My 2017 Lariat with 5.0 Liter Engine has a sensitive push button ignition switch. It seems to be fussy on how much pressure I have on the brake pedal before it will work properly. Sometimes it makes a quick click and then nothing. When I sense this is happening I quickly set go of the button. Sometimes it will just be a delay in starting so I try to be patient. I bought it used in March 2022 and did not start experiencing the push button missing a start until about one month ago. I admit sometimes I do not give the brake pedal a solid push before pushing the ignition button. I am hoping there is nothing wrong with the ignition system and that is only me more recently messing up with the brake pedal. The starter is not grinding whatsoever. The in between starts (when the starter only makes sounds of pre-start) do not sound like they are good for the ignition system though. For my information can someone please give me some insights into how to distinguish between an issue with the starter and an issue with the electronic starter? Where can I buy a new starter push button? I went to Autozone and he said they would not have that part. Would Rock Auto have it in stock? What search terms would I use to find a new one? If the electric push button ignition (not really sure of the proper term) is to blame for some future break-down issue is there a way too override it to start the truck? I use to have a resister in my key for my 2007 Olds 88 and I would find some interesting ways to start the car but I have no experience with the push button ignition so any suggests on a work-around would be appreciated. I dread the idea of being 500 miles from home and finding out the electronic push button ignition switch is bad and that I would have to buy it from a dealership and is back ordered for months. I am trying to prepare myself for a worst case scenario. Thanks ahead of time for the insights...

 

Are you tapping the start button or holding it in?
I got confused by you "quickly" letting go. I don't think I could ever touch the button long enough to have time to let go.

Just making sure you're using it properly.

I haven't heard of anybody discussing a starting problem similar to what you described today.

 

In order to start the truck you only need to quickly press and release the Start/Stop button. No need to hold it until the engine starts.

Tasca has the button.

https://www.tascaparts.com/oem-parts...LXY4LWZsZXg%3D

 

If I was to venture a guess, the sensor that gives the status of the brake pedal position is acting up. This would make all the sense in the world to me since I know what a bad starter sounds like and this does not sound like a bad starter. I just recently depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle started, but with a weird delay. Sometimes it just make a sound and then nothing. Invariably, after a first try issue it always starts the second time though. Thanks for your input!

 

In order to know what's going on you should download Forscan and check the operation of the brake pedal switch..

 

Wow. I didn't know I can do that. You sure know a lot. Thanks. I just took a 1000 miles ride and now can describe the issue more clearly. There is definitely an issue and not just a problem with how I am depressing the brake pedal. First I will describe how the issue is manifesting itself when I start. The first iteration: I press the brake pedal and push the start button. After I push the button if nothing happens right away, sometimes I panic and quickly take my foot off the pedal. It may sputter a little, but will definitely not start. However, with this second iteration of the problem, if I press the pedal and push the button, and do not panic, and leave my foot heavy on the brake pedal, the truck will turn over in a delayed fashion. From March to September 2022, the first several months of owning the vehicle, there was no delay in starting, this is something fairly new. Another clue, when I firmly press the brake pedal and then push the start button and the truck fails to start, always, and I mean always, the vehicle will start the second time. I am not certain, but when the truck starts in this delayed fashion, when I keep my foot pressed down on the brake after starting, I believe it first makes a little noise, and then vroom, it starts. I am not certain about that small amount of noise though, it may be silent before the delay. I am theorizing that if the starter has a bad contact spot on it it would take a little jolt of electricity to move the rotor to another location where the connection is normal. After experiencing this for 1-2 months I am leaning towards a "bad starter" theory. I believe that the starter either has a bad spot on the armature (#1 theory) or possibly an issue with the brushes? My last few vehicles were a 2007 Olds 88 and a 2007 Econoline van (E250), both having a starter constructed like a basic electric motor design, like an electric drill. Assuming the 2017 F-150 starter using the basic electric motor design in it's construction I will venture a guess that this is a symptom of an aging starter motor. If the more modern starters have moved away from basic electric motor technology all bets are off on this theory. These symptoms, I believe, are pointing away from a push-button issue. Although, I am not a professional mechanic and maybe I am off with my analysis. If anyone can please tell me how a professional mechanic would go about diagnosing this kind of issue, assuming that when the mechanic had the vehicle in their shop the vehicle started every time he tried it. After all, I can start the truck 5 consecutive times without an issue at this stage of time in it's faulty operation. Can I use a electrical continuity meter in some fashion to troubleshoot what I believe is a bad spot on the starter's rotor/stator? I am going to guess that there is no way to see this issue with a meter unless the rotor is sitting on a bad spot on the armature, otherwise, an electric meter will show continuity across the starter rotor. My theory as to why I am getting a delayed start, sometimes, is that when I push the start button with the brake pedal depressed, with the armature on a bad spot on the rotor, or visa versa, the starter moves a little from the jolt of current that tried to spin the start motor and advances that rotor/stator to a good spot on the starter motor and then starts in this delayed fashion. The logic here is that the start button will apply current to the starter until it starts even if it has to keep the contact closed after the operator take their finger off the button. I am pretty sure, but not super certain, that the truck will start, with this delay, even after I have released the start button. It seems to have a memory that acknowledges I pushed the start command and will carry out the start as long as the brake pedal is depressed. However, if I depress the button too quickly from the start it will not start? Maybe some can tell me exactly how the start button is wired into the system.

I wound up ordering a start push button online with TASCA Parts at this link
https://www.tascaparts.com/oem-parts...n-dg9z10b776ab
I am afraid the starter is going to take a turn for the worst and not start at all one of these times in the near future. With the starters on my past vehicles (pre 2007) I could always give it a bang with a hammer to jump the rotor off the bad spot and it would start. Someone in this or another blog mentioned that the more recent starter technology do not like to be banged with a hammer. They claim that you will just make matters worse if you start hammering away at the metal starter casing, that is even if they are metal anymore. Does anyone know if this is true? Is that any safe way of advancing the starter rotor off a bad connectivity spot (worn rotor/stator)?

I am ready to just go ahead and order the starter. Maybe someone can suggest to me, assuming my troubleshooting is good, what is the best starter on the market to buy for my 2017 Lariat F150 with a 5.0L engine? Is is always the best to buy OEM? Is the OEM always a Motorcraft part? Does Bosch or Denso make a superior starter for this truck?

Thanks ahead of time!!
Joe

 

Here.

 

Great! Thanks

 

To point out something that may be missed.
"Momentary" operating the Button does not direct connect to the Starter Motor like old times but is only a signal to a Module that does that function, so there can be some time delay, at times.
If I play the Satellite system for awhile, then try a start, there is always a noticeable delay before cranking.
.
Even my emergency house AC generator works this way. Turn power switch on, then press (and release) the start Button and the auto start takes over and (will try) a second time. If the second crank fails to start, it then locks out if a failure the second time.
Then a reset has to be made for finding the reason for the failure.
The wire drawing shows the same thing except it does not try auto cranking the second time as far as I know not having Button start.

 

Thanks Bluegrass for those insights.