The other day when I went to start the car I got nothing. No click, just silence. I returned the key to off then back to start and it kicked over without a problem. The battery is newish at 2 years old. When the starter fires up, it sounds normal and the car fires up immediately.

Could this be a starter relay? Any symptoms to help narrow it down?

 

check the NSS on the tranny?

 

Today it just clicked but repeated turns the engine did turn over. I checked the starter relay...checks fine. Also played with the NSS and it had no effect. I'm going out to have the battery, starter and alt checked now. I pray it isn't a starter.

 

I wouldn't be the one replacing the starter on a 1UZ. My dad's Cressida had the same symptoms, turned to be the starter, and it was an aftermarket starter, so i had to replace the contacts inside with OEM Toyota ones. Morale of the story: use OEM Toyota or Denso starters or alternators.

 

I ran the car by the local Kragen and he hooked up and checked the battery and alternator...checked okay. On the way home I stopped by Lexus and they wanted $91 for a diagnostic fee. With the Labor day weekend, no loaners were vailable so I wound up bringing the car home until I can figure out what I want to possibly pay.

It's a pisser, when this thing has repairs it is the not so common ones and expensive. Come-on...a door lock cylinder for $500 and now possibly a starter at $1K.

As second owner of an '85 Cressida, I had typical maintenance things, A/C, alternator, rack & pinion, PS pump...the rarest was when I sheared a keyway on the crankshaft. None of my Toyotas have had to have a starter replaced.

 

I posted this on another starter thread - I've had 3 es300's and 1 toyota van and I had to replace the starter on ALL of them. But I buy 10+ year old cars, you've got to expect something to go. On an es300 going to a regular mechanic, not getting bent-over by the dealer, it's not too bad. Maybe $300.

 

But, on RA40's LS400 you have to remove the intake and lower the transmission. Now, the regular mechanic may not want to do this job because the starter on the V-8 is located under the intake manifold. Lexus designed it this way so the starter is away from the exhaust heat( compare to most of the V-8 that put the starter right by the exhaust manifold).

 

It is pretty amazing they designed it that way. The one issue is the level of disassebly to make a repair there. I'm guessing they felt starters were such infrequent items of replacement they moved it along witht he heat issue. Dunno...

Fingers crossed for another 80K minimal.