Recently my 2008 Ford Fusion SEL started to have issues starting. I would turn on the ignition, the car would run for a few seconds then stop. It would work for a couple of weeks and it started happening again. I took it to a mechanic, he replaced the starter for $600. The next day it happened again. I called and they switched the starter out with another new starter. It was still happening. He told me I needed to call a locksmith and it was most likely an ignition switch problem. I did, the locksmith told me the ignition switch was fine but it was most likely my old key and the car is not reading the chip inside the key. So I had a better condition spare key and he made a copy of that. Paid him $240. But it is still having issues, I can drive it all day and it will start, then it will all of a sudden not start, but when I fidget with it will eventually start. The Locksmith said it is most like electrical. Could be a fuse or relay. He noticed the digital clock fading on the display screen, showing that there is an electrical problem. Also, the headlights used to turn on automatically when it got dark, it just stopped doing that all of a sudden. The Locksmith told me to go to Autozone and have them do a test on the electrical. Spent about $2000 on this car the last couple of weeks, I would hate to have to get rid of it after that because after it starts it drives fine. Any advice would be helpful, as I am not a mechanic. I just hope there is a cheap fix after dropping 2 grand.
Watch the Theft Light on the dash. When it starts and then dies is the theft light either staying on or blinking?
Yes, it is blinking
well you have an issue with the anti-theft system
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Typically that's a problem with the antenna receiver in the ignition switch housing or its the electrical wiring for the circuit
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It's having an intermittent issue reading the chip in the key
OK, who would I go to to fix this? Any idea of the cost? Obviously the mechanic that changed out my starter had no idea what was going on. I think I may have just paid for a new starter when I didn't have to. And thanks for your help.
I'd estimate you'd be charged 1 hour shop time plus the cost of the Ignition Immobilizer Module
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The module costs about $50 . So $50 plus 1 hour shop labor
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Couldn't find the edit button, just wanted to add it is an automatic and just hit the 200k mark on the mileage.