Why Won’t My Ford EcoSport Start?

The Ford EcoSport was released into the market in 2018 and has been going strong in North America, being a very capable 5-door SUV that has seen a lot of restyling and facelifts over the years.

Many people praised the car for its spectacular driving capabilities and safety, but many were not so pleased, asking the question, “Why won’t my Ford EcoSport start?”.

The answer to this is not as simple as it seems as many different systems such as the battery, the fuel system, and the electrical systems work against the car, preventing it from starting such as:

1. Dead Batteries
2. Bad/Broken Fuel Pumps
3. Bad Alternators
4. Faulty Spark Plugs
5. Defective Ignition Coil/Distributor

If your Ford EcoSport has been causing you these issues, then you should read this article, as I will explain them all in-depth and help you understand how you can attempt to fix them.

What Would Cause A Ford EcoSport To Not Start?

Many different systems of the Ford EcoSport must work together to ensure that it can start and run smoothly.

If even one of these systems, such as the fuel system or the ignition system, fails to work properly and has a defect, there can be grave consequences that can prevent you from starting your car.

1: Dead Batteries

Battery issues are very common among vehicles, so many people, upon getting even the slightest of issues in the car, blame the battery.

The battery is also one of the most sensitive parts of the car as it requires a lot of management and maintenance if you want it to run smoothly and output power to the engine.

If your Ford EcoSport does not have a good battery, you cannot hope for it to start.

This issue can manifest in the form of stalling while driving, stuttering while starting the engine, and interior lights very dimly.

What Should You Do About It?

• Carry out a voltage test to assess the health of a battery. If you are shown that the battery is outputting less than 12 volts, you should opt for a jumpstart.
• If the battery has been used for a long time, you can also choose to get a replacement.
• To jumpstart your car, you must connect the dead battery to a healthy battery of another car via cables and start the engine. Keep the engine on for around 10 minutes.
• You should avoid activities that can reduce your battery’s charge, such as leaving the car stationary for too long and lack of maintenance.

2: Bad/Broken Fuel Pumps

Fuel pumps have the role of pushing the fuel from the tank to the engine. As you can imagine, these pumps have a very important role without proper fuel.

You cannot get your car running. Even if you can refuel your Ford EcoSport, it will not matter as the engine is not getting the fuel necessary to start it.

If you have trouble starting your car and have been seeing low gas mileages at high temperatures with the frequency of car surging, then you may be dealing with bad and broken fuel pumps, and you might have to schedule a trip to the mechanic.

What Should You Do About It?

• Replacing your fuel pumps should be the main focus if you feel your fuel pumps are going bad.
• If you have seen any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should definitely visit the mechanic and relay the issue so that the mechanic may check and confirm.
• Fixing your fuel pumps may be more costly, and it could still have issues that could result in the engine overexerting itself, leading to faster wear and tear.
• Once you have new fuel pumps, you should ensure they do not get worn out by using quality fuel and regularly replacing the fuel filters.

3: Bad Alternators

For the Ford EcoSport, the alternator is another essential component of the car’s electrical system as it helps recharge the battery.

It generates power by converting the mechanical energy of the car into electrical energy.

This allows the battery to retain the charge it needs to keep the interior lights on and start the car and ensure all of the components run smoothly.

A malfunctioning alternator can lead to your battery regularly losing its charge, which can have you constantly jumpstarting your car.

As I have discussed, if the battery is not charged, you will have issues starting your car.

What Should You Do About It?

• Record how long your battery lasts normally. If you lose charge very often, you may have a bad alternator on your hands.
• Jumpstarting the car is helpful for the time being, but this may not be a long-term solution, so it is better to replace your alternator with a new one.
• Once you have a new alternator, you must ensure that it remains in good condition via regular maintenance and cleaning.

4: Faulty Spark Plugs

Spark plugs are an integral part of the engine’s starting system as they are responsible for generating the spark needed to ignite the fuel.

This ignition allows the fuel to burn, which generates the energy the Ford EcoSport needs to run.

You can imagine the issues that can happen if the spark plug does not run properly or not at all.

Spark plugs usually have a small lifespan and will have to be replaced every 2-3 months, which you might need.

Rough idling, engine surging, misfiring, and high fuel consumption is prime symptoms that indicate bad spark plugs.

What Should You Do About It?

• If you were hoping you could get away with a quick fix, then you will be sad to hear that the best way to rid yourself of spark plug issues is to replace them entirely.
• Spark plugs may not all die simultaneously, so you should have the mechanic check all the individual spark plugs to see which ones are fine and which need to be replaced.
• Alternatively, you can replace all the spark plugs of the Ford EcoSports simultaneously and record the time you replaced them along with when you should replace them next.

5: Defective Ignition Coil/Distributor

If you do not want to deal with frequent backfiring, jerking, vibrations, and misfiring along with a general poor fuel economy, then you should take care of your ignition coil.

Eventually, the issues with this component can prevent the car from starting entirely.

The ignition coil works for hand and hand with the spark plug to ensure that the spark plugs can light up the fuel.

All of this goes hand in hand to ensure that the Ford EcoSport starts, and if the ignition coil has issues, it will not be able to do so.

What Should You Do About It?

• You can personally replace the ignition coils of your Ford EcoSport yourself at home by using the proper tools and equipment.
• First, ensure that the engine is cool and engage the emergency brakes.
• Lubricate the new coils and begin to install them.
• Reinstall all remaining components and test your work.
• If you feel not confident about the work, then you should have it changed by a professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Why Won’t My Ford EcoSport Start With New Battery?

Getting a new battery is not the solution to all your problems.

There is always a good chance that another issue or problem is plaguing your Ford EcoSport.

You should always check to see if the battery is the root problem or not.

Alternatively, it can also be the battery terminals or cables causing the issue, which is why it is wise to give them a look if you suspect that the battery components are to blame.

Q2. Why Won’t My Ford EcoSport Start Even With A Jump?

A jump start breathes new life into a dead battery and helps to energize batteries with low charges, but it will not help start the car if the problem lies elsewhere.

Once you jumpstart your Ford EcoSport and see that it is still not turning on, you should look towards your car’s starting system.

Once you have assessed the starting system, check the fuel systems and see what could be the problem there. Assess all of these systems as the problem likely lies in them.

Q3. Why Won’t My Ford EcoSport Start But Lights Work?

The lights are working and turning on but the Ford EcoSport not doing so indicates a low charge or bad battery. Carry out a voltage tester to make sure that this is the case.

If this is not the case, then it is likely that terminals or cables of the battery are causing issues.

Alternatively, the starting system or the ignition system may also cause this problem, so you should check them once the voltage test comes through and does not reveal any faults.

Q4. Why Won’t My Ford EcoSport Start But Cranks?

If your Ford EcoSport is cranking, you should take this as a sign of good fortune as you can assess that there is nothing wrong with the electrical of the car.

Most likely, the problem lies in the fuel system, which you will have to fix accordingly.

It is possible that a blockage has occurred, which prevents an adequate amount of fuel from reaching the engine, preventing it from turning on properly.

On the other hand, it could be a sign of a bad starter motor so have that looked at as well.

Q5. Why Won’t My Ford EcoSport Start Just Clicks?

If your Ford EcoSport is clicking and does not crank, then the opposite is true, and you have a defect in the electrical system of the car.

At this point, you should take the car to a mechanic and have it assessed as a number of issues could be the case.

The battery could be the main issue, but it could also be that the starter motor has become defective.

You should seek professional advice and have your car checked out once you establish that there is an electrical fault.

Q6. Why Won’t My Ford EcoSport Start In The Cold Weather?

The cold weather is not the best for most cars, especially for extended periods of time, as a lot of issues can occur, from the battery to the oil, preventing the car from starting.

The cold weather reduces the number of reactions that occur in the battery, cutting its power output severely.

Additionally, it can cause the oil of the car to thicken and become useless.

If that is the case, then you need to head to a mechanic and have the oil flushed from the system and then replaced with new oil.

Q7. Why Won’t My Ford EcoSport Start After I Get Gas?

If your Ford EcoSport is low on fuel, then you should have no trouble getting more gas and watching it ride like the wind.

Unfortunately, it is not enough that you should refill your tank. But you should also make sure that the engine of your EcoSport gets that fuel.

The likely issue is in the fuel system of your car and could be in the form of a blockage or a bad fuel injector. Either of the two can prevent the car from starting.

Q8. Why Won’t My Ford EcoSport Start But Radio Works?

The radio working is usually a good sign of no electrical faults, but it can be a bad sign if you find out that the Ford EcoSport is not working alongside it.

This likely mirrors the issue that the lights were facing; low charged or dead battery. Again, make sure to conduct a voltage test.

If everything checks out, then you should look for corrosion on the battery terminals and the cables.

If you see any severed wires or fraying, then you should replace them as soon as possible.

Related: What Are The Worst Years For The Ford EcoSport?

Conclusion

The Ford EcoSport is a spectacular car that a lot of people enjoy, but it does fall victim to a lot of issues that make its owners go, “Why won’t my Ford EcoSport start?”.

Unfortunately, this is the case with a lot of different cars, and it will likely be the case for future models as well as cars, in general, are very delicate internally, and even the slightest defect can have serious long-term consequences that can prevent it from starting.

With the help of this article, you should be able to identify these defects so that they do not occur in your car again.

Tahir Azam

I am Tahir Azam, and I have been writing amazing articles for TaxiHack for as long as I can remember. I know everything that is to know when it comes to automobiles and is always on top of industry news and developments. While I am not an expert by any means, I pride myself on knowing the ins and outs of many different problems and, of course, their solutions. The articles on our website are some of the best and well-researched content that you will find, and I spend countless hours making sure this remains to be true. This is why I ask you to take your time out and read some of my articles, especially if you find a topic that resonates with you or is something you are looking into. This way, you will find the perfect mix of information and tips on your desired topic. Learn more about Tahir.