2000 Ford Ranger won't start?

Question

On Saturday night my truck was running great. On Sunday went to use it and it wouldn't start. I would turn the key and didn't even sound like it was attempting to turn over. I would attempt to start it and the lights, radio nothing would come on. The battery in the truck is about 4 1/2 years old. So I'm guessing it's the battery.

Yes, I'm plan on bringing in to have it looked at. I work nights and have to be awake to wait to be towed from my house and my next day off is Friday. Any ideas are appreciated, thanks

No comments about it being a Ford because this has never happened before.

Answer 1

Why don't you not spend the money for the tow, but get someone to jump you, take it to the Autozone, have it checked and if its the battery, swap it out and go.  No extra bill for towing.

Answer 2

it might just be the terminals need cleaning. or the starter is sticking. try hitting the starter and try to start it.

Answer 3

Fords rock!!! It is your battery, thats all.

Answer 4

The guys are right, bad battery.  When you do replace it, make sure you clean the terminals making sure it is not corroded and have clean contact to the terminals.

FORD TOUGH!

Answer 5

get some jumper cables, if the alternator doesn't turn it is the battery. So i'm sure if you find someone with jumper cables they will know how to jumpstart it. (have done it on Ford trucks before)

Answer 6

check and clean batt post fist

charge batt and check batt & charging system

Answer 7

get some jumper cables and start your truck.And try this test its to check  if the alternator is charging the battery.Ok leave your truck on  and then go to the battery and dis-connect both of the posts and if the truck turns off that means your alternator doesnt work.That happened to me and went to yahoo answers and i tryed it and surely enough it was the alternator. if the truck stay on that mean the alternator is good and battery is bad

                                          

                                       good luck.

Answer 8

Don't buy battery till you find out if it is bad! It could have been run dead overnight by something pulling power that shouldn't have been left on!

A charged battery with corroded connections on battery post(s) can not deliver electricity to starter or inside equipment!

A bad alternator could drain battery due top a "leaky diode" -- it doesn't happen often, but if it happens to you that does not matter much does it!

My first thing would be to check connections (a cup of soda water cleans up terminals pretty quickly), - just put 1 tsp of baking soda in water and mix up, --"fizzing" is corrosion being neutralized! When fizzing stops all corrosion is dissolved, -- make sure to insert till water above where insulation is stripped!  you can dump on battery posts slowly when finished on terminals, -- then flush off with clean water!

Note of caution - if you have those "add on terminals" that clamp on wire with "saddle clamp, _ get new cables with terminals properly attached, -- you now have 4 places on battery connections for corrosion instead of two!

If terminals are clean, the next thing is to put on jumper cables (proper polarity required)-- a "dead" battery may not protest if charged backwards, but electrical stuff may bolow out on reversed polartity as well as ruin alternator!   Once hooked up RIGHT, - allow other vehicle to run for about 20 minutes to pick up battery a little, then crank engine and see if it starts!  Allow other engine to run also for about 5 more minutes at least, as you check to see that your alternator is charging right.  Then you can remove jumper cables, -- The battery will now be charged enough that the alternator can continue charging-- note here that if battery low enough the alternator may not charge, - as it erquires a certian amount of voltage to excite stator (field coills), --so it can charge!

Now that it is running - it would be a good idea to take it to to somebody that will check total charging suystem in car, - just as it "lives and works!  At this point you can tell if the battery or alternator is bad (or something else)!  You can get this done free at many places!

OR**** You can do like so many do, replace battery, replace alternator, replace battery cables, and any thing else others tell you to, -- then find out that maybe you have a bad or burnt wire on plug into alternator, a blown fuse, -- or left something on that was wired directly to battery - (not thorugh ignition circuit), -- or you left dome or courtesy  light or something on!-- Any of which could be fixed for a couple dollars, or connecting wires properly! And of course you find this out after spending 3-400 bucks buying stuff that you didn't need!

Answer 9

battery