Hi

I have a problem with my 95 EF and I was wondering if someone could provide me with some advice as to what might be the cause. I have an intermittent problem where the car won't start. It only happens once every couple of months or so and usually (but not always) right after I fill her up with petrol. What happens is I put the key in the ignition, turn it to accessory, give it a second to run the diagnostics that it does (everything is normal) and then when I attempt to turn the engine over I get nothing, no noise or anything. I have been turning the ignition back off, running the transmission through the gears (it's an auto) and then trying again. Sometimes it takes one or two goes of this and then it starts (which may be coincidence). Tonight however this didn't work (and very embarrassingly I had to be pushed from the bowser at the petrol station) . I kept trying and finally gave up and was on the phone to my brother to come and pick me up when low and behold she starts when I give it that one last try.

Now I don't seem to have any other problems apart from this, once it starts it runs normally. Does anyone have any ideas where I can start looking to isolate the problem. If I can eliminate the basics before I have to take it to someone and start forking out money it would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Sounds a lot like a Body Electronics Module (BEM) fault to me. Try tapping the lower dash panel to the left of the steering column, while holding the key in the start position. Try other places on the drivers side of thge dash too. I have seen an EF that had to be tapped on top the dash near the windscreen. I believe it is caused by aged and dry soldered joints inside the module.

Also possible is the back the ignition has moved and moved to one side.

eacatly what has happened to my car.. i just give he dash a light smash with my left fist and she strats straight away...

It could also be the park/neutral switch on the side of the gearbox. A common thing to break down of Fords. The old boy's EL did exactly the same thing, had to run through the gears (from park right down to first and back to park again), just to get it to work, even then it didn't help lol. Maybe try starting the car in neutral.

So there's some things to check out:

-Ignition barrel
-Park/neutral switch
-BEM

That's what I was thinking, the safety switch on the gearbox.

tighten up the two bolts that connect + and - wires on your starter motor first before you do anything silly on your ignition barrel and BEM. Make sure to disconnect your battery terminals before doing this.

Another thing you may want to check, the condition of the battery terminals and connections there. Are they connected nice and tight and properly, and there isn't that white buildup all over them?