Occasional starter problem on T100?

There are some replacable contacts inside the starter. This will give you a clue:

The Toyota stealership also has them.

Thanks! It sounds like that may be the problem. It is kind of weird that it's not a consistent problem. I've had trouble for 3 days now, but the last time I had the problem before that was about 6 months ago.

So how easy is it to get into the starter to change the contacts? The most complicated work I've done is changing the brakes.

Thanks, Trevor

If you go to:

One of the manuals on that page should give you an idea what you're up against. I've only messed with older models (20r, 22re, 3zve) , in

4runners and hilux, so I have no idea what you're up against with a t100.

My experience has been that if the contacts are bad you can hear a click as the solenoid is activated, but the bad contacts won't allow current to the starter motor. (The same thing sometimes happens with a low battery.) If you have a worn starter communtator or a bad winding in the starter you will sometimes hear the same thing. If, as in your case, you hear nothing it is most likely bad wiring. Either corrosion, a bad connector or even a bad ignition switch. I would check the ground wire to the chassis as well as the ground wire from the engine to the chassis. The solenoid itself could be going bad and not pulling in sometimes. This can be proved by shorting across the solenoid with a heavy jumper the next time it won't start. If it starts you know the starter itself is okay. OTOH, You can jumper from the positive battery wire to the solenoid small wire that comes from the ignition switch. If it starts when doing this you have proved your solenoid, starter and heavy wiring is good. The problem will be in the smaller wiring or ignition switch.

-- Anyolmouse

The interesting thing is that it has been starting fine since Friday afternoon. On the days when it was having trouble this time, the temperature was below 20 F. (However, the previous time I had trouble was during the summer.)

I've been told the last few times I got my oil changed that I have a small oil leak, and it appears that it has been dripping onto the starter. Perhaps some has made its way inside? I'm going to wait until it's either warmer outside or the problem arises again before I try to get to it and find out.

- Trevor

Well, I had a really hard time starting tonight, and the temperature was above freezing. And it turns out it does click - it's not just silent (I just hadn't been in a location before where I could hear it clearly). I had to try many, many more times than usual, and it actually started trying to turn over 2 or 3 times before it finally started. I'm guessing that's because the number of starts it took made it so that battery wasn't quite as fresh as it should have been?

I guess if it starts in the morning I should just drive it some place that can fix it, since I lack both the parts and the experience. I'm guessing I'm most likely to get someone who knows what they're doing if I go to the local Toyota dealer. I just hope they'll be willing to replace the contacts (if that's what it is), rather than insisting on replacing the whole thing.

Thanks, Trevor

I ended up taking it to Tunex, and they had a hard time believing I had gone 235,000 miles on the original starter. They convinced me that I would ultimately be best off with a new one (not remanufactured, but unfortunately also not Toyota). They replaced it, and I now have no problems starting. But I'm feeling a little bit of buyer's remorse today. :(

- Trevor

Alas, it's all better than no starter at all. :-) If it weren't for credit cards, we'd all be walking.