougar with about 94,000 miles. About a month ago, we were driving home late one night and the headlights and dashlights went dim and the radio shut off by itself. we made it home ok. I turned off the car and tried to restart is and it wouldn't start. We left it and decided to deal with it the next day. Our friend came to jump us off and the car started fine. We decided to drive it to a mechanic that my mom uses that is about 45 minutes away. The car made the trip fine. They replaced the alternator. The car has been running fine, but last night we were driving home and the EXACT same thing happened! We decided to have the battery checked this time. We found out that the battery had no water in it. We also discovered that it was the same battery installed at the factory. We decided to replace the battery. We installed it and the car started up and we were rollin again! Now here we are a few hours later and the same thing has happened again! We lose dashlights, headlights, and the radio. What is going on?!?

On some of these newer systems you must change the alternator and battery together or you will experience alternator Death! Since the alt was changed and they left a weak battery in there the alt died again! Is the charge light lit?

I bought this car 1 month ago...on 3 different occassions (widely spaced times) the car will not turn over when the key is turned. Battery is good. Headlights do not dim. Just nothing. Seems that moving shift lever fm Park to other positions and then back to netural or park allows the engine to turn over and start. However, not sure that is the reason it started! Since it happened only 3 times and at irregular times it is difficult to determine what is wrong. Mechanic says have it towed when it doesn't start. Could this be a simple safety switch issue? Car has started 100's of times w/ no problem. but those 3 indicate a problem (and car is for my high school son.) Help!

Sounds like maybe just an adjustment on the linkage!
Don't know what good towing the car will do since 90% of the time tow driver will shift the car to neutral...

They cleaned the corroded cables, got a new battery and in less than a year the cable and battery were majority corroded again and the car will not start

clean the cables and put the discs on the posts that absorb the acid fumes which cause the corrosion.

Roy

Try using petroleum jelly

2000 Mercury Cougar 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic ???? miles
----------------------------------------------------------------
basically the car wont turn over i changed the battery because it was obviousely no good and the car still wont start when you turn the key forward the electrical is a bit loopy everything electrical still works in the car but it wont start when turned over. when i do try it to start the car it makes a loud clicking sound im at a loss and can not figuire out whats going on so if you have any suggestions please let me know.

Do you mean it cranks over and refuses to start or it won't crank over at. Have helper hold key at start postion-you find the starter and bang on it-if it kicks over-replace the starter-Don't kick over-check for power at gray/white wire at starter-No power check the transmission range sensor/starter relay/ignition switch-

I have a 2000 cougar with 2.5 v-6 engine. The motor is turning over very slow. I have replaced the battery. I have removed spark plugs and had the starter checked. The motor still turns over very slow. It acts like something is causing a drag on motor. Do you have any ideas on what may be causing this?

Pull the belt off and turn each pulley to see if one is seizing. I would suspect that there would be a noise however while it runs.
Are there any noise while running.
It does start?

Get yourself a good starter Bech testing does not tell the condition under load. Before that make sure your Battery cables are good especially the ground to the block! Remove it clean it , if this doesn't help get the starter.

have a 2000 mercury cougar that just had the computer replaced, now the car doesnt start, but the lights work, also the battery is fine.

Flash Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM) is contained in an Integrated Circuit (IC) inside of Powertrain Control Module (PCM). The EEPROM contains the vehicle strategy and any calibration information specific to vehicle. The IC is reprogrammable and at times it may become necessary to reprogram or reflash the entire contents. This is usually due to an after production strategy change or the Flash Vehicle Identification (VID) Block has been previously reprogrammed and has reached its limit. The VID block can be tailored to accommodate various hardware changes made since vehicle production. This procedure can only be performed using Ford's Service Bay Technical System (SBTS) or equivalent.
A replacement PCM will have a label stating PROGRAMMING REQUIRED. This indicates that it is necessary to retrieve VID data from the original PCM before removing PCM from vehicle. This procedure can be performed using New Generation Star (007-00500) scan tool or equivalent. See FLASH VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION BLOCK PROCEDURE. If original PCM is damaged, nonfunctional or incapable of communicating, it will be necessary to manually reprogram VID block. This procedure can only be performed by contacting the "AS BUILT" data center for programming

So this problem started after I went on vacation and didn't drive the car for 4 days. When we got back, the battery was dead and had to be jumped (battery was not all the way dead, everything in the car came on, the car just wouldn't start). The next morning, the batter was dead again. This problem has continued to happen on a regular basis if I don't hook the car up to a trickle charger. Tested the battery, it was fine (12.8 V) tested the alternator it was fine (14+ V). We tested the batter for a load and found the battery had a load on it of .19. Went through and pulled fuses and relays until we found the R12 (courtesy lamps) relay was causing the load. We pulled the relay and the load on the battery went down to .05. We thought we had the problem fixed, the car started fine the next day (without being put on the trickle charger) but then this morning, it wouldn't start again. What is going on???

sounds like a parasitic load, go to site here under repair look up battery item 9 it will tell youhow to check for it. But if you have glove boxlight, trunk light and hood light those are the most likely culprits.

Engine problem
2000 Mercury Cougar 6 cyl 92,000 miles
----------------------------------------------------------------
Ok Ive read through some of the forms and kinda found one similar to mine but not sure. I put the key in mt car I believe it cranks a bit but wil not start. Last week I had it towed to the dealer and according to them it started up "just fine". The Battery had 600 somemthing cold amps and the car charged at the right rate as well. It has been kind of cold lately but for the past week since I got the car back it has been running fine. I even had a bit of snow on it Thursday and started right up after being out in the cold and harsh wind for 8 + hours. I parked it in the garage and sure enough today it will not start up again. I want to know what to tell the dealr to look for next time I take it in so I dont waste more money gettin git towed and then starting right up again.

Thank you,

Are you sure it was cranking and didnt start? Sounds like it could have a bad starter motor.I wish I had something for you to tell them, intermittent problems like this are difficult to find sometimes, due to the fact that it doesnt always happen.

Replaced battery and altenator but car still won't crank.Where is the fuseable link located & what does it look like?

Do you have a theft system on your vehicle? Do you think the theft system might be causing a problem?

Have you done any testing at the starter relay in the battery junction box? Any testing, make sure the tranny is in neutral and the e-brake is set. The ground for the control side of the relay goes through the clutch switch then to the computer. I'm not sure if the computer actually grounds that circuit or monitors that circuit? Without a ground, the relay won't energize.

I can't talk to you about bypassing the relay, because of safety issues.

[quote:e9b6bdc652="jdl123"]Do you have a theft system on your vehicle? Do you think the theft system might be causing a problem?

Have you done any testing at the starter relay in the battery junction box? Any testing, make sure the tranny is in neutral and the e-brake is set. The ground for the control side of the relay goes through the clutch switch then to the computer. I'm not sure if the computer actually grounds that circuit or monitors that circuit? Without a ground, the relay won't energize.

I can't talk to you about bypassing the relay, because of safety issues.[/quote:e9b6bdc652] Yes I do have A THEFT sysyem.Not sure if that is the problem. BUt the guy who replace alt. is a cert. mechanic just having a hard time getting him to come back & finish job.Anyway he said that because I drove the car with a dead battery (had to jump it off several times to get it home) that the fuseable link is the first place to look for a problem.But just in case how to I test to the relay? How will I know if relay is energized? What do I use to preform test? Thanks so much for your help.

The terminal for the load side of the relay is hot all the time. You can unplug the relay, use a test lite, check for voltage. The voltage for the control side of the relay, goes hot when you turn the key to crank.

If the relay has a diagram on it, the load side the symbol may look like an open switch, for the control side of the relay, the symbol may look like a coil.

Have a helper turn the key to crank, can you hear or feel the relay click? I think you would still need to check voltage on the load side.

If the theft system is causing a problem, even if you get the starter to crank by testing. It won't start.