1998 Ford Windstar won't start

I had wrote on here a couple weeks ago how my Windstar wouldn't start sometimes and how two months ago I had bought a new battery and then a month later the van wouldn't start and they tested the altenator and the starter and said I needed new started, put that on and a week later the van didn't start again. Depending on how much I drive it in a day sometimes it will start and sometimes it won't, sometimes it will almost start but then if I try again I just wear down the battery. You had said that maybe my battery is bad, if I have it tested again will they be able to tell, or are they going to say yes i need another battery and I will have the same problem in a couple of weeks.

 

If you put in a new battery (not just a different one) and a new starter, I wouldn't be too anxious to put either in again, unless I heard some pretty good reasons why.

When you say it depends on how much you drive it in a day will affect how it starts, is that saying the more you drive it the more likely it will start?

You could have a short in your electrical system that's draining the battery. It could be in the alternator/regulator. That can be checked.

Considering the history of the problem, I would have the van checked for a battery drain.

Hope this helps,

Bob

 

Yes The more I drive it the more likely it is to start.

 

There is always a chance a new part went in that was defective, but I would lean toward a malfunctioning part that's draining your battery.

If you don't want to pull the alternator yourself, I would have a shop take another look at it and check it specifically for battery drain when idle.

You can do some other things like pulling the fuses with a test light hooked in a battery cable circuit. If you want to try that yourself, post back.

Hope this helps,

Bob

 

I'm a woman and unfortunately don't know much about cars, can they test the altenator for a drain at an auto parts store or do I need to have that done at a garage?

 

They can test the alternator itself at an auto parts store, but since the issue may be broader than the alternator, I would take it to a garage.

Hope this helps,

Bob