Just replaced the starter and battery on my old but loved 4Runner. I drove it for an hour and a half last week and couldn’t restart it. Just nothing - one click I think.
A friend tapped on the starter and it started…but I’m not sure whether the car just cooled down at that point.
Took it to the garage and they said they couldn’t find anything wrong (no surprise, right?) Now I’m afraid to take longer trips.
I wonder if the ‘new’ starter is the problem. If they forgot to replace the solenoid contacts it would do this. Why did you replace the starter in the first place?
I got a new starter because it was doing the same thing a month prior. Just not starting - nothing. But the headlights worked, etc. Then I got a new starter and it happened again - this time it needed a new battery (which was about 5 years old). Then I thought I was good to go. Several weeks went by and everything was fine. Then I took a long trip and no start again. I thought the same thing: the rebuilt starter was the issue. But the mechanic wasn’t willing to totally replace it based on one incident when he started it repeatedly. I think it will do the same thing if the car is hot, truthfully. But I have no way of knowing other than driving it far and getting stuck somewhere! I mean, I guess I can tap on the starter (or - and I’m not sure of this - when the car cools down, it will start), but who wants to risk it?
I feel like I spent a lot of money and am back to square one. Wondering how many rebuilt starters out there are problematic.
I’m HOPING that the mechanics saw that they did something wrong as far as the wiring of the starter, fixed it and lied to me (because they didn’t want to seem inept - too late!) Because it’s been alright since.
Thing is, I know that car. I know it had something to do with the heat of the car - that’s why it wouldn’t start. Great…with summer on its way!