I have a strange problem for the hive mind.
Yesterday after stopping at the services my van would not start. No attempt to turn over at all. Battery voltage 12.65v so ok. After waiting a little over an hour and starting again and it started fine.

This morning started fine and drove fine but after stopping it briefly it would not restart. It is as if there is a missing enable signal / interlock. When I try to start I hear a relay click on so one part it trying but the engine dose not turn over.

Dose anyone have any ideas? Does anyone have a list from f interlocks that are required to be satisfied before starting? I have a workshop manual but no lists of anything like that.

We had the same symptoms on our Doblo and it was the crank position sensor.
Ianam..

We had the same on our Focus. Nobody could tell us exactly what it was but Fords best guess was instrument cluster. So we sold it.

Like you say it seems that the signal isn’t being sent to the starter, I would imagine it would be because the ecu is receiving a signal that the engine is already running, from my experience this signal can be sent by the alternator, or the crank position sensor. I would check the condition of the alternator wiring and the plug connectors if it has a plug, for a start..

I could be wrong as I don’t know the vehicle, but I have had this on vehicles I’ve worked on.

Yep no signal at starter. Just texted that? Socket looks ok. All the relays seem to be integrated into the ECU and not on a socket but I can hear two clicking over. I will check the alternator plug too.

I didn’t think of rpm sensor as when I had that before the van cranked but didn’t operate injectors and hence didn’t start.

Could it be something simple as some corrosion in the signal wire from the ecu to the starter, or it has rubbed through the insulation and occasionally shorts depending on its position which is altered by the vibration of the vehicle.

Can you hear the starter clicking?

I had similiar albeit with a transit – failing starter motor solenoid.

Starter is likely dying. Double check battery and earth strap connections for security and corrosion 1St but starter is most likely.

I can hear a relay click but the starter is not getting a start signal. There is something interupting the signal I expect.

Muckytee’s idea sounds worth investigating. This van has to be the worst vehicle I have ever worked on for access.

Is it a relay click or a solenoid click? Could be a proper old school starter motor failure. Whack it (the starter) with a hammer then give it another shot.

Does it have a dual mass flywheel? Breaking up and filling the starter with swarf?

To determine if the starter is at fault, when the van won’t start use a screw driver to bridge the main positive lead to the starter signal connection, or use a wire from the battery and brush it against the starter signal connection (there will be sparks!) effectively supplying a voltage to the signal connector straight from the battery instead going through the ignition wiring and ecu. If the van turns over the starter is fine as it works if you supply power from elsewhere but the ignition circuit.

How old is the van? The early ones suffer from the loom wearing through as it passes through the bulkhead, it happend to mine a 53 plate, would turn over but not fire up. stumped the RAC and my mechanic. took it to a french car specialist who sorted it out very quickly. forum link
http://dispatchexpertscudo.org.uk/forum/

Jan 07. So first of the newer (but not latest model).

Is it a relay click or a solenoid click? Could be a proper old school starter motor failure. Whack it (the starter) with a hammer then give it another shot.

This is all irrelevant if there is no signal to the starter.

First port of call – check the signal at the starter when its NOT starting 🙂

Other than it not starting how have you accertained no power at the starter ?

DMM