Intermittent starting. please help

So... bought the daughter a 2012 SE fiesta. She complained of the brakes going soft for no reason and also sometimes wouldnt start.
battery is newish... made 05/21, good battery.
Swapped vehicles with her until i can figure this out.
Brakes. bled them, still goes soft inconsistently. had a garage bleed them, still goes to the floor sometimes.
mechanic says maybe a bad wheel speed sensor or ABS or master cylinder.
thats problem number 1 of many

the starting. I get up for work, starts up strong no issues. 8 hours at work, starts up no issues.
I stop and get gas. refuses to start. i have to wait like 5 10 minutes. When it does this, the panel comes up, gas guage everything, just no start. the starter is not clicking when this is happening. meanwhile, i can not shift it out of park
this happens only when the car is warm but not always if that makes sense. not sure if its a transmission problem
or a security lockout thing malfunctioning.

I already went through alot of internet posts but found nothing. I already addressed the poor ground connection hoping
it would correct the start issues but it has not.

Any help would be appreciated.

When brakes are bled then you still have the bottoming out - time to put (it up on jacks and take) the tires off and look at both the caliper and drum brakes (wheel cylinder) for wetting - caused by a bad seal.

The issue with the start, sounds like the Park interlock.

With the key in and on - not start - see if pressing the brake firmly allows you to "shift" out of park and re-engage park and try to start it - else just press the brake and shift to NEUTRAL and see if it will start.

Have someone stand outside at the back of the car to see if your brake lights are active when you press on the brakes when that starter quits and you can't pull it out of park.. IF no light - there is your problem.

I'm thinking the pushrod or the brake light switch is out of alignment if you don't press the brake pedal down hard enough to make the switch light the brakes - the thing just sits there. The pushrod - if not right - will make the vacuum in the booster disappear after a couple of tries at pressing the brake - or total loss of vacuum when left parked overnight.

IF it does' the starting in N - then the parking shift interlock is damaged - might need to have a dealer check it out.

This could also be something (or as complex as) a loose battery ground cable back to the motor - or that cable is corroded and needs replacement.

When brakes are bled then you still have the bottoming out - time to put (it up on jacks and take) the tires off and look at both the caliper and drum brakes (wheel cylinder) for wetting - caused by a bad seal.

Had my mechanic inspect the brakes, saw no leaks. He had suggested an ABS problem or Wheel speed sensor.

The issue with the start, sounds like the Park interlock.

With the key in and on - not start - see if pressing the brake firmly allows you to "shift" out of park and re-engage park and try to start it - else just press the brake and shift to NEUTRAL and see if it will start.

Cannot shift out of park. Will check the brake lights next time it happens. Its random

Have someone stand outside at the back of the car to see if your brake lights are active when you press on the brakes when that starter quits and you can't pull it out of park.. IF no light - there is your problem.

I'm thinking the pushrod or the brake light switch is out of alignment if you don't press the brake pedal down hard enough to make the switch light the brakes - the thing just sits there. The pushrod - if not right - will make the vacuum in the booster disappear after a couple of tries at pressing the brake - or total loss of vacuum when left parked overnight.

IF it does' the starting in N - then the parking shift interlock is damaged - might need to have a dealer check it out.

Cannot move it into 'N'

update. Came home from work. parked it. put key on but not start. moved to neautral. put it back in park. tried second time, stuck in park. no crank

while it was in this state i observed the brake lights did come on. while doing the brake light test i must of moved the car a bit forward, i heard a click under the pedal area, maybe in engine compartment. car started and shifted out of park.

so... is there a plunger, switch, something tied to placing it in park, and where is it located on an automatic, what am i looking for on it

Ok, this is progress, so the "Creak" or creep moved the Shift selector - so the console holds the solenoid that releases the "pin" by pressing on the switch using the brake to move the solenoid - allows the lever to move from the detent of Park to the point where the switch can freely move to start the car - hence the Lockout - so there are two things here...

The Collum to shifter interlock for the Key - so that when you "park" it allows you to remove the key - but if the tumbler the key uses - is getting slack or Freeplay - you may be able to turn off the car and remove the key even when the shift column is not fully engaged in park to allow this.

Because it is not fully in park due to that slack - the switch cannot fully engage the "OK to start - Interlock" hence no start.

so, new ignition cylinder, or ....?

You did NOT mention if the vehicle is Press to Start or Key - presuming this is a key.

A Video of a method to take it out of park is here...


Well, you have to figure out if the key is removable - but the park lever can not move FAR enough to press against the Interlock switch - you should be able to turn the key to Ignition (ON) and press your brake to hear something so the button on the shifter can be depressed and move further - if you can show in the display to move it to N you should be able to start it.

Or at least with the key in to ON (not ACC - the ON or RUN - where the key defaults to after you START.

Or if the key is in ON you should be able to go to START (all the way over) and with the brake pedal pressed - you should be able to find a method (this would be difficult for one so you would need a helper with this) - to keep the KEY in START your Brake Pedal pressed - and able to press the shift engagement button to allow the shift stick to move. Pull lever out of park (back) then move the lever forward to go back into PARK and then release the key back to it's ON state - turn the key all the way off - to reset the tumbler - and then be able to turn the key all the way to start and hear it start.

The problem is the lever action to keep the key from being removed unless it is in park - that assembly will need to be looked into - it's a PITA because the steering wheel and some of the console has to be removed to obtain access to the tumbler to even replace it or check the assembly itself for dirt body hairs - old French fries or whatever that may keep the cylinder from turning and resetting the interlock.

You will need to VERIFY the display console shows it is in PARK - if you do this too quickly with this condition - it can aggravate the condition further.