Hit some wires with my foot and wont start now

gcddarren · Sep 29, 2014

97 4.0 ranger extra cab

Parked on a slope and got out, truck was rolling backwards, I hopped in and stepped on the e-brake real hard and in the process snagged a few wires. Now the car will not turn over, no click from the starter, but the stereo will turn off and on.

what should I do? where should I start? Any help is appreciated!!!
Thanks.

Mark_88 · Sep 30, 2014

Auto or manual?

my first guess would be clutch interlock...if it's a manual...

My second guess would be you've mashed the entire electronic control system through the firewall...but there could be something less involved that has been knocked out of place...since it's a 97 my suggestion would be to have a good look under that area and disconnect any connections that look wonky...

Not much under there except the clip that feeds out to the door and maybe your alarm system...I had a rats nest of wires in that area on my 96 that took me a while to clean up...

Rowdy Fitzgerald · Sep 30, 2014

The wires shouldn't have been that low. Someone was fiddle farting around in the wires before you got the truck. You'll need to figure out what each wire runs to and it's corresponding fuse.

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adsm08 · Sep 30, 2014

If it's a stick Mark is probably right, you caught the wires for the clutch switch.

Rowdy is also right, they shouldn't have been that low, you need to check and see what else has been messed with and not put back right.

AgPete139 · Sep 30, 2014

Could be anything. Wires got yank or jerked around. What is hanging down that you could have hit? Did you pull something from the left side kick panel?

gcddarren · Oct 23, 2014

Finally got to looking at this...this is where I'm at.
New battery fully charged. I have checked all wires and connections and didn't see anything out of place or broken.
Every light, turn signal, and steric worked.
Went to start and it made a puff noise and everything is dead. Lots of load clicking noises from the passenger side user the dash. No lights or stereo work now. And it won't turn. Key in the ignition and you turn it nothing happens. When you turn it backwards to radio listening position I open the door it beeps. I touch the brake and it kills the power and it stops beeping. Sounds that sound like SOS beeping and weird beeps at times. This type of fix is out of my league. Where do I start? Or should I just take it in.

Rowdy Fitzgerald · Oct 23, 2014

You blew a fuse. You have a major short somewhere. I would start with the ignition wire in the steering column, then work your way to the fuse box. Look for any wire that has the insulation damaged. Look for black marks on the metal where the wires go through or touch.

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gcddarren · Aug 24, 2015

solved

no wires were pulled, it was corrosion on the positive battery wire. simple fix, made me feel stupid. but its fixed.

Mark_88 · Aug 24, 2015

Well, thanks for the update...when I read your later posts it was one of the first things that came to mind...the terminals are dirty or you have bad connections...and the stomping on the wires was just a distraction from the real issue...

Happens all the time, actually...so...glad you got it fixed and hopefully the enjoyment begins...

Big Jim M · Aug 25, 2015

Now go get a new battery! If your leads are that bad the battery is on it's last legs!
Big Jim

Big Jim M · Aug 25, 2015

What is it with vehicle batteries? We make sure to keep a good battery in our PHONES, our FLASHLIGHTS, our KIDS TOYS, but we forget about the vehicle batteries! The damn things last 36 months!
After 36 months the batteries are making so much acid and putting it in our engine bays, that it is a miracle that we can start the engine every morning.
As a rule of thumb, if we change batteries every 36 months there will NEVER be any corrosion anywhere under the hood!
I once deal'd in USED Jeeps. The battery sits above the four-wheel drive plastic vac hoses that must be intact for the four-wheel drive to work.
Out of a hundred Jeeps I would find 90 that had battery acid had eaten up the vac hoses.
The owner had no idea what was wrong with his Jeep so he sold it and I benefitted from the bad batteries.
GUYS! Throw them old batteries away! They are simple time bombs.
Big Jim

Mhfco6 · Aug 26, 2015

We have a brand new F-150 at work that has done this 3 times! Foot hits the kicker panel on the floorboard and boom.. Truck won't start. Horrible design.

Hit some wires with my foot and wont start now

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