Starter?
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 83
Likes: 1
From: GA
Starter?
Can't start!
I hear clicks (about 3-4 a second) and the dashboard flashes as if the battery was dead but won't turn over the engine, even a little. Looks exactly like when the battery was dead but I know the battery is good - it's less than a year old and when I tried jump-starting from another car nothing changed.
My guess would be the starter motor went bad (shorted), which would explain not turning over and dashboard dimming when trying to start.
Anything else I could check for before towing it to a shop?
Thanks!
I hear clicks (about 3-4 a second) and the dashboard flashes as if the battery was dead but won't turn over the engine, even a little. Looks exactly like when the battery was dead but I know the battery is good - it's less than a year old and when I tried jump-starting from another car nothing changed.
My guess would be the starter motor went bad (shorted), which would explain not turning over and dashboard dimming when trying to start.
Anything else I could check for before towing it to a shop?
Thanks!
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: ca
Actual, my car does the exact same thing but it has a new battery. So i'm assuming it is the starter. I found a new starter w/o core charge for 83 shipped online, but then i see remanufacture ones (prob denso, brand not listed for about $60), then i aslo see repair kits for like $25 plus shipping. Which is the better way. I plan on selling the car with 3 months, so maybe the no name / generic starter will be better at $83. And i read on the 2nd post that it is easy to switch out. Any thoughts on which to buy.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,709
Likes: 16
From: Ca.
Actual, my car does the exact same thing but it has a new battery. So i'm assuming it is the starter. I found a new starter w/o core charge for 83 shipped online, but then i see remanufacture ones (prob denso, brand not listed for about $60), then i aslo see repair kits for like $25 plus shipping. Which is the better way. I plan on selling the car with 3 months, so maybe the no name / generic starter will be better at $83. And i read on the 2nd post that it is easy to switch out. Any thoughts on which to buy.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,016
Likes: 22
From: Virginia
I did mine several years ago. I am fairly certain that you could not rebuild the starter without removing it from the car, but fortunately removal is extraordinarily easy; just remove the battery and the airbox, the wires to the starter, two easily accessible bolts, and its out. Parts cost me less than $10, although I did have to hunt for them; at the time they were not available from Lexus or Toyota. Went to a shop that rebuilds starters and alternators, they had them.
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Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,090
Likes: 129
From: pa
Actual, my car does the exact same thing but it has a new battery. So i'm assuming it is the starter. I found a new starter w/o core charge for 83 shipped online, but then i see remanufacture ones (prob denso, brand not listed for about $60), then i aslo see repair kits for like $25 plus shipping. Which is the better way. I plan on selling the car with 3 months, so maybe the no name / generic starter will be better at $83. And i read on the 2nd post that it is easy to switch out. Any thoughts on which to buy.
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Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,090
Likes: 129
From: pa
I'm not sure you would even have to take the starter off to put the parts in from the kit. Matter of fact I think you should be able to buy the parts for less than that. I think Toyota even sells the parts now. (I would buy them from Toyota). They are just the contact parts in the solenoid, you shouldn't have to go into the starter.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,090
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From: pa
http://www.nationsautoelectric.com/
Last edited by artbuc; Nov 19, 2009 at 10:31 AM.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,709
Likes: 16
From: Ca.
I did mine several years ago. I am fairly certain that you could not rebuild the starter without removing it from the car, but fortunately removal is extraordinarily easy; just remove the battery and the airbox, the wires to the starter, two easily accessible bolts, and its out. Parts cost me less than $10, although I did have to hunt for them; at the time they were not available from Lexus or Toyota. Went to a shop that rebuilds starters and alternators, they had them.
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: ca
I just went to the dealer and was expecting to buy parts in the $25 or something, the parts guy says it be $105 for the solenoid including the plunger and contacts. And of course suggested that since i'm a nubie, and there are a lot of parts to put back together that i should just buy the reman starter for $350. haha. I didn't buy anything. But he succeed in scaring me though. $105 can't be right
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,709
Likes: 16
From: Ca.
Crocair- Where do you live in Cal.? You might try buying them at an automotive electrical shop. I know my brother found a rebuild shop that sold him the solenoid parts really cheap. That was before you could even buy them from Toyota. He wasn't selling you the parts you need, he was selling you the whole solenoid. I had a good starter (was a new rebuilt about 6 mo. before) but I figured I'd never need it and when I was cleaning out the garage I threw it and a good Ford modular starter away. Just too much stuff. It would actually be easy to make the 2 contact pieces from some 1/8 in thick copper. The back of the plunger contact is easy to clean/grind down. I can almost guarantee you that it is only the contacts in the solenoid.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,090
Likes: 129
From: pa
I just went to the dealer and was expecting to buy parts in the $25 or something, the parts guy says it be $105 for the solenoid including the plunger and contacts. And of course suggested that since i'm a nubie, and there are a lot of parts to put back together that i should just buy the reman starter for $350. haha. I didn't buy anything. But he succeed in scaring me though. $105 can't be right
If you want OEM parts you can get the plunger and both terminal kits for $34.60 plus S&H from parts.com. If you have a typical failure, you only need the battery side terminal kit which is $5.18.
I have the same starter on two different vehicles. In both cases the battery side terminal was shot while the motor side looked almost new and the plungers were definitely reusable but I replaced them anyway.
Last edited by artbuc; Nov 21, 2009 at 03:06 AM.