# Expedition Sometimes Starts

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/expedition-sometimes-starts/185035>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** ford, expedition\
**Created:** [July 3, 2022, 5:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expedition-sometimes-starts/185035 "2022-07-03T17:12:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bjc999](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bjc999/32/29787_2.png) [@bjc999](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bjc999)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2022, 5:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expedition-sometimes-starts/185035/1 "2022-07-03T17:12:30Z")

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Hi, my '04 Expedition 5.4 starts most of the time, but sometimes I get nothing. After an hour or so it starts fine again. The dash lights up and the battery is good. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2022, 5:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expedition-sometimes-starts/185035/2 "2022-07-03T17:23:05Z")

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Try starting it in Neutral instead of Park. The safety switch might be bad. Also check the start relay in the underhood fuse box. It may be worn out. Cheap to replace, might as well do that on this 18 year old SUV.

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**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2022, 6:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expedition-sometimes-starts/185035/3 "2022-07-03T18:07:46Z")

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It may also be a fuel delivery problem.

Have the fuel pressure checked. Has it ever had a new fuel filter, if it has a replaceable one?

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**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2022, 7:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expedition-sometimes-starts/185035/4 "2022-07-03T19:19:41Z")

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How do you know the battery is good?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bjc999](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bjc999/32/29787_2.png) [@bjc999](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bjc999)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2022, 7:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expedition-sometimes-starts/185035/5 "2022-07-03T19:45:46Z")

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Doesn’t start in neutral either.

I took the starter relay out and put it back in and it started… so I think you’re on to something there.

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2022, 9:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/expedition-sometimes-starts/185035/6 "2022-07-03T21:20:24Z")

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Do you hear the rrr rrrr sound w/key in start, but it won’t catch and run? Or do you hear nothing, or maybe just a click with the key in start?

> [@bjc999](#):
>
> I took the starter relay out and put it back in and it started…

If that part is somewhat hefty & screws to the firewall or other body part, it’s usually called the starter solenoid, and the body part is its ground connection. So make sure that where it contacts the body isn’t corroded. If instead your starter relay is a smallish cube & plugs into a fuse box or similar, this doesn’t apply. Starter solenoid failure more likely than starter relay failure.