Hello, I have a 99 SC400. It has a weird issue. Sometimes, mainly on a cold start, when i try to start the car it just gives me one solid click and nothing happens. Then i try again and nothing, no click. Usually after the 3rd or 4th key turn it'll finally start. Sometimes struggles a little. Is it a bad starter? I never had a car with a bad starter so idk the symptoms. But then there's days where it starts up perfectly. It runs fine and no warning lights. Usually after being warmed up and having shutting it off/on itll start up normally. Seems to be mainly on cold starts
Brand new battery btw. Thanks guys.

 

Help please?

 

I recall an issue similar to this and it ended up being the starter contacts. Was the starter grinding/is it still?

 

As SC400slide says it is 95% a starter contacts and plunger problem. Good news is these parts are available separately, bad news is the starter is under the intake manifold in the V of the engine.

 

It seems mine is doing the same thing, but mine is a 1995 Sc300.

Is the location of the starter the same, does that meani its a pain to get to it which leads to more labor cost.

Thank You I appreciate your answer & help.

TexRud

 

SC300 starter is a lot easier to reach, especially on the automatics. Its on the driver side unerneath the transmission and can be reached from below the car. Just a couple 12mm bolts and 2 14mm bolts and it's off.

However the problem sometimes isn't the contacts or the plunger. Sometimes some of the wound wires in the motor itself can get a little out of wind and contact the metal on the side causing the starter current to ground out. It has the same symptoms of bad contacts but is more difficult to fix.

If you want to, you can go to the toyota or lexus dealership an buy the contact kit, for ~$28, or get a plunger as well, but I remember the plunger being more expensive, it was ~$50-$70 if memory serves.

However, my advice would be to buy the contacts but be prepared to get a remanned unit from autozone/advance auto parts, just in case the contacts don't fix your starter. The OEM Denso starter motor will last a lifetime compared to the remanned units, but more than just the contacts can go out.

I'm saying all of this because that's what happened to my starter, and I had it sitting in my garage for nearly a year and every now and then I'd fiddle around with it and bench it to see if it was working yet until I discovered what was causing the problem. During that time a remanned starter from Advance Autoparts kept me on the road, and now I have two starters should this remanned one ever break.

 

Hey eknine9!!

Thanks for your help & advice. I was more worried of removing the starter then anything else. Especially since I didnt even know where it was. Kept reading that you had to remove intakes manifolds & something else. So its possible that I can do it myself instead of taking it to autoshop. I'll play it safe & just get a new Denco starter.

TexRud

95 SC300 ATM

 

test the starter relay, it's the purple one in the engine fuse box, if it's a different color then it's the one closest to the engine, if you're standing by your driver side fender, it will be the furthest away from you. take the relay out and jump the 2 ports that are facing parallel with the car, i think 1 and 2 with a wire. if the car starts or the starter cranks then your starter is fine and it's either your ignition or some other system keeping your car from starting. PM me if you have any questions, it's kinda hard to explain.