Kept in excellent condition. Parked it in the backyard and didn't happen to drive it for about 10 weeks. Had a solar charger attached to battery. Went to start it and nothing. Doesn't click, doesn't turn over, doesn't make a sound. The battery is fully charged (checked it with a battery charger) and the warning lights come on when I turn the key to the on position. Also has auto door locks and they spring up and down with the keyfob nice and strong, plus the headlights work.
Things I checked:
Not in gear Placed foot on brake when I tried to start it Alarm system is off as it should be Wheels are not turned Plenty of gas Distrubtor cap, wires and plugs under 1yr old Battery newer and terminals totally clean
It was driving perfectly when I parked it last, and has not had any problems with starting or even intermittent problems starting.
So with the battery good and strong, and NOTHING when I turn the key, are we looking at a starter that just died? Is that how they go? All at once?
check your fuses first ,if not that it could be two of the batteries plates touching together when you try to start the motor,which will create a dead short ,i would try another battery first before the starter motor
A simple test requiring two people. Turn the headlights on, have someone in front watching them. Next, turn on the ignition and attempt to start the engine. Did the headlights turn off or even dim? If they turned off, the battery connections may be opening up. If they dimmed, check the level of electrolyte in the battery and make sure the plates are covered.
And this would be the case even if the battery was working fine before, is fully charged, and is fairly new? (But swapping batteries is a good idea...! Maybe I could try the battery out of my folks 2001 Toyota Highlander.) Still, it seems like if it was a battery problem, the battery would be low, dead or old. ?
IAC will try more stuff tomorrow, but was busy today all day, and now it's dark.
I meant to do this test today but was busy all day. Maybe I'll go try that now... it's dark so would be easier to see if they dim! Hold on, be right back....
Okay, the headlights did not dim even in the slightest. And again, the truck makes no sound whatsoever when I turn the key. Not a peep.
The electrolyte is where it belongs, just below the fill caps, and above the plates.
Since it's an automatic, the problem COULD be the Neutral Interlock Switch. Located on the transmission, it prevents the starter from engaging in any gear except Park (or Neutral).
The shifter IS in Park (or Neutral), right? Have you wiggled the shifter while you attempt to start it?
I'd try jump starting first. That will rule out the battery. Also try putting the transmission in neutral and starting, also back in park. You may have to check the contacts on the neutral start switch. Another thing to check is the starter relay. Usually a green relay either under the hood or behind the driver's side kick panel depending on the year. The starter contacts are a common problem but you should hear the click of the starter relay and the click of the starter solenoid if they were the problem.
It was in park and I moved it out, then back in. Tomorrow I will try putting it in Neutral to start (just to see) and then will try jiggling while in Park to see if there is any response.
I live with my folks who are elderly and have been very busy with them the last two days (and will be again tomorrow) so I haven't had the time to devote to this that I planned on when I first made the post! So I apologize for not being quicker with responses! Thanks again for helping.
I Googled to find it's on the right side of the transmission housing, and also Googled for a picture of it. I also found this:
formatting link
but it isn't entirely clear to me what he's saying because I'm not clear on his orientation. Maybe once I start it, it will become clear, but if there's anything you want to add... ? :)
I tried putting the truck in neutral and starting... no go. Then back to Park. No go. Tried jiggling. Same diff.
Checked fuses. All looked okay.
Pulled the relay switch which is in the diagnostics box under the hood rather than in the kick panel. I don't know how to test it, so there wasn't much to do, but at least I found it. Will Google on how to test that.
Tried following the + lead from battery to the starter motor, but it disappears into the engine and I can't see where it goes. Looked underneath the carriage to try to spot the starter, and I have no clue. I also couldn't find the neutral switch, because I don't know what the transmission housing looks like. I thought maybe I could figure it out, but... I *thought* I knew what the TH housing was, but could not see a neutral switch on it (juding from pictures of NSs I found).
This seems electrical since it went all at once and I was not having problems before. I am hoping it's simple, like the relay switch!
By "checking the contacts", I believe they mean, "In park or neutral you should have continuity between the 2nd and 3rd terminals from the right on the bottom looking into the connector with the snap clip on top." ibid (wiki.answers) This would be "on your back, under the car". Not a enticing proposition!
This switch rarely goes bad, but when it does, your symptoms match. Alternately, the wires going to the switch may have come loose.
But ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do! btw: this switch is very $pendy, so you need to determine if it is, if fact, bad, before buying a new one. Or, maybe you'll be "lucky" and have loose wires.
I vote for the alarm also. 1993 toyota 4wd had the batter go dead, changed it and had to reset the Audiovox alarm with the keyfob and the pushbutton switch. In my case, taking it to an alarm store to have them reset the system was costly so I let my son take it to school and the teenage nerds in his shop class set things right. I vote to energize the alarm also. It probably defaults to an Open Circuit when power is cut disabling the starter as part of the antitheft feature.
My truck has a 4" lift and 33" tires, so it sits real high and is easy to get beneath. My problem remains that I'm looking at a foreign country under there. Maybe I can ask a neighbor guy to come point out the starter and neutral switch for me... if I clear the alarm as an issue.
That would be lucky indeed. And I want to check for that, but it still seems odd that the wires would go from being secure and fine to completely loose to the point there is no signal getting through... without an interim where I have periodic trouble. But stranger things have happened, right?
Okay. I'm all for it being the alarm's fault, but I'm not so sure. Here's a little background and you can tell me if you still think it's the alarm:
First, this truck only had 2 owners before me, and the original guy who purchased it new had everything put it in at the time of purchase that was state of the art, at that time. This included a mobile phone with antenna on the back window, wired to the dash... this was in
1991, mind you, when mobile phones were gigantic and rare. He had the alarm system installed too, (if it did not come as an option), but he did everything top of the line and the alarm has been in it from day one. (This truck has power locks, and when I press the keyfob to lock the truck, the alarm automatically engages.)
Now comes the part that might change your mind. :) I have owned the truck since 2001, and during this time I have disconnected the battery many times. A few times to change batteries, other times when I was working on the truck and needed to disconnect the battery to do what I was doing. Whenever I have disconnected the battery, the alarm triggers as I am loosening the terminals (safety thing), then again as I am reconnecting it (same deal). I DREAD having to disconnect the battery for that reason.... the alarm is so darn loud. But the point is, it has never given me a problem afterwards. The truck has always started right up.
Also, when I parked the truck last (last time I drove it, when everything was peachy), I parked it in my backyard, so I did not lock it. Meaning the alarm was not engaged. Now weeks later, I walk out and go to start it, and ... nothing. AND the battery did not die during this period or even get weak b/c a solar panel was keeping it charged.
Nevertheless, when the truck would not start I wondered about the alarm system just because I was trying to cover everything it might be, so I threw the alarm's toggle switch and tried starting, but it didn't make a diff. I put the toggle back. I also sat inside the truck and put the alarm on, then took it off, and tried again.
So, I do not want to 'tear out the alarm' if it isn't the problem, as it's a good alarm and has never caused me problems. And I have never had to "reset it" after losing power.... but I guess it could have a "state" I don't know about, though after 9 years of owning this truck that would be a little surprising!
Do you guys still think it's the alarm, or does that scenario seem less likely now? (I really wish I could have elminated some things today, but was helping my folks all day.)
I wish I could say one way or another that the alarm has nothing to do with it, but if the lights come on, the horn works, the radio plays, and all of those things stay on, then there is something that is preventing power from going to the starter solenoid. The one thing I do know on a good alarm system is they have a small capacitor or battery backup that keeps the settings on the alarm system. Mine is a cheaper version of an Audiovox alarm system. When I disconnected the battery on my truck, every time I went to lock the doors with the keyfob, the alarm would go off and not stop till I put the key in the switch. I was going to rip my alarm out for that same reason till I found out that whomever it was that installed it, put the break in the wires to the starter solenoid someplace that was not easy for me to see, let be able to access. I did not have a book for the alarm system for my truck and I identified my alarm by going to Audiovox and created a free account. From there, I chose a picture of the keyfob that came with my alarm and printed the documents that were needed to reset the alarm back to original install. As a matter of fact, I let my son take it to his shop class, and those kids, who were smarter than I, did the reprogramming in a matter of minutes. If you can find the relay that is engergized by turning the key to the "start" position, that would be a big start. I have a wiring diagram for a 1993 toyota pickup 4wd ex cab which most likely will be very similar to yours. I would be glad to send a copy if you would like. Simple trouble shooting can start there and then follow the trail of power till you lose it. Most likely, there is a relay somewhere that is not energizing.
I'm coming in late, so please forgive me if I'm asking questions that have been answered.
I was Toyota service manager back just before that truck was made.
Does the horn work? How about the headlights? If the headlights work, do they go out when you try to start the truck? If the horn doesn't work and/or the headlights don'y work and/or they go out when you try to start it you have either a bad battery or a bad connection- on either the power or ground side.
First check is terminals - must be clean and bright - and tight. Next is the ground connection. Same as above. put a battery jumper cable from the battery - to a good clean engine ground and try again.
If no joy, go to a clean body/chassis ground and try again.
Still no joy?
Is this a 4 cyl or a six? if a 4 the starter can be seen on the right? side of the block(just going from memory) facing forward from the frot of the transmission/bell housing. It will have 2 wires(or at least terminals
- could be more wires) - one BIG battery cable with 12 or 14mm nut, and one smaller wire - either 8mm nut or slip-on type connector. make sure both are connected and "clean, bright, and tight". Do NOT attempt to tighten or even apply a wrench without disconnecting the battery - (ground) connection.
There should be 12 volts on the big one at all times, and on the little one when cranking (or attempting to). If there is power on the big one, but not the little one, you have a control circuit problem - bad ign switch, bat neutral safety switch, or that 0.0001% chance - an alarm problem. Jumping power from the big terminal to the little one should crank the engine. if it doesn't, and all other (previous) tests check out, you need a starter..Or at .least need ir repaired. A worn or stuck starter brush can prevent the starter solenoid from pulling in - particularly if there is any resistance in the control circuit. Whacking the starter with a block of wood while attempting to crank will often get it to start - at least once- in order to drive it to a shop to have the starter done. If it is a six, the starter location will be harder to get to, but the tests remain the same.
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.