Ford Falcon & Territory Starting Problems: 7 Things to Check Before Calling a Mechanic

There are a multitude of reason why your car won’t start mysteriously without warning and we’ll go through some of the other common problems and checks to do that aren’t related to an ignition switch failure which will stop you from starting the vehicle.

If you have already gone through all the symptoms listed here then try the following, it might get you going again with some simple fixes.  Anything beyond this is going to require a mechanic to investigate further.

1. Check the car is in park “P”

This might sound silly however some problems with gearboxes can arise where the selector doesn’t go into park properly or at all.  It will either show it’s in reverse “R” still or may show its in park “P” but not fully engaged.  Try putting the car in neutral “N” and see if this works. This will be a problem with the gear box linkages on the gear box or in the shifter itself and not an ignition switch problem.

Check the gears are changing, there is a linkage on the front of the gearbox which is known to break and you won’t be able to change gears.  Its a simple fix by installing a bolt, however if you are stuck on the side of the road somewhere even a cable tie will get you by and at least get the car started and home again.

2. Poor Connection Of The Starter Motor Signalling Cable (Black Clip On Wire)

If the car still doesn’t start with no cranking of the starter motor and you are getting lights on the dash but also see an engine warning light and/or a battery symbol, check the black cable connected to the starter motor. A simple way to test is place your finger on top of the start motor relay in the engine bay fuse box and try start the car, if you can feel the relay pulse then that’s good news that its not an ignition switch problem and something else is preventing the relay from activating properly.

For some reason either from previous work done or vibrations from the motor this cable can become lose causing intermittent connections or just an accumulation of dust over time creates a poor connection.  It’s a little hard to access if you have an XR6 or XR8 and may need to jack the front of the car, the start motor is behind the front passenger wheel under the manifold and you’ll see a big thick red cable and small black cable attached. 

Simply disconnect the black cable and reconnect.

3. Battery vs. Starter Motor: The Sound Test

If you hear the engine trying to crank over and then the starter motor make a loud ticking sound then this is likely just a flat battery. Ford Falcon and Territory starter motors are power hungry beasts and anything less than about 11.7v isn’t going to be enough to kick the starter motor over. Less than 6v and you won’t even have the km travelled on the dash and the battery is really dead.

4. Starter Motor Failure

If the engine doesn’t crank over and there is no engine or battery symbol on the dash lights then it could be a failed starter motor.  They are known to either seize up or wear the bushes inside.  A auto electrician, mobile mechanic or RACQ can test the starter motor before you go down the track of replacing it.  It’s also worth checking the starter motor, ignition and accessories relays are still functioning.

You can also test a starter motor yourself with a little bit of youtube research.

5. Is The Immobiliser Activated

The immobiliser is always active with a small red hand on the dash flashing slowly every few seconds on and off, once the car starts it will check the code on the key transponder and it turns off. If you see this little red hand flashing really fast, multiple times a second then this means the immobiliser has actually been triggered either by using a key that isn’t coded to the vehicle or using a key where the transponder has failed.

This is not an ignition switch problem this is an issue with the key and code transponder chip. More common with after market keys where the transponder has dislodged inside the key and not pointing the right direction or it has simply failed.

6. Terminal Steering Column Failure

If you can see the ignition switch is still together but your key still spins 360 loosely, in very rare circumstances there is a pin inside the steering column that links the key/barrel to the ignition switch that fails. The head of this pin can snap off which make the key spin freely when turning it.  This can be misdiagnosed as an ignition switch failure without taking the cowl off and inspecting the ignition switch to see if its still intact. 

This is terminal and will require a new steering column. This is usually caused by someone who has taken the key/lock mechanism out trying to fix an ignition switch problem and having no idea what they are doing then start using brute force to fix things.

Learn more about why buying a second-hand steering column is a risky gamble here.

7. Final Warning Do Not Remove The Key & Barrel/Lock – If You Do And Can’t Get It Back In We Can Help You

Sealed inside the steering column is a somewhat crude anti theft mechanism alongside the steering wheel lock which is all spring loaded in a particular way when assembled at the factory then sealed with a copper plate. If you remove the key & barrel/lock and accidentally or unknowingly move the steering wheel it will pop the spring loaded locator pin out of position and you won’t be able to put the barrel/lock back in.

Do not try and fix this yourself, brute force is your enemy here. We can fix this issue with our expertise on resetting the springs and re-aligning the locator pin for the key/barrel to go back in. You will NOT get this service anywhere else, not even locksmiths do this work. This was put together at the factory and is generally never touched or worked on and only caused by someone messing with it.

This is not how to fix a faulty ignition switch that spins 360.

If you tried all the above and your Ford is doing any or all of this?

The key turns and feels normal, but the engine won’t crank?

The dash lights flicker or stay on after the key is out?

The key feels “limp” or spins 360 degrees without resistance?

You have to “jiggle” the key to get the accessories to turn on or start the car?

The car just turns itself off after starting and you have to hold the key to keep it running?

If yes, your ignition switch has likely failed. This is an electrical fault, not a lock/key issue. Call me and I can confirm the diagnosis over the phone in 2 minutes.
We specialise in both the 2002-2008 BA/BF Series and the 2008-2018 FG Series