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Bronco won’t start- need your help!

White Knight

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May 31, 2005
Messages
502
I put in a new battery tray today so I disconnected the battery took it out, installed the tray and Re-installed the battery….. now bronco won’t start, won’t even turn over. Checked wires to start and alternator ….. nothing. Need your wise suggestions, please!
 

1969

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Just to start with the basics, are the the cables hooked up to the correct terminals?
 
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White Knight

White Knight

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Cables are clean and hooked up correctly…. Ran fine just before I removed it to install new tray and now nothing, no noise, no headlamps…. nothing. Checked the grounds … all good.
 

1969

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Post some pictures of everything. Have you checked to see if the battery is at 12 volts with a voltmeter?
 

DirtDonk

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There are only two things that kill the power to the whole vehicle.
One is a bad battery cable (positive OR negative), and the other is a fault with the Black with yellow wire, coming from the starter relay/solenoid.
Either at the relay, or up under the dash at the back of the ammeter.

Since the positive battery cable is connected directly to the black wire because they share a single post on the starter relay, there’s no component anywhere else in the system that can break that bond.
Only the wires themselves.

Check that the negative battery cable has not come off, or loose, or failed from the harsh environment underneath.

The black wire has a fusible link that can possibly fail (rare, but not impossible), or the ring terminal at the end has failed, or maybe you were working under the dash and disconnected the black with yellow stripe wire there?
The most common failure point of this is a battery cable.
They fail internally, even though they look perfectly fine, or they have simply aged out. I had one that was only two years old and looked brand new that gave me intermittent fits.
Several others here have experienced the same issue. Oddly enough, it’s almost always the positive battery cable.

But don’t overlook your negative battery cable. First thing to do on that whole list would be get there and check that the negative battery cable has not come loose from the engine block.
Not because it’s the most likely problem, but because it’s possible, and it’s one of the easiest things to check.😉😁
 

ba123

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Oct 29, 2022
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I put in a new battery tray today so I disconnected the battery took it out, installed the tray and Re-installed the battery….. now bronco won’t start, won’t even turn over. Checked wires to start and alternator ….. nothing. Need your wise suggestions, please!
I saw a funny meme on FB one day that showed a new battery installed with the protective caps still on the battery.. Don't remember what it said, but it was funny.

Haha, did you remove them? Do you have power anywhere?

Like mentioned, check power at the battery and go from there.
 

Brush Hog

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Mar 16, 2022
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Check the ground wire. Same thing happened to me. Found that the ground wire on the battery cable lug had pulled out and was barely attached.
 

m_m70

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Jun 14, 2001
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Pacifica, CA
so just a new battery tray correct? still running the same battery?? when was the last time that was checked?? was any other work done between the last time the battery worked and the tray was swapped out?
Check your battery
If your battery is good, check your cables.
 
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White Knight

White Knight

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Ok, checked battery…. All good
Got new terminals
Got new 4 gauge wire for positive to solenoid and solenoid to starter
Got new 4’gauge wire for new ground to engine block
New solenoid

Still wont start …. Not even a noise. Help!
 

ba123

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check power in other places it should be when you turn the key.

Maybe your solenoid is bad even though new, or did you just do that after it wouldn't start?

Have you tried jumping the starter wire to see if it'll start that way? Maybe the signal isn't getting sent from your ignition switch?

In the start position, you should have power at your coil, and fuel pump if electric, maybe other spots, and everything should be on in the run position except starter.

Do your headlights work? Turn signals in Run?

Hazard lights anytime, key doesn't matter.

Radio?
 

Wild horse 75

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May 9, 2023
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358
Loc.
BC
Time to get a test light or multimeter and start checking to make sure you’re getting power where it needs to be. You must’ve disconnected a wire somewhere and forgot to reconnect it doing the tray. Otherwise there’s no reason your headlights shouldn’t work. Even if the ignition switch failed at the same time or the starter relay failed you should still have constant power to the lights. There is a disconnected wire or bad fuse able link somewhere and you’re the only one that can find it. None of us on the internet can.
 
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White Knight

White Knight

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Is there normally a fuseable link coming from dash to starter relay or would one have had to be added?
 
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White Knight

White Knight

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Messages
502
Took a test light and checked power to solenoid, power to starter, negative ground to block….. all good

Here are some pics…. This is frustrating as all hell!
 

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ba123

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I don't think you wired the starter relay correctly...tou sure that's how you had it? Been a long time since I've wired one but… look that up or maybe someone will chime in for how it should be.
 

DirtDonk

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It’s correct for a PMGR, or mini starter.
Battery cable basically direct to the starter on the engine, and the fender mounted relay is used only to trigger the solenoid on the starter.
 

DirtDonk

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You don’t add a fusible link to make something work. You only use it to protect the circuit, or replace one that’s already blown. It’s not a functional component. It’s a protective component like a fuse.
 

DirtDonk

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What year is this Bronco? I don’t remember reading that info. If it’s a 73 or later, then you need to check the neutral safety switch for an automatic transmission. Or if it’s got a manual trans, you have to check the little jumper wire behind the engine.
It’s the same red with blue stripe color thatis on the left side of your starter relay.

And if you haven’t already, I think it was previously mentioned that you can do a couple of easy, quick manual steps to verify that it’s not the starter relay itself. Make sure that it’s in park or neutral, with the brakes set. Then remove the Red w/blue wire from the relay, take a small jumper wire from the battery cable side and just touch it to the small stud where the red and blue wire was.
If it still doesn’t click, you have a bad battery, or a bad new starter relay.

If that works, and you still don’t have any power to any of the other accessories, then, as I said, previously, you have a bad fusible link at the starter relay. It’s either bad, or the black wire is missing.
Can you get a better close-up shot of the left side of the starter relay? Where is the main black power wire?
 

DirtDonk

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Sorry about the multiple posts. I’m in the ER waiting room keeping an eye on the significant other and have to jump back-and-forth.
 
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