# Intermittant starting problem on Tundra - related to ignition switch?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/intermittant-starting-problem-on-tundra-related-to-ignition-switch/4204>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** relay, starters, ignition, start, toyota, tundra\
**Created:** [September 5, 2007, 9:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/intermittant-starting-problem-on-tundra-related-to-ignition-switch/4204 "2007-09-05T21:48:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cm71td](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cm71td](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cm71td)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 9:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/intermittant-starting-problem-on-tundra-related-to-ignition-switch/4204/1 "2007-09-05T21:48:40Z")

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I have a 2000 Toyota Tundra with a V8. It has an intermittent starting problem that seems to be related to how I turn the ignition key.  
  
  
  
 If I turn the key quickly immediately after inserting it, it starts about 80% of the time. If I turn the key to the ?ON? position, and then turn, it doesn?t start about 80% of the time.  
  
  
  
 The strange thing is that when it doesn?t start it acts like the battery is low. Either you hear the solenoid clicking, or the engine cranks slowly for a second and stops.  
  
  
  
 Last night I started it about 40 times (so I know the battery is not low). I could consistently reproduce good and bad starts by the way I turned the ignition switch.  
  
  
  
 It seems like a faulty ignition switch could cause the starter relay not to close, but not send low voltage to the starter.  
  
  
  
 By the way, the starter is in the V of the engine, and you have to remove the intake manifold to get to it, so I don?t want to replace it if I don?t have to.  
  
  
  
 Could there be some kind of theft deterrent wiring in the ignition switch that is faulty?  
  
  
  
 Any ideas? Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/intermittant-starting-problem-on-tundra-related-to-ignition-switch/4204/2 "2007-09-05T21:55:49Z")

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When the starter intermittently turns slowly it usually means that there is a bad battery connection to the starter. Clean the connections and see if that elininates the trouble. It is possible that the starter solenoid may have bad contacts also. A bad ignition switch won’t cause the starter to turn slowly since it isn’t directly in the current path like the other things mentioned are.