Interminent no start, Interminent no start Options

[valerit1]

Began recently - upon a key turn - just warning lights and silence - no starter turning. Next turn may start fine. Battery is new.
No other issues. Happened after running, never cold - but unsure about a connection. Just like - one time there is no
starter connection, next time - OK. Any ideas greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[richee3]

Check for loose connections at the battery and starter. If everything is good there, get the starter tested. Odds are its just a loose connection, especially if the battery has been recently replaced.

[cyberblader1130]

^ Agreed, You can go a step farther and clean all connections as well if you want. This happened to my truck, the ground on the battery terminal was loose enough to turn it, tightened it and was good to go.

[Galcobar]

Began recently - upon a key turn - just warning lights and silence - no starter turning. Next turn may start fine. Battery is new.
No other issues. Happened after running, never cold - but unsure about a connection. Just like - one time there is no
starter connection, next time - OK. Any ideas greatly appreciated. Thanks!

If you were to add hearing a single click when trying to start the car, your symptoms perfectly match those expected of worn starter contacts. $10 and less than an hour to fix.

It's pretty much the only thing that goes wrong with Toyota starters proper (not including the wiring). A starter works in two stages: turning the key to START sends a little power to the solenoid in the starter. The solenoid closes, creating a large enough connection to provide power to the starter motor to turn the engine over.

The solenoid consists of two copper contact plates to which the external wiring attach, and a central plunger which spins with the starter motor. That spinning wears the contacts, eventually creating a half-moon worn spot on both. The problem occurs when the plunger gets caught on the lip of that half-moon. The connection is then too thin to pass enough current to turn the engine over. Trying again, or rapping on the starter in between attempts, can jiggle the plunger and contacts enough that the plunger gets past the ridge and makes solid contact, allowing the car to start.

Sound complicated, but the fix is both simple, and cheap. Pull the starter (takes about 20 minutes), disassemble the starter solenoid (30 seconds), replace the copper contact plates and sand the bottom of the solenoid smooth (takes about 10 minutes), and then reassemble and reinstall (another 15 minutes). The contacts themselves cost about $10.

How-to guide: http://www.celicatech.com/forums/showthrea...lems-and-repair
Ordering info: http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/St...#OnlineOrdering

You should also be able to get the contacts from Toyota, I suggest contacting Lithia Toyota to ensure you get the correct parts.

[valerit1]

Began recently - upon a key turn - just warning lights and silence - no starter turning. Next turn may start fine. Battery is new.
No other issues. Happened after running, never cold - but unsure about a connection. Just like - one time there is no
starter connection, next time - OK. Any ideas greatly appreciated. Thanks!

If you were to add hearing a single click when trying to start the car, your symptoms perfectly match those expected of worn starter contacts. $10 and less than an hour to fix.

It's pretty much the only thing that goes wrong with Toyota starters proper (not including the wiring). A starter works in two stages: turning the key to START sends a little power to the solenoid in the starter. The solenoid closes, creating a large enough connection to provide power to the starter motor to turn the engine over.

The solenoid consists of two copper contact plates to which the external wiring attach, and a central plunger which spins with the starter motor. That spinning wears the contacts, eventually creating a half-moon worn spot on both. The problem occurs when the plunger gets caught on the lip of that half-moon. The connection is then too thin to pass enough current to turn the engine over. Trying again, or rapping on the starter in between attempts, can jiggle the plunger and contacts enough that the plunger gets past the ridge and makes solid contact, allowing the car to start.

Sound complicated, but the fix is both simple, and cheap. Pull the starter (takes about 20 minutes), disassemble the starter solenoid (30 seconds), replace the copper contact plates and sand the bottom of the solenoid smooth (takes about 10 minutes), and then reassemble and reinstall (another 15 minutes). The contacts themselves cost about $10.

How-to guide: http://www.celicatech.com/forums/showthrea...lems-and-repair
Ordering info: http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/St...#OnlineOrdering

You should also be able to get the contacts from Toyota, I suggest contacting Lithia Toyota to ensure you get the correct parts.

Well - I did replace the contacts on the starter 6 years ago. So, it is possible they wear again in 6 years if I started the car frequently enough?
Now - I replaced the contacts only, not the plunger. Do you think now, as the car is 18 years old, the plunger is also due to be replaced along with the
contacts? As the main headache was to pull the starter? Thanks!

[Special_Edy]

Starter relay and battery cables are the first thing to check. After them comes the ignition switch and starter

[Galcobar]

Well - I did replace the contacts on the starter 6 years ago. So, it is possible they wear again in 6 years if I started the car frequently enough?
Now - I replaced the contacts only, not the plunger. Do you think now, as the car is 18 years old, the plunger is also due to be replaced along with the contacts? As the main headache was to pull the starter? Thanks!

The plunger is unlikely to need replacement -- mine's still original at 22 years and 350,000 km.

As for the condition of the contacts, it's really a matter of pulling the starter and checking the solenoid. Sometimes we get surprises.

Start with examining exactly what occurs: turn the key and what happens. One click? No click? Rapid clicking? Interior lights dim with the key turned to START or stay steady? That sort of informatio helps with diagnosis. That's why I prefaced my post with the symptom of a single click. If that's not what's happening, then you probably have a different issue.

Corrective action starts as Edy suggests: connections and wiring. Make sure they're clean and tight.

[jimboggs]

Great info here. My starter had just over 100k when it began momentarily hesitating every so often when I would turn the key. Over the course of several months, it finally sometimes took dozens of tries to finally get the solenoid to engage. Heard the "click" when turning the key but no immediate starter engagement. Bought new contacts and plunger for just under $25. Removed the starter, cleaned, installed new contacts and plunger, reinstalled starter, all cleaned up and tools put away just over an hour. Didn't even have to get under the car. Did it all from the top. After inspecting the old plunger, I realized I could have cleaned up the contact surface and reused it. Woulda saved me $16 but that's ok. I guess I feel a little bit better for installing a new plunger along with the contacts. Love this forum.

'94 ST hatchback
300k original miles

[VavAlephVav]

Yes, This is the Easiest Starter to change Ever.