Battery tests good, and it wont turn over at all sometimes. No ticking or anything, just doesn't turn over.

Driving me nuts...36 month battery just turned 48 months old...but again, still tests good.

Starter? Starter Solenoid?

Thanks much for any insight.

 

Are you loosing your clock setting every time you start your car?

 

If your total miles is high 5 figures or more, may be time to rebuild your starter.

 

If I understand you right, you do not hear starter spinning [and also engine does not turn over]. Along with starter not spinning, you dont hear the click of the solenoid [relay].

If that is correct, then the problem is in of these ... with the battery, terminals, wires, ignition switch, solenoid [primary wire], solenoid primary circuit.

If you could hear the click and starter fails to spin then the solenoid contacts or the starter motor could be bad along with battery, terminals and wires.

You can eliminate the battery by jumping with another.
Physically twist the terminals to see if they are loose.
jiggle the wires and see if they are held properly with the nuts on the other ends.
Check the ground straps are good ... from the body to the engine block. [I dont know where the strap is ... can some one tell where to look for it].
One can check if the primary is hot when ignition is turned to start, but things have to be moved out of the way [I have not done this in RX, so cant say how easy or hard it is].

Intermittent problems are the worst to diagnose. But you systematically eliminate one at a time. In despair you can try replacing the solenoid

Was any work done in the dash area?

Salim

 

Thanks everyone for your responses. I will try to answer below:

The car only has 46,000 miles on it, and that is not enough to warrant a starter rebuild or even a replacement but one never knows.

I never lose the clock time when I start the car, so that one was easy.

On unsuccessful attempts to start, I don;t hear anything turning. Just ONE click, and then nothing. Repeated attempts to start usually work, and when it does start up, it starts with authority, not just barely turning over...

No MIL lights are on, and in my paranoid state I even ran a check for any OBDII codes with a reader that I have and there are no codes...

The car does have some surface rust in the engine compartment and the 0only thing about that is that the connections might not be complete. IF anyone has any further information on where these wires are or where they go, it would be appreciated. I know where the one ground wire goes to and that is to the right front wheel well shell...I will check that one now.

Thanks again for all of your insight.

 

Sounds like a bad relay/starter or corroded electrical connection. If you don't have the equipment to DIY it, take it to a good auto electrical shop. The dealer will hit you for up to $600 for this if the starter needs replaced!

 

Click = Bad Starter
-Repeated turns of the key, and it starts. It happened to mine, just get another starter and you will be all set. They are easy to replace.

 

sktn77a - you mention starter/relay. I know where the starter is and by now I am confident that I could replace it. Is the relay contained in the starter assembly or is that something and someplace completely different?

 

Though you only have 46k mi on it, if it has had a lot of starts in that 46k it could be the contacts in the starter solenoid. They are replaceable and you could get lucky and even sand them clean if they aren't burned to bad. I think if you disconnect the battery you can even take the end cap off the solenoid and check the contacts without taking the starter off. You could even check the starter operation itself by using a jumper cable from the post on one side of the solenoid to the other. That probably won't kick the starter in but will cause the starter motor to run. Those starters are bullet proof and really should last the life of the car. They have ball bearings which takes the load off the brushes. I have had them out several times with over 100k mi and they looked almost new inside. I would check the solenoid contacts 1st and save yourself the price of a starter and have a better starter than a rebuilt one.

 

Since sktn77a did not respond ... the relay is the solenoid. If you plan to jump the solenoid [and have never done that before], make sure you use a thick conductor. If the jump [bridge] test is done on the vehicle, some extra care needs to be taken [as you will be bypassing safety interlocks]. If done on the bench, you need to preferably secure the motor and heavy current draw may startle weak of heart.

Salim

 

Folks,

Took the advice of replacing the starter and wow - I am not a mechanic but do have some basic mechanical skills and so I went down to the Toyota dealership and bought a remanufactured starter for $200 and put it in this afternoon...I have started it many times since and all seems GOOD TO GO!

So, So far so good. FYI, and I am sure all of you know, that the starter is the same one that is used in the Highlander and Camry of the same year (and engine size), and so I think I got a good deal by buying it from them rather than a Lexus dealership...The time savings as well as the $$ saved makes for a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Thanks to all for your input, and have a great holiday!!

JBL