Toyota - Corolla :: Starter Motor Having Too Much Current - Crank The Engine?
Apr 20, 2012
Any explantion for how a "bad" starter motor can crank the engine, but use too many amps in the selenoid circuit?
I had this problem when I installed a rebuilt starter motor in an early 1990's Toyota Corolla recently. It was one of those offshore rebuild starter motors. When I installed it, and turned the key to start, nothing. ARRG .. I have to take it back, and it takes me about 2 hours to install it, and another 1 hour to remove it! It's not like changing a lightbulb!
Anyway, first off, before removing it, I checked the voltage (that comes in the smaller cable from the ignition switch,not the one in the thick cable direct from the battery) right at the starter selenoid, and it was only 8.6 volts. At first I thought it was a weak battery, but the battery voltage was 11.8 volts under the same load at the battery. And the voltage at the ignition switch was 11.6 volts. It was loosing 3 volts in the wiring path from the ignition switch to the starter motor! Then I noticed the wiring harness was getting warm that held that wire. Oh Oh.
For the life of me I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Unwilling to throw in the towel and remove the unit, I decided to completely bypass the ignition switch and the entire wiring harness, so I wired it up with my own switch I bough at Radio Shack and my own 16 AWG (the wire in the harness is 18 AWG) wires clipped direct from the battery to the starter selenoid. This is all from the front of the car. I just wanted to see if I could get it to turn and crank the engine. It worked, it cranked ok and everything, but the second time I tested it with this experimental configuration, it melted my 10 Amp Radio Shack switch! The switch was supposed to be able to handle 10 amps! Remember, this is the selenoid circuit, not the main power circuit from the battery.
So I then DID throw in the towel, and took it out, took the starter motor back to the auto parts place. ( I had a little dust-up with the parts place manager; he at first refused to refund my money. He wanted me to take another rebuilt one, but I'd lost trust in their rebuilt units and I just wanted my $$ back. We compromised on a voucher for future purchases.) Anyway, the parts place tested the problem starter motor I had returned to them, and they said it tested "bad". So the one they sold me was indeed no good. (Why they didn't test it before they sold it to me is another question.)
But here's the mystery: If the rebuilt starter motor tested "bad", and it indeed was "bad", how could it have cranked the engine with the experimental heavy guage wiring ? Any explantion for how a "bad" starter motor can crank the engine, but use way too many amps in the selenoid circuit?
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Car was fine, then wouldn't start one day, after driving fine a couple of minutes before. Did this a few times previously, just tried a few times then it started again. There is no cranking when I turn the key, just a click. Lights work fine, stereo etc, no dip in power when turn key. I assumed it was starter motor so took it out and tested it - fine. Also tested battery - fine. Looked at a spark plug, fine, oil level fine. Don't see a reason the engine should have seized, as it was driving just fine, then wouldn't start suddenly, but I haven't tried manually turning the crank. I then looked at the switch on the clutch pedal that gets pressed when you push the clutch in, and allows it to start. Looked ok, but pulled the wires and bypassed it with a cable. Still nothing. Can the starter test ok but still be bad? Toyota Corolla 2003 80,000 miles ...
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Camry 2002 LE (4 cyl Auto), 140K mi
This morning, for the first time I can recall, the car would not start right away. Had been sitting in the garage for 2+ days. Starter would crank just fine, but engine would not fire. No lites were left on overnite. Finally (after about 6+ attempts), engine started -- runs fine now.
Took it to TOY dealer. Their diagnosis: weak battery, alternator low output.Happy, had recently (6 mos) replaced battery after 4 years of use, so got a new battery N/C.TOY ran a charging system check and it shows "Alternator Condition: OK" (midway between shitty and great I recall).
Funny, but my first thought when it would not start was the fuel system (fuel pump) or dirty ignitors. I did ask my regular mechanic for an opinion, and he thinks it might indeed be the fuel pump -- perhaps a clogged filter.
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I have had an intermittent problem with my 2010 Toyota Corolla S Manual for awhile now. The vehicle has about 27k on it and I am the only owner.
This problem began a few years back where I would get in the car and crank it and the car would take longer than normal to start. It would usually chug a bit and then start so I wasn't too concerned at this point. Yesterday I had to crank on it 4 times stopping for 1 minute between cranks and the engine finally started and then chugged hard for a good 5 seconds or so.... I was reading that the previous models had a problem with the ECU documented here.
[URL] .....
This does not seem to apply to my vehicle although the problem seems dead on. I don't suspect battery. The car cranks hard.... Obviously it can't be the starter. I really doubt it's the fuel pump doing this. I'm going to guess ECU, injector, some funky electrical issue.
I bought this car brand new from the dealer with 2 miles on it and I can't think of anything werid that has happened to the vehicle. Before anybody says cold weather is a factor.... It was almost 40 when I cranked on my car yesterday so I doubt that is it. Also I started the car in much colder conditions. The car did sit for a week before this happened... I can't remember if the car sat for a long period of time before the other starting issues happened. I'm planning on taking the car to the dealership soon, I'm in the process of moving so I can't be without a car right now.
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A lot of videos have audio of a knocking sound, however my sound is more akin to an extra crank of the starter. It's intermittent at best, and I thought it was actually use error until I noticed the sound occurred a few times even when I briefly cranked the engine.
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2002 F450 7.3 Turbo
Ok first problem : Starter Motor fuse kept blowing and I spent weeks trying to figure it out. No luck. so wired up a push button just to get the truck started, its a work truck so it was needed asap.
2nd problem : he truck stopped starting completely. Wont start in Park or neutral and after a NEW STARTER (because I thought the solenoid on the starter was bad I replaced it) Everything work correctly for one start with the key. After the second time trying to start it blew the starter fuse again. So I tried the straight wiring to starter. still nothing. I was wondering if there are any shims or anything at the transmission housing to correctly position the starter. I am thinking that maybe the gear is stuck or gets stuck sometimes. when I straight wire the starter it does nothing but the wire gets hot so I know its pulling.
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I have a Toyota 87 pickup that have been working great for the longest time. Now there is a problem and I need to fix it. It is a problem with the ignition switch I think but I am not sure. When I put the key in and turn it to 1st position I can hear the electrical system turn on, as in the little hums and noises that the electrical system does on a car this age. The next position where the starter motor would engage is however silent and non working. If I where to have a bad battery this is where the relay would go tic-tic-tic but there is no sound what so ever. So Im thinking maybe bad switch, or bad relay? How do I test this the easiest. Toyota got a r22 in it.
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Toyota Corolla S 2009 Automatic 4 Door
Saturday I changed the starter because the old one was going out and I didnt want it to die so it was preventaive. Went to put in the sparkplugs but the dealer gave me the wrong ones, drove to the dealer and they pulled out one I had to check it and put it back in. (I had 9/16 long plugs, which is rare for my engine apparently.) I went to leave, and when I turned it over, nothing happened. I pulled the Key out, waited 5 seconds, started up. Went home, put in the sparkplugs and drove about 300 miles since Saturday and no problem.
Today I went to leave and the car turned over multiple times, after the 4th, it acted like it was starting but shut off and kept turning over.
First, I checked all the wires on the plugs and around them, even pulled all the plugs and put in the old ones. Same problem.
I unplugged the battery and hoped if it was a computer glitch that it would have fixed it. Same problem.
When I turn it over, the started keeps going and it will pretend to turn on for half a second and then keep turning over. I also smell raw gas when I get out of the car for a few seconds before it goes away.
The last time it did throw codes, but I have no reader. I have to wait for the neighbor to pull them. Is there anything I can test or check out? Everything as far as the wires and fuses look good. I am at a loss for where to go.
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I just got a check engine light today too! I wasn't sure if I should start a new thread but I found this one first so I'll see if I get any responses. Anyway, the diagnostic tool showed P2118: throttle actuator control.
I'm not sure myself if I should be worried especially since my wife and little one year old will be driving the SF long distance this week.
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I have a little vibration from the motor mounts which disappears with an extra soft touch on the gas pedal at idle. If I would keep the car I would change the mounts, but there are a lot of new parts already....I cleaned inside the plenum.....
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I bought my 2014 Corolla new a little over 3 years ago. Yesterday, when I was leaving work to head home I went to start my car and I was just met with my starter making a loud buzzing noise. My lights in my car, car fob, and etune radio were all working properly, but the car was just not able to start! My coworker told me that he heard of a trick where if you knock on the starter with something while trying to start it, it might give it enough of a kick to get going. Whether or not it was coincidence, it did work.
I was able to drive home, about 15 minutes (still daylight, did not need car lights), with no trouble. When I got home I turned my car off and waited for a few seconds and tried to start again. It worked, but it sounded like it struggled. I did it one more time and it failed with that same noise again. I resolved that I would just go get a new battery in the morning.
In the morning, my car was able to start, albeit with some struggle again. I made it all the way to work, and over lunch I was able to start it again and drive it to AutoZone to have them test the battery starter alternator. They told me the battery was too depleted to test it, so I went across the street to Walmart and bought a new battery. After replacing it, the car started like a champ as expected, and I drove back to Autozone to have them test my alternator and starter. The starter came back good, but they said that there was a fault in the test with the alternator. I gave them my old battery and asked them to trickle charge and test it just to see if it happened to still be a good battery that was just losing charge, or if it really was just a dying battery.
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The air conditioning blower motor stopped working this past summer (worst timing ever). I took it out, put it back in, and it worked again for a day before dying for good. So, I ordered a new one and replaced it. The replacement was working fine for about 5 months, but it then began exhibiting the same problem as the original: it wouldn't come on until after I'd been driving for a while. The new unit never made any unusual noises while running (the old one got noisy just before I replaced it), but now it isn't coming on at all. I find it hard to believe that the replacement blower motor has failed after only 5 months. What else should I check?
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I have a 2002 Toyota Corolla CE with 160,000 miles on the odometer. While driving at highway speeds (50+ mph), if I let off the gas ever-so-slightly, an audible ticking (like the sound of a sewing machine) begins. It immediately goes away as soon as the motor begins to decelerate or accelerate again. It ticks the loudest while the motor is directly in between accelerating and decelerating, while I am trying to maintain the speed I am traveling at. The sound started 6 months ago and was almost unnoticeable, but has gotten steadily louder the more I drive it. From what I have already researched, I believe it might the valve lifters needing to be changed, but wanted to get a second opinion.
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1997 Toyota Camry V6. The car won't start, the engine won't crank. I've checked for 12v constant at the starter and that's good. Next I checked for a 12v trigger at the starter. That wasn't present at the starter.
I went to the starter relay. Pulled the starter relay and tested it by applying 12v across two terminals and checked for continuity across the other two. It checked fine.
So I checked for constant 12v into the starter relay, that's present. Checked for 12v trigger into starter relay, that was present also. Next I jumped 12v through starter relay terminal into the starter and the starter cranked the engine. Next I checked for ground into the starter relay, I didn't have continuity.
So I'm guessing it's either a bad ground wire coming into the fuse box or maybe even a bad fuse box? Is my thinking correct? Or is there something else that it could be? Maybe a main fuse or something, IDK, this is the first time I've encountered a problem like this.
What wire is the ground source for the starter relay? I found a wiring diagram from Chiltons (which I've attached to this post for reference) but I'm not really sure which wire is the ground for the starter relay. I don't have the car or relay in front of me to look at the terminal numbers.
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Okay so I have a 2004 Dodge Ram Hemi, the truck was running fine all this weekend and was fine this morning. Went out at lunch and used the automatic starter button while walking to it and wouldn't start. It turn over and wants to start you can hear it trying to catch but it won't catch unless you put some starter fluid in. Just changed all 16 spark plugs, all 8 coil packs, wires and 2 valve springs about 2 weeks ago have been running fine since and now this. What it could be?
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The customer brought in her 130,000 mile 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis complaining that the starter would click several times as she turned the key again and again, before it would make the the engine crank like crazy. I saw that the positive battery cable was badly corroded, and replaced the aftermarket end with a new aftermarket end. Everything was nice and clean. No difference. I tested the battery for load voltage with my good old Sun VAT-60. It tested good, sufficient voltage after 15 seconds under a 100 amp load. I removed the fuel pump relay so that the car would not stay running for long, and then would not start when the starter did engage. It drew 120 amps while cranking. That's within spec for a fully warm engine.
I think what she has is a bad solenoid atop the starter, or perhaps a bad spot on the commutator that moves slightly with each click until the brushes are in another position. Then it will turn OK.
I think a new starter is needed. Am I on the right track? I don't want to crawl under it unless I have to, and she doesn't have money for me to make a mistake.
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I have an 02 f150 5.4 4x4, drowned it a while back, thought i had hydro lock, crank can be turned by hand though as far as i can with a wrench, so internals seem to be fine, no bent or broken rods that i could tell, ripped everything apart cleaned it up put it back together, new fuses, new ignition relay, new starter, alternator and battery as well, turned the key to on and got all my electronic stuff back up, turned to start and it all goes dark, which i assume is because at that point its sending power to the starter, but the starter didn't turn or crank the engine...
So question being when i put my new starter on is it possible that i might have crossed a wire or something that would cause it to not crank? and due to the fact that I had water in it, and had hydro locked it, all my plugs are out, now I know that spark is needed for the engine to run, but shouldn't be needed just for the crank to turn right? question being is that once i fix the wires on my starter, I am looking for initial crank before start up, so do i need to put a plug or two back in and hook them up to make it crank? or will it crank without them? and yes I did replace all my fluids as well.
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I just got a 1998 F150 5.4l 4x4 autotragic. Was sold to me as needing trans, wouldn't start. Tossed in a new starter and solenoid, now I can hear the the starter turn crank pulley turns maybe a quarter inch and when I let off the starter it goes back to the same spot.
Fear is motor is locked, but question (i don't know automatics) is there any way that a bad trans could keep a motor from turning over? Truck rolls in neutral or drive, pulled the drain plug no water just oil. Tempted to just buy a running 5.4 with trans but if I can avoid that I'd prefer to.
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Starting about 4 months ago, when starting my truck, the starter would miss; I would turn the key to start, then the starter spins and spools up very high and loud but not crank the engine. I have to turn the key off to make it stop and then try again. Usually the second or third time it will grab and turn the engine and start. It happens about once a week or once every 10 or 12 times I start my truck with all the other times being normal. Doesn't matter if it's a cold start or already warmed up. It's a 2012, 6.7L F250 with 52,000 miles. What is causing it and how it can be fixed.
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During the cold snap over the last few months, my 1997 Toyota 4Runner has been having starting problems with the following symptoms in this order:
I turn the key and nothing happens.
I keep turning the key from off to start, and the starter eventually engages and cranks 2 or 3 times, but the engine does not turn over.
I keep trying and the starter engages and keeps cranking even after I turn the key off.
I panic, and turn the key on and off until the starter stops cranking.
I try a few more times and the starter cranks and the engine catches, but lugs until I pump a little gas.
Really weird thing. Occasionally, after the above sequence, the emergency brake light stays on even though the brake handle has been disengaged, and it feels like I have no power, then the light goes out and the car runs just fine.
The problem in intermittent. Cold seems to cause it although it doesn't cause it every time. Rain may be a factor as well. Sometimes, I only have to turn the key a few times, and then the starter will engage. I changed the battery after the trouble began, and it cranks well if and when the starter engages.
Up until this I have not had a day's trouble with this vehicle other than a little belt squeaking.
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I have a 2009 toyota camry le 4 cyl with 170000 miles. I had my rear main seal replaced because there was an oil leak. Now after I got it back from the shop, there is a oil leak near the front motor mount and my engine had gotten louder when i accelerate. also it smells like paint or something inside my car. what did the shop do?
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