It appears that the car (LTD) will not start when the cell phone is on (LG Trak Phone). This has only been assumed by “trial and error”. Does this sound possible?
How many times have you tried with the phone on and with the phone off? It seems like a very unlikely connection.
What year is the car? Do you have an after-market cell phone interface installed?
I believe it has happened 3 times. The LTD is 1999. No, there has not been an “after market cell phone interaface” installed. What is that? Thanks. (Note: this phone is not used via bluetooth. It is hand held; inside a purse!)
I think that you have a random no-start problem, and that the cell phone is unrelated.
When it fails to start, does the starter turn the engine [crankshaft] over, or does nothing at all happen?
The engine turns over, then dies out. Sounds like it “wants to run” but dies. (We thought maybe there was a chip somewhere in the car interacting with the phone???)
I have never heard of a 1999 LTD. What manufacturer made this car?
LTDs are still made by Ford in Australia. NA Ford renamed LTDs to Crown Vics over 20 years ago.
Okay, then that’s much different than not actually starting. It is almost certain that your Idle Air Bypass Valve (sometimes also called an IAC) is sticking. It’s a common problem for the 4.6 engine of the late 90’s and early 2000s. It gets gunked up and starts sticking closed. You can get it cleaned, but you would do better to just replace it. It’s about $80 (US), and the replacement part is redesigned to be much less likely to fail.
Thanks for the input.
If you give it gas when starting does it start and stay running? if it stays running while you are pushing the accelorator down and stays running then dies after you let off and go to idel then I agree that it is the IAC valve. If not get your fuel pressure checked to see if your fuel pressure is whithin spec. When was the fuel filter last changed?