Car not starting! HELP !
 

I have a 98 gs 400 with about 135000 miles on it. When I park it overnight and try to start it in the morning, it doesn't start up. When I turn the key to start it it just has a clicking noise and then after a couple tries it starts up. After it starts up it's ok for the day. It's been doing this for a couple of weeks now. What can it be? Help anyone

sounds like the starter m8. or the battery

Its is definitely the starter. Next time you get in and try to start it up, take note of how many clicks you hear. You should be hearing one every attempt. I had the same problem with the one and off starting and got my starter replaced, and had no problems since.

It's your starter. Common problem for 98~00 GS400.

You'll be able to start it as you described, but over time the starter will get worse and you'll have to replace or rebuild it. Do a search and you'll see it's expensive to replace at the dealer (~$1200 since it's labor intensive to get the starter out), but can be a DIY rebuild.

If you're hearing ONE good click it's the starter, that is the solenoid energizing and pushing out the gear. The starter is not turning though. If you hear several clicks on one turn of the key it may be your battery or bad connections.

The repair can be costly on a 400, the starter is under the intake and on the older cars some connectors may break.

Hope this helps.

-Bill

If you feel up to the job you can make it a DIY one. I personally got it done by a mechanic, but he only wanted 100 bucks for it - not like the Lexus stealership...they wanted 1200 parts & labor. I told them to f-off with that BS price. :D

Starter for sure, I got a quote for $600 parts and labor, w/3yr warranty, GL don't take it to the dealership no matter what :thumbdn:

I also paid $600 for the starter/labor.

But after you spend that much, you wont have to worry about it again!

Shop around, I still think $600 is waaay to much for that job. It took my mechanic about 2 hours and 15 minutes. The part costs a little less than $200. So $400 for 2.25 hour of labor is practically theft.

Mine cost $600 because a new OEM starter cost $300 from the lexus dealer, plus I got a new set of Intake manifold gaskets that cost another grip. I'd say I spent $200 on labor, which isn't that bad

But in the GS4 world, $600 for a starter/install is cheap!

True about that being cheap in the GS world. Love the sig, by the way. Just replaced my lower ball joints and outer tie rods this past weekend and got my alignment done right after. Its unbelievable how much tighter and cleaner the steering is - and its also unbelievable how much play I had in my old ball joints....

I paid about $500 for mine with labor. Almost right after I got the car too.

Thanks guys for all the help. Yeah I replaced the battery and same thing. I'm going to replace my starter this weekend. Hope thats the problem.

GL man. If you have one solid "click" when you turn the key, its definitely the starter.