No start, no crank, no clicks on first try, second try it starts?
 

97 4Runner SR5, manual
It does not happen all the time, maybe every third time I try to start it. I go to start it and nothing happens other than dash lights are on, no clicks, no crank. I will turn it back to ACC and then try to start it again and it starts fine. Thought is might be my clutch position switch so I tried to start with Clutch Override button but it will only start on second try. Anyone have any ideas on this? Starter relay? Starter going bad? Ignition switch?

IMHO...bad battery cable(s).

This has happened on 3 of my cars over the years.

Terminal is either loose...or cable is corroded badly internally. So sometimes it works and other times it won't.

The reason for the first time failure is that the first time, you are running a bit of current through the battery terminals (lights, fuel pump, etc)...and it reverses the corrosion just enough that the second time it'll have enough connection to crank.

On my old Mercury, it baffled me because I would turn my lights on for a minute and then she would crank. Over a month...it got slowly worse where finally the headlight trick didn't work. My pop wiggled the negative cable and the terminal came apart in two. Pulled the negative cable out and it literally would snap/crackle/pop when bending it. Totally looked fine from the outside and I even cleaned the terminal a bunch of times.

Same thing happened in the 2002 4Runner and I had to splice in about 18" of negative battery cable and a new terminal.

Then again...maybe it's not it. But my experience would have me going right to the cables. Pull them off and man-handle them a good bit. Corrosion hides inside.

-Mike

Very possible bad battery cable.


I suspect the battery terminals or starter connections first.

How many miles on this starter? Mostly the brushes in alts and starters last 180k to 200k miles ( well that what I observed over the years)

If all else is checking out. Verify the start position on your ignition contact is good behind your key.

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Clean the starter relay contact points. See the thread I posted 3-4 days ago about long crank and starter relay "https://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/280093-long-crank-may-related-starter-relay.html". The relay is located inside the fuse box next to the battery. It is the blue relay.

I had same symptoms on my corolla and after cleaning the starter contact relay points the issue was sloved.

Thanks Mike. I never even gave the cables a thought. I will check them out.

If you have a helper have them hold the key in start and reach in the passenger and hit the starter with a hammer. If it starts spinning the instant you hit it it’s starter time.

Or do the same above with your helper and instead of a hammer reach into the starter and unclip the small wire and use a test light and see if the bulb lights up bright


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Good chance it's the starter contacts.

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suspect the starter last.


No click means most likely the condition of battery and connections. Low batt and /or voltage drops in wiring may leave enough voltage to power lights but not relays, starter solenoid, and starter.

i had this happening, cleaned battery terminals but didn't change anything.it would take 3-4-5-6 key turns before anything would happen and then when it did would take a few seconds to fire up, seemed like a weak crank.

i swapped the starter and fixed the problem.

When the starter contacts wore out on mine, it would at least made a little "click" of the relay activating. If you are not even hearing that, the juice isn't making it even to the relay.

No clicks no power. Mine fulled me I thought starter contacts were gone. But in my case it was the start contact in the key.

Did exactly what the OP stated. Start nobody home. Wigged the key lock assembly would start.

So if everything else checks out. Verify that ignition start contact is good. Mine went at about 225 or 230k miles.

Swapped it out in 10 to 15 min and the starter never missed again.

Found out the hard way as I replaced the starter and a day later the exact same problem.


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OP which engine?? The V6 or the 4 cylinder. I will attach the appropriate EWD so you can trace the circuits out to find it. :-)

It is the V6.

You will notice how that key is on two wires. That's what got me because these contacts wear. Granted your issue may not be the key connectors but it is certainly worth looking into. :-)

That's the 1997 V6 ignition and start EWD

I had the exact same issue a week ago. Checked battery cables first. Ended up being the starter solenoid. Had my mechanic replace it. The starter was about $120.