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["Frank Fries" <frank.fries AT imagewireless.ca>]

There will be a number of interlocks, as you suggested.

I have seen automatics not be able to sense that they were in park.  Easy to 
check - turn the key, take it out of park, put it back in, try and start. 
If it doesn't turn over, try and wiggle it while staying in park and turning 
the key to the start position.  Costs nothing to try.

Given that you seem to be getting absolutely nothing (doesn't even groan - 
starter doesn't even attempt to turn the engine) it sounds like NO power 
getting to starter.

If not an interlock, I would suspect either the ignition switch or the 
solenoid.  The key turns an actual on/off switch inside the lock, just like 
turning a light switch off and on.  The ignition switch sends a low power 
current to the solenoid.  The solenoid is really an electrically operated 
switch that handles the much higher power flow between the battery and the 
starter.  Of the two, I would be more suspicious of the solenoid.  I also 
know how to tell if the solenoid is the problem.

The solenoid is a small cylinder shaped device in the line (battery cable) 
between the battery and the starter.  This will be on the positive cable. 
The other battery cable will go to ground someone on the frame of the car or 
the engine (usually the engine)   The solenoid is usually attached to the 
fender wall fairly close to the battery (usually with 2 - 2 1/2 feet).  It 
will have 2 short brass or copper bolts (terminals) with brass or copper 
nuts attaching a battery cable to either side of the solenoid.  It will also 
have at least one light (thin) wire attached to it (coming from the ignition 
switch).

If you have a 12 volt circuit tester (looks like a screwdriver with a light 
bulb in the handle and a wire attached), the side farther from the battery 
should become live (hot) when the key is turned to the crank position (you 
try and start the car with the key).  This is where the cable is attached 
that goes to the starter.

The other way of checking if it is the solenoid is to:
   - make sure the car is not in gear if it is a standard, park for an 
automatic
   - keep hands and everything else away from the fan, fanbelt and any 
moving parts
   -turn the key on
   -hook a booster cable (also sometimes called jumper cables) to the 
positive post on the battery
   - touch the other end of the same booster cable to the terminal on the 
far side of the solenoid (side farthest away from the battery, with the 
cable going down to the starter, which is generally kind of under the 
engine, sort of low down on one side)
   - beware that this is the equivalent of turning the key to the "crank" 
position and potentially the engine could turn over and start.

Frank



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lynn Wigglesworth" <lynnw1366 AT hotmail.com>
To: <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 24, 2009 3:56 PM
Subject: [Homestead] Car problem


> My mother's car is a 1993 Ford Tempo. It won't start, but I think the
> problem is the brake.  The key turns in the ignition, the dashboard lights
> light (all of them), but it doesn't make a sound. It's NOT the battery...I
> KNOW what a dead battery sounds like. That car has all kinds of interlocks
> with the brake and the shift (it's an automatic) and the brake and the
> ignition. You need to depress the brake to do anything, like start the car
> or shift out of Park. If the brake doesn't work, nothing works.
>
> The problem is that the brake pedal won't go down at all. I know 
> absolutely
> nothing about cars, but I suspect something in the brake mechanism
> (linkage?) is jammed. I couldn't find a tow truck to get it to the 
> mechanic
> before they closed at 2, so I have to wait until Monday. Can they even tow
> it if it's stuck in Park? I thought it would be nice if I could fix it
> before then and save some money and annoyance.Any suggestions for a
> mechanically-challenged person (that doesn't involve disassembling the 
> car)?
>
> Lynn Wigglesworth
> Tioga Co. PA
>
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