# Ford Ranger hard to start

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-ranger-hard-to-start/40803>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** ford, ranger\
**Created:** [December 15, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-ranger-hard-to-start/40803 "2009-12-15T17:08:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tupelobeagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@tupelobeagle](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tupelobeagle)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-ranger-hard-to-start/40803/1 "2009-12-15T17:08:40Z")

</div>

I have a 4-cylinder, manual 1996 Ford Ranger. I sometimes have to keep my foot on the accelerator to get it to start and keep running. After getting it started, it putters noticeably when I put it in neutral or come to a stop, almost like the engine is trying to die. After a few minutes of driving, though, I hear a click come from under the hood and the engine revs up to full power. In fact, it often keeps a very high rev and a fast idle. Turning the truck quickly off and on fixes this, though. Once I work through these problems, it starts and runs perfectly until I let the engine get cold again. These problems are intermittent during warm weather, but pretty much constant during cold weather. Any ideas of what my problem is? Thanks.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-ranger-hard-to-start/40803/2 "2009-12-15T17:29:26Z")

</div>

The problem might with the Idle Air Control motor. This is what controls the engine idle under all conditions.

A quick way to determine if the problem is with the IAC motor is, while the engine is idling normally tap on the IAC motor with the handle of a screwdriver. If the engine idle speed changes replace the IAC motor.

Tester

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tupelobeagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@tupelobeagle](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tupelobeagle)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-ranger-hard-to-start/40803/3 "2009-12-15T17:35:56Z")

</div>

I’ll have to get out my Haynes manual and locate the IAC motor to give that a try. Do you have a guess as to how expensive a repair that might be? Thanks so much for the tip!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Beadsandbeads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@Beadsandbeads](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beadsandbeads)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-ranger-hard-to-start/40803/4 "2009-12-15T19:53:30Z")

</div>

Just a note to say that, AFIK, Ford calls them Idle Air Control Valves. My guess is that a new one will cost less than $100. You could take it off and clean it with throttle body cleaner. It might work.