1. Home
  2. General Toyota Forum
  3. 94 toyota corolla starting

94 toyota corolla starting

This toyota sometimes will not start. even afterhaving it "fixed" several time s. For awhile, it frequently wouldnt start. After a new starter, it seemed fixed for a few weeks. Took it back in. The mechanic couldnt work on it because he couldnt get it to not start. So it would start for a few weeks, then out of the blue it wouldnt. We got a portable charger, and it wasnt enough to charge it. There have been many times it wouldnt start. On one occasion the good samariton suggested tapping the starter with a wrench. It worked..,but it never worked any other time. The toyota dealer gave it a going over and it worked good for awhile...then it didnt start ..happened three or four times in a week./ Much of the time it will start with a charge from another vehicle. It seems that the ones with the bigger cables are more successful, while people with smaller battery cables sometimes cant charge it. We have had the battery about a year and a half. My son put a different battery in to see if it made a difference and got the same results. On two occasions, when he turned the key in the ignition it was dead but as he continued to instantly turn the key off and on it started...yet most times it doesnt do any good to turn the key on over and over. We got a tune up and stuff. Anyone have any idea what to look fo thanks.....r.

Reply to
Paula Thomson
Loading thread data ...

Did you check out the post below from jyang1 and the no start symptoms with his corolla? There are some suggestions there. I don't think the problem was solved, but there are a couple trouble shooting ideas. I still haven't got mine figured out. I put in new starter contacts, different battery and replaced both + and - cables. Damn thing is still temperamental! I soaked the H__ out of the ignition with WD40, thinking that it may clean the contacts and it is happy with that, for now. Mine starts with a boost too, so the extra juice is overcoming whatever the problem is. Post if you confirm what the problem was. May be time for an Exorcist!

Reply to
Gordo

I had this exact same problem with a VW bug. Turned out to be the ignition switch (key switch). It was a standard shift, so all I had to do was get it rolling a bit and pop the clutch.

Reply to
John Karpich

To do a proper diagnosis, someone with a meter will have to check stuff out when the condition occurs. You really don't want to be throwing parts and labor at the car in hopes that the problem will be fixed. It is usually much more economical if someone can observe the condition and then diagnose it properly with a meter.

Check for voltage at the starter first, then the starter contact, then work your way back to the ignition switch, neutral safety switch, clutch safety switch (if manual transmission).

Something you can try if it is an automatic when it doesn't start is shifting it into neutral and seeing if it starts. If it does, the neutral safety switch is suspect.

Reply to
Ray O

I had a similar problem with a Dodge Colt Vista that turned out to be the battery cables breaking right at the battery. Sometimes there were enough strands touching to start the car, sometimes not. Sometimes the cables would move enough when hooking up the jumper cables to make a connection.

If the battery is good and the starter has been replaced, I'd suspect a cable or bad ground.

I also had a similar problem with my Corolla that turned out to be a defective replacement starter that failed aga> This toyota sometimes will not start. even afterhaving it "fixed" > several time

Reply to
kgold

Well it has been over a week and the Toy has started sharply every time since I soaked the ignition switch with WD40. It flushed out alot of the usual grey matter. Anybody know if WD can get into the contacts from the key hole, or is this just coincidental? It's got to bthe switch for me, I've fixed everything else.

Reply to
Gordo

WD-40 was designed and intended to clean and dry electrical contacts. "WD" stands for water-displacing, and the manufacturer's 40th recipe is the one they make. The contacts in your ignition switch are not the starter contacts. The switch contacts only pass enough current to energize the starter relay, which is designed to pass more current. The starter relay with contacts that get worn is in the engine compartment, probably on the starter itself.

When you say you soaked the ignition switch with WD-40, did you remove the steering column cover and actually spray the switch or just spray into the ignition lock keyhole? If you just sprayed into the keyhole, then it is unlikely you got much into the ignition switch itself. The ignition lock acts kind of like a handle or knob for the switch, which is connected to the lock but accessible from under the steering column cover.

WD-40 is not a good lubricant and I recommend that you get some Lock-Ease or other graphite lock lubricant into the ignition lock to lube the lock.

Reply to
Ray O

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.