glenn-ho

I have a 2003 Mercury Marauder. I have an intermittant no start condition. When it does not start the pats light and check engine light flash rapidly? If it does start it might run for 5-10 minutes or start and stop. When it stops both lights flash and reset. I have replaced the battery. Checked and swapped out the PCM relay. Replaced the transciever. Changed the starter. still the same. Checked for 12 volts to the OBD2 connector. Checked for 12 volt at fuse 8. Checked for an open at terminal 4 & 5 at the OBD2 connector. Anyone have this problem before?

2003 Mercury Marauder
1988 thunderbird Turbo Coupe
1974 HD FLH

redwil

Yes Glenn
I have a 2004 Crown Vic lx sport....
My car will not start at all. I have replaced the transceiver, batt, did all the wire checking and the theft light blinks fast, engine light blinks sometime.
I have replaced the ground cable from the batt to the block, check all your grounds....I have a Ford Workshop Manual the next thing is to check the wires leading to the transceiver you might not be getting a strong signal according to this book.
If you want me to scan the pages from the book to check the transceiver wires let me know.

gregory442000@yahoo.com

glenn-ho

I have checked the grounds that are visible and attached a jumper to ground with no change. Since ford with there bright wisdom pick and splice grounds thru out the wire harnes I will have to remove the front bumper cover and cut the tape and check for a bad splice. I heard that the panther chassis wire harness has had problems with bad splices. I looked at a 2007 Grand Marquis at my friends body shop and they added grounds to the left fender. My Marauder does not have any visible grounds that attache to the left fender. Does your crown vic?

redwil

Yes ! On the left fender is 2 ground wires for the Data Link, were you hook up the scanner.
Everything on my car is in a reverse fashion......Starter Relay is supposed to be on the drivers side inner fender about 12 inches from the master cylinder, but it is located on the passenger side in the Main Junction Box.....
Did you check your ground strap at ther rear of the engine to the body?
I am going to run a single ground from the battery to one of the ground wires that is not getting a ground to see what happens.....
When you turn the key in the on position does the speedo jump ?

glenn-ho

I gounded the motor myself. I am checking all the grond and power to the pcm at the pcm connector. I will let you know how I make out. Unplug the transciever and cjheck and see if it has 12 volts and check the ground to make sure it is good at the transceiver connector. It only has four wires. two are signal, one is ground and one is 12 volts. Mine checked good.

redwil

ok. Let me know. I still have not got my car started yet either.

glenn-ho

Found the problem and wanted to post it if anyone else has this problem. I found a small cut in a yellow wire with a black stripe. It allowed water into the wire and coroded it away. My problem was the pats and check engine light flashing rapidly with a crank but no start condition. The cut in my wire was right next to a factory splice. It joined two yellow w/black stripe wires to two more yellow with black stripe wires. I found the problem by removing the front bumper cover. That allowed me to access the front wire harness that runs from the fuse box on the passenger side across the front of the radiator suuport and contines on thru the driver side fender to the fire wall. My problem was in the front of the driver fender area. I unbolted the plastice wire loom that bolts to the front of the radiator support and supports the wire harness as it runs from frame rail to frame rail. That gave me clearance to untape and inspect the wire harness.Please be advised that any wiring splice should be waterproof. The wire harness itself is not waterproof only the splices and connections.

Bert

Good find. Thanks for the update.

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Bert

mleedix

I have a similar problem with a 99 Grand Marquis. Started with the speedo jump noted here. First noticed it jump when you hit the brakes. Then the left [drivers side] headlight went out [bulb is good] now a few days later each morning the car will barely start, as if something has been left on or shorted. It does start but then the pats light won't go out. I've been driving for several miles until the batt gauge appears normal then turn the key off and back on while driving and the pats light goes out.

I suspected loose grounds or shorts but can't seem to find anything. My assumptions of course could be way off... Any suggestions?

Bert

That harness that ws mentioned above can get chafed through sometimes. Try moving it at all of the bends and see if it stops. Mostly below the battery area. Then if so, pull what's necessary for access and repair the wires.

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Bert