2006 Toyota Corolla won't start

Maintenance/Repairs
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Hi. I have a 2006 Toyota Corolla and it won’t start. When I turn the key, lights come on on the dash, it shows me my mileage, it lights up the check engine and check battery lights on the left-hand side of the dash, it shows me how much gas is in the tank, the clock goes on, and my overhead lights turn on. But when I turn the key, the car doesn’t start. Sadly, I really know nothing about cars and how they work, so when I’ve read online people say that there is or is not “clicking,” I’m not sure what that means. I think that there is a single clicking sound when I first try to turn the key it, but there is definitely no further clicking after that. Also, there is no sound from the engine at all, no other sounds from under the hood, just silence.

I tried doing a few tricks I read recommended online, one called “key cycling,” or something like that, where you turn the key to start it ten times, then let it wait for five minutes and try starting it again, and that didn’t work. I tried tapping on the battery terminals with a shoe, that didn’t work. I turned the dome lights on in the car to see if they would flicker or go out when I tried to start it, and they did not flicker or go out, but stayed evenly illuminated the whole time. However, the digital clock display by the radio control panel did go off when I turned the key to start it – don’t know if that means anything. I read that if the overhead lights were to flicker or go out when you try to start the engine, it would mean the battery is low or dead.

I hadn’t started the car in about a week, and that is somewhat normal. I don’t remember when I last got the battery replaced, but there is a sticker on it which says 2/21, which may mean the battery is 4 years old. It’s probably what Walmart calls a “2 year battery,” which means it had a warranty of 2 years. The battery terminals don’t look corroded, just dirty, at least as far as I can tell.

Since it seems there are some signs it might not be the battery, I have looked around for what people online say might be the problem. I have seen people mention the words solenoid, starter, cables, fuses, but as I said already, I’m deeply ignorant.

I checked the oil, and it appears to have oil, thank God.

What might be the problem? I have AAA, so I plan to call and see if they can jump start it. If it’s not the battery, though, I want to be prepared when it is taken to the mechanic, for what they might tell me is wrong, and how much it should cost. Should I get Toyota or off-brand parts?

I will be very grateful for any help you can offer. Many thanks.

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Turn the ignition switch on so the dash lights come on.

Step on the brake pedal and shift the transmission into neutral and then try starting the engine .

If the engine starts, it points to a problem the park/neutral safety switch.

Tester

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The battery energizes the starter which turns the engine over until combustion can start and run the engine without it. The solenoid is part of the starter typically. While the car is running, the alternator charges the battery. It’s likely in the starter-alternator-battery loop that the problem exists. If you can remove the battery and take it to an auto parts store, they can test it for you. You might as well call AAA. You pay for it and maybe they can start it for you. If not, they can tow it to a repair shop. If you take it to a shop you trust, then you should trust their choice of parts. The only way to guarantee Toyota parts is to have a Toyota dealer do the work.

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I think the auto club has pickup trucks stocked with the.most common batteries to sell their customers?

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jtsanders, thanks for explaining. I just remembered I had the starter replaced in 2019. It cost me almost three hundred dollars. I hope it’s not the same thing again. About finding a trustworthy mechanic, how can I tell? The only thing I know is from the Magliozzi brothers, who said that if the owner of the shop is wearing boat shoes, try another shop. Katy

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Tester, thank you. I tried this and it didn’t start. Your profile picture had mechanic misspelled three times, but I didn’t notice any spelling mistaxes in what you wrote me. But then my spelling’s not so grate either.

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You have aaa? Why haven’t you called them? Vs going online asking questions?

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The best thing to do is to ask around among people that you know. It’s the same as finding any other kind of trustworthy business. Word of mouth among people you know and trust.

Eye no eggzackly what ewe mean.

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Years ago, my car had a problem starting, I thought it was just the battery, but then I had to replace the starter for more than I could comfortably afford. Since I thought there’s a chance it’s not the battery again, if AAA can’t start it and tows it to the shop, I feel I need to have some idea what’s wrong beforehand so I don’t get taken advantage of. It would be easy to cheat me because I know nothing about cars. I also needed to figure out whether I would need to take it to a mechanic or just somewhere like walmart to get the battery replaced. I think with my plan I only get one free tow a year with AAA. 2025 is still young.

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No disrespect, but that sentence tells me that we may not be of much help as we will be saying the same thing… and hitting the battery with a shoe, pretty much says you have no tools…

Me, I would start by checking the battery cables to make sure they are tight, check the battery voltage as well as when try to start it.. Kinda sounds like a bad starter, and I am going to guess that you or the shop installed an Auto Zone starter or a cheap one in 2019…
If you are asking for help on how to check it yourself? Start by checking for signal voltage at the starter solenoid with a test light (or multi meter-DVOM) to see if it is getting power while trying to start the vehicle, if you have power then it is the starter most likely, could also be a bad ground… You can also try smacking the starter with something hard while trying to start the car..

It could be a multitude of different reasons why it is not starting and I am guessing you will require a shop to properly diagnose and repair the issue…

You can get a Toyota original starter for about $212.00 plus shipping and maybe tax, that includes the $60.00 core charge for the old starter that you can send back for the $60.00 core charge refund…

But you will have to find a shop willing to install your parts. Or I think the MSRP of the starter is about $213.52 plus the refundable $60.00 core charge from most Toyota dealers, so well worth getting a dealer part…

You can post back here what the shop says is wrong with it, and we can advise you from there.. The AAA driver will be able to check if it is a bad battery or not, but that is about it, they are not mechanics, and I have seen some of them (not all) give bad advise as to what the real issue is, so if the AAA guy say you have a good battery, then have it towed to a shop of your choice, and post back what the shop says…

Sorry you are having issues with your car, I know it can be very stressful…

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As a follow-on, ask as many people as you can. Eventually a few shops will get positive recommendations. Try one of those. Toyotas are common enough that you don’t need a specialty shop.

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Thanks @davesmopar, no this is of great help. I’m really grateful for everyone’s comments. The help I’m looking for is to learn at least something in advance so I’m not taken for a ride. It’s like cramming before an exam. If it’s just the battery it will be a big relief.

I really wish there’d still been shop class when I was in high school. It seems knowing about cars is much more important than almost anything I was taught in school – but I don’t think of this until my car won’t start.

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When dealing with a vehicle repair shop telling them what someone you know or a web stranger is wrong with your vehicle will only annoy them. Most shops now just want the problem tols as best you can . They will do a diagnostic and that has a charge of 100.00 to 200.00 . After that you request that you give approval for any repairs they suggest.

As for cost , a vehicle is a necessity in most places so even if you have to use a credit card that is just the way life is.

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I have aaa. I have 5 calls per year. You might not have 5 calls.
Use 1 call to jump it. If it does not start aaa might try to charge you another call to tow it. They are sneaky. You can have it towed home if you are unsure where to take it. Then use 3rd call to tow it to garage if you can’t fix it yourself. Or when you do some research.

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You are most welcome, we are all mostly here to help out the best we can from our keyboards…

I had an older lady customer years ago that her late husband did ALL the vehicle related any and everything to them, she didn’t even know what checking the oil was, well, she told me that she was taken right after his passing over car repairs, it made her so mad that she went out and bought a Haynes or Chilton Manual for her car and read and learned it cover to cover, she was never taken advantage of again, by the time I meet here she would come in and tell me basically what was wrong with the vehicle and what needed repairing.. She was great, one of my all time favorites…

Check around for community whatever’s that might be doing some automotive classes or something, or just go buy a cheap manual on your vehicle and read it over and over again until it starts to make some since, now the Haynes and Chilton manuals are not dealer service manual quality, but they will give you the basics…

But as mentioned, not a good idea normally to go in and tell the shop what is wrong, the knowledge is for you to be able to make a decision on what the shop tells you is needed and or just up selling…

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Many years ago, my wacky boss–the one who never filled his gas tank because “that way they can cheat you” :confused:–had a late '70s Chevy that frequently failed to start in the AM. (I really hope that I didn’t offend anyone with the use of that abbreviation!)

Anyway, I told him to expect that AAA (I hope that I didn’t offend anyone with the use of yet another abbreviation!) would cancel his membership, because he called them so often to start his engine. He must have called AAA at least 9 times one year, and yet, they didn’t cancel him. Why they didn’t cancel his membership is a mystery to me.

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I agree Chilton and Haynes are not factory quality

But if you’re willing to learn and spend a few bucks on tools, those books will show you how to oil changes, shocks, brakes, starters, alternators, etc.

They can save someone BIG bucks, imo

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It’s the battery, for sure. Every time the battery in my 2004 Corolla went bad, this is exactly what happened–lights came on as normal, a single click when trying to start, nothing else. Don’t overthink this. You bought a cheap battery, and it lasted for 4 years, which is reasonable for such a low-cost battery. Pull the battery, take it to an auto parts store for testing (to confirm it’s bad) and to buy another one.

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If the OP bought a cheap battery, then who is to say she didn’t buy a cheap starter back in 2019 when it did the same thing…

When the battery died in my 2006 Corolla, the dash went black when I tried to start it…

And if the OP has zero mechanical know how and tools, then it might not be a good idea to try to replace themselves, what if they mix up the cables?? It is best under the OP’s circumstances to let AAA come out for a tow, they will normally try to jump start it 1st and will normally check the battery (at least in my area) and might even have the correct battery on the truck if needed… Besides, how do you know the OP has the tools to even R&R a battery considering they used a shoe to hit the battery terminals much less a vehicle to take it to an auto parts store…

I agree to not over thing this, but don’t under think it either…

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Plus, she has a Toyota. They are dependable.
2006 Corolla is 200% better than a 1997 Camry.
I’ve heard Hearsay to confirm it.

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