Hi all. New member here. I’ve got a question about my 1998 Toyota Lucida. Just recently the car starter motor has started continuing to wind over even after the car has started. Doesn’t happen all the time and usually it rights itself after awhile.
If I turn the engine off and remove the key, it still winds over.
This last time it hasn’t stopped so I took the negative battery terminal off and have left it like that. I went to move the car this evening and upon reconnecting the terminal, it is sparking and starts winding over again straight away.
I’ve left it disconnected as it’s obviously not safe. I’m guessing it’s an issue between the ignition, starter motor or solenoid perhaps but does someone know for sure what’s going on?
Sounds like the ignition switch may be bad, as it’s keeping the starter engaged. At first I was going to say solenoid as obviously it’s engaged and won’t stop, but if that was bad I think you’d get nothing when trying to start.
What I’d do, drop the starter, test it with jumper cables, see if the Bendix engages/disengages the pinion gear as it should. If it does, your ignition switch is the culprit I think.
I had this happen on a 534 cubic inch Ford truck engine when I was picking up a load of steel. I was standing about 20 ’ awat from the truck that was in first gear with the keys in my pocket and the starter started running and drove my truck into the one in front of me. They bushing in the end cap of the starter had worn so much that the rotor had shorted against the case.
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Yeah I think you might be right there. I’ll test the ignition switch first. Thanks for the help Fender!