We have a 2006 Scion XB. Lately, with the warmer weather, it won’t start. It’s happened twice this week, we were simply drinking around, stopped for a beverage and when we went to start the car, it wouldn’t start, no click or anything. The battery was fine, it was still able to supply power.
We got it towed to the mechanic, who looked at it the next day and it started fine. They kept it all day, even letting it run for half hour, then cutting it off. It still started up fine.
The mechanic checked the battery, starter and alternator and relays, they all checked out fine.
Today we picked up the car, it started fine. Drove it about two miles to an appointment, were inside for about 2hours while it sat outside in the sun. We go to leave and it won’t start. Again, the electrical power was fine, windows and radio worked, but the car won’t start, not even a click on the starter.
Nope, that didn’t fix it, same problem, car won’t start.
The only common thread I can see is that its warmer out these days and the car seems to not want to start after driving around town on these warmer days.
Toyota starters are known for wearing out their starter solenoid contacts after 10 years or so. This causes an intermittent no-start situation. Happened to me, fixed it with new contacts I bought at the dealer.
Battery connections are the first place to begin when you have a “No Crank” situation. Even
if you have a new battery, if the connections are loose, dirty or corroded, you will not be
allowing the full flow of current to pass thru the connections. The connection may be
enough to turn on the lights, but not enough for the huge flow that is needed to operate the
starter. This is where many people say that they know the battery is good….”because the
lights come on”. This is no more a battery test than licking a 9volt battery. It only tells you that there is electricity…not how many volts or the amperage that flows from the battery.
Jump starting may have wiggled the terminal just enough to allow the current to pass and start the engine, but tomorrow you have the same problem.
First remove the cables from the battery and use a wire brush to remove any corrosion and dirt from the battery posts and the cable terminals. There is a tool with a round wire brush for this purpose, found at any auto parts store for less than $10 http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/kd-tools-terminal-battery-brush-kdt201/25980576-P?searchTerm=terminal+brush.
Before connecting the cables, apply a coating of di-electric grease to the battery posts this will keep oxygen away from the connection so that it will not corrode as fast.
It is just as important that the other end of the cables also have a clean connection. Remove the positive cable from the battery again so that you do not short anything out. Follow both cables to their far ends, remove this connection and wire brush the connection and the cable terminal clean and retighten these connections.
If there was work done recently, there may have been an “engine to body” ground that was not installed following the work. These grounds normally run from the rear of the engine to the firewall and are uninsulated and most are a braided wire. If any of these are found unattached…reattach them.
Remember….this is not a “Sherman Tank” don’t over tighten the connections.
Tight…tight………………too tight…broke!!!
You have what mechanics call a “no crank” problem. I’ve battled no-cranks on my Corolla over the years, but never had exactly the problem you have. On my Corolla the problem was that I’d hear the starter click, but it wouldn’t crank the engine. And it would only happen if the engine was cold and the weather was cold. There’s a half dozen things that can cause that, most likely is the starter motor itself.
But I don’t think that is the problem you have. First, it happens to you when it is hot outside. And the key symptom you have is you don’t hear anything when you turn the key to “start”. That means the start signal is probably not reaching the starter motor. Your shop can verify that with a volt meter.
There’s two likely culprits, the ignition switch, or the transmission safety switch. You could try wiggling the key a little, and jiggling the transmission shifter a little, see if that helps. Even if it does, you’ll need the defective part replaced soon. Otherwise you’ll end up stranded. Any good inde shop should be able to trace it out for you.
Hi, Im also having the same issue, but i believe this is happening to me when its cold outside. I have replaced the Battery, terminal, relay starter, starter, water pump, serpentine belt, sparks plugs, and coil pack. I was going to replaced the alternator, but i got it tested and it was good. Ive taken it to Toyota and they were unable to find any issue with my car since i dont have a check engine light. I would love to get a new car, but im unable to afford for a car now, so this issue is so frustrating.
Same problem and I’m so frustrated!!! I have a 2006 Scion XA with low miles (only about 30,000) and it periodically and inexplicably just doesn’t start sometimes. Usually it’s only like once a quarter that it doesn’t start. The first time it happened I got the car towed to a mechanic they looked around and found no problem. Then he just randomly tried it again and it cranked up. The mechanic literally had no explanation and I just drove the car home.
The next time it didn’t start was for like another three months. This time I left the car alone and tried it again about eight hours later and magically it started. It’s always like this it won’t start and then when I try it the next day it does start.
The weather seems to have no correlation to whether it starts or not. It’s just very random no rhyme no reason it’s not the battery it’s not the starter so just thoroughly confused and pissed off honestly.