Problem starting

Seamus357

I have a problem with my 2003 Ford Mondeo. It doesn’t always start first time, (but it always starts on the second attempt).
The thing is it starts first time, most of the time (about 95% of the time). Intermittent faults are always the hardest to diagnose. I had it in with my main dealer a few times and they said the battery was fine and when they connected it up to the diagnostic computer everything seemed fine.
One of their mechanics told me that with my model of Mondeo (2003, 2 litre petrol) I should press down on the accelerator after I turn off the engine. He said that an air lock can develop in the engine intake and by pressing down once on the accelerator the air lock is released. This seems a little weird to me. Has anyone heard this before? I still think myself that it’s the battery. It seems too small for the battery bay. Can anyone tell me the correct battery for a 2 litre petrol 2003 Ford Mondeo?

bcmf

.Sounds like either your starter is staring to play up or your immobiliser is playing tricks with you or 1 of your leads/plugs/point on your distrubitor is playing up. But as you say if it is intermiitent it will be very hard to diagnose.
If your engine is devloping an airlock (it shouldnt) then something is wrong.Filters on wrong or not tightrened properly.Did this only happen after the last service!!!!
HTH

groupb

Not starting first time was the only problem I had in three years of mondeo ownership.I noticed that it happened more frequently when the car was hot.It was an intermittant fault with mine and might not occour for months and then come back. A friends sister had the same problem and was told by a ford mechanic that it can happen some cars but it does no harm. Having the wrong battery should'nt make a difference as from what you say the engine still turns over.

paulski999

Hi Seamus,

Same here with a 2002 Mondeo (petrol), garage not able to help either. Have to switch it off and give it welly with the accelerator to start, but then it would be fine the other 90% of the time...

crosstownk

bcmf wrote: »

.Sounds like either your starter is staring to play up

Not a chance.

bcmf wrote:

your immobiliser is playing tricks with you

Highly unlikely

bcmf wrote:

1 of your leads/plugs/point on your distrubitor is playing up.

I'd imagine this would have further symptoms while driving.

bcmf wrote:

But as you say if it is intermiitent it will be very hard to diagnose.
If your engine is devloping an airlock (it shouldnt) then something is wrong.Filters on wrong or not tightrened properly.Did this only happen after the last service!!!!
HTH

Agreed - but I don't think fuel filters are replaced all that often on petrol models, but the 'won't start first time' is common enough with petrol Mondeos. If it starts on the second attempt then there isn't really a problem. It's not like the engine is failing to start.

Healyc

There was a service recall (Only happened when you brought your mondeo into a Ford garage for a service) on the 00-06 1.8l petrol mondeos. We didnt get many 2.0ls over here so it could apply to them aswell

The symptons were it would just take a bit longer in the mornings to start when the car was cold.

To rectify it was to install an updated software on the cars main ecu (Ford call it PCM, Power Control Module) and the car would then run perfect. It would be worth a go bringing it to your nearest Ford garage as only there computer can supply these updates and it should only cost max 1hrs Labour.

Hope this can be of some help!

Lewe

I'm having the same problem with a 98 colt....first we thought it was the throttle body which was dirty so we cleaned it out.then we thought it was the o2 sensor...in the end it turned out to be the distributor...when starting we had to rev it for a few seconds then afterwards the car was running fine