Solving Ford Product Starter Problems from 1992 to 2006

Just turn the ignition key on a Ford Motor Company in the mid 90’s and click. At first, you probably have a low battery or the battery cable isn’t securely fastened. You may be surprised that the problem lies in the small red wire that connects to the starter solenoid (attached to the top of the starter).

Ford products manufactured between 1992 and 2006 (Ford, Lincoln, Mercury) had a design flaw in the starter, often causing a no-start, no-crank condition. The problem was due to the ignition terminal connection of the starter solenoid. Ford has finally announced a conversion kit that solves the problem. This is Ford’s part number 6U2Z-14S411-NA, as described in Technical Service Bulletin 06-19-14, dated October 2, 2006.

The solenoid ignition terminal connection is the smaller of the two electrical connections to the starter. Usually red, it connects to the solenoid via a push-on, pull-off connection called a male spade connection. This connection is prone to corrosion and fails, which is a major cause of starter problems.

Ford Motor Company has manufactured a conversion kit that converts spade-type connections to eyelet / post-type connections. This will solve the problem. Another option is to replace the entire starter assembly with a new or rebuilt unit that already has new connections built in. Here is a series of actions I recommend.

Replacing the starter is an easy task. Only two bolts hold the starter in place. Next, the solenoid has a nut that needs to be removed to remove the mains lead. Finally, there is a small wire that also needs to be cut from the solenoid.

Be sure to remove the negative lead of the battery before attempting to repair the starter (or alternator, etc.).

Do not purchase a replacement starter or starter solenoid that uses a male spade connection. Older types of connections start to have problems in just a year.