4th Gen Starter Issue

[mshaner152]

Hey guys and gals,

I recently took my rig off road and got stuck in a big a$$ puddle/mud. The water was approx right at the top of the tires on a stock 4th Gen. Since then I have had issues with what I am assuming is the starter. For a while when I would turn the key over it would click and take about 3 or 4 seconds to actually turn over. Sometimes it would work no problem. Just random times would I have that issue. Well I went away for a few days on business and left my car at an airport parking lot outside. When I got to the car and tried to crank it nothing happened. It does not click or anything. I know the battery is good because I let it sit there for a minute with the radio on and everything trying to come up with a solution to the problem. I am heading back to the truck today after work with a mechanic friend of mine.

Anyone have any thoughts on what could be causing the issue? Relay? Starter? Bad contacts?

Any tips that I can give my mechanic friend whenever we get to the car?

Thanks!

 

[bytemaster0]

A bad battery can still easily power a radio and headlights. Try replacing that first, as it is the cheapest to fix. This also might explain some of the randomness - if you can correlate it to how long the alternator was charging the battery. Worst-case go to a car parts store, such as Autozone, and have them test your battery. Or go to Toyota and have them test it. Chances are, it's bad.

 

[mshaner152]

I'll definitely give that a try today. If it is not the battery... any other ideas??

 

[chaz]

just cause the battery has enough juice to power the radio doesnt mean theres enough to start the vehicle.

 

[bytemaster0]

I'll definitely give that a try today. If it is not the battery... any other ideas??

It gets trickier after that. Your car uses an electronic starting and ignition system - it's not the "hold and crank" methodology that's used in older/other cars. This means that the starting sequence is carefully controlled by the ECU, so the starter's operation is governed precisely. I highly suspect your battery, but if it's not that, then there's a chance of a corroded starter cable - however, in that case, it shouldn't turn over at all, at random occasions - just a click, and nothing. Finding a corroded wire is easy - generally it's the positive terminal wire that will be corroded. If replacing the battery doesn't fix it, then check that wire - or if you're looking at it already, see what it looks like. Just keep in mind that a corroded starter wire wouldn't let you start the car after 3-4 turns. My money's on the battery - the interior electronics use a tiny fraction of the power required for the starter to turn over the engine. The fact that your car has been sitting without the alternator charging it for a few days would confirm my suspicions of the battery; SLAs don't like to be overdischarged, and they eventually stop holding a charge after a few years, leading to exactly the problems you're describing.

 

[mshaner152]

Yea for about a week and a half or so it would click and then pause and then start, but other times, I guess because it had been running, it would start normally. I guess something finally took a dump since I was gone and it didn't get used for 4 days. I noticed yesterday when I would try and crank the car I would hear a faint noise. To me it sounded like a "signal" being sent because I noticed it was right after I would turn the key but no click or anything. I will definitely check the battery and if that's not it I will check that wire. I am under the assumption that something has corroded or shorted due to half sinking the rig.

 

[snowbrdr033]

You could always check the water cells in the battery (if applicable) and make sure that they are full. If they are low/empty, it would contribute to battery issues.

 

[MikeInNH]

Your lights and accessories draw maybe 20 amps...while a starter will draw several hundred amps. It could definitely be the battery.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Have your battery tested, a starter will easily draw 100+ amps when cranking, your strike amperage (The initial draw when the starter is powered by starter solenoid) can be up to 300+ amps (it only lasts for a fraction of a second. The voltage will also drop while cranking because of the amperage draw, normally a vehicle should not drop below about 10v while cranking. As was pointed out, your vehicle uses an automated start function; the ECM may not engage the starter if it sees the voltage available is too low to prevent damage to the system.

If replacing the battery does not repair the issue, I would reccomend testing of the starter itself and computer control circuits.

 

[mshaner152]

Well I figured out it was the starter. We went down and after about 20 hits with the hammer while I was trying to start it. She started. I'm replacing the thing today. Thanks for the help

 

[teampwr2]

My Starter took a dump at 50,000 miles ...I Have 05 v6.. Came out from work Just 1 click and nothing ..Tried to Jump nothing but 1 click ..Mine was under warranty so I called toyota and 20 minutes later tow truck arrived got runner back in the am ... that was the very 1st Toyota Malfunction I ever had since buying them new since 1982 !!1 And I had Just put a new Battery in 2 weeks prior to starter fail.

 

[mshaner152]

It definitely was the starter. One of the 2 rubber breather plugs got ripped off. Water/mud/corrosion all inside the starter. I replaced it and it's running normally.

 

[jwyshrek]

You must have a v6. Isn't the starter on the V8's in between the head under the intake manifold? If that's the case, that would be fun to replace...

 

[mshaner152]

Yea she's a V6. I'm not sure about placement on the V8, but on the V6 it is right under the exhaust manifold. Pretty much behind the alternator. Not so easy to get to the back bolts if you don't have the right tools i.e. wobble head and a long enough extension for your ratchet

 

[iancoletx]

Yea she's a V6. I'm not sure about placement on the V8, but on the V6 it is right under the exhaust manifold. Pretty much behind the alternator. Not so easy to get to the back bolts if you don't have the right tools i.e. wobble head and a long enough extension for your ratchet

Thanks for posting this, we caught a freshwater flood in Houston and experienced exact same symptoms. Will replace the starter tomorrow.

 

[bonuscup]

Same problem here. Drove my '04 V8 through some pretty deep water and in mud two weeks ago. During that day it didn't have any issues but the next day and ever since I've had the same exact symptoms. Every morning it takes about 10 or so tries to start - I get the single 'click', then nothing. Once it does start it's about a 2 second delay then it fires up. If I drive it all day, like running errands, it starts normally or around 3-5 tries most of the time each time I get back in it. Next day it's groundhog day again.

If it were the starter outright, wouldn't it have the same problem consistently all day and not start easier as the car was warmed up? And at some point doesn't the start just straight up fail?

I'm guessing no, but can I take a hose to the back of the engine bay and hose down the starter or something to see I can get any residual mud/dirt off?

Where do I look to see if there's a corroded wire or something that could be the cause?

I had the battery tested at Autozone and it tested fine, it has 89% battery life on it.

Thanks everyone

 

[2004 4rl4wdV8]

Fs 2004 limited v8 4wd 94000 miles

Same problem here. Drove my '04 V8 through some pretty deep water and in mud two weeks ago. During that day it didn't have any issues but the next day and ever since I've had the same exact symptoms. Every morning it takes about 10 or so tries to start - I get the single 'click', then nothing. Once it does start it's about a 2 second delay then it fires up. If I drive it all day, like running errands, it starts normally or around 3-5 tries most of the time each time I get back in it. Next day it's groundhog day again.

If it were the starter outright, wouldn't it have the same problem consistently all day and not start easier as the car was warmed up? And at some point doesn't the start just straight up fail?

I'm guessing no, but can I take a hose to the back of the engine bay and hose down the starter or something to see I can get any residual mud/dirt off?

Where do I look to see if there's a corroded wire or something that could be the cause?

I had the battery tested at Autozone and it tested fine, it has 89% battery life on it.

Thanks everyone

My starter went today same clicking noise

 

[SAC-CA-Runner]

Resurrecting an old thread here. Went to Mojave desert last weekend and drove thru Afton Canyon. When I went in the water came over the front of the hood for a VERY short time. My starter was working just fine before that. Now, I turn the key and release and it takes 2-3 seconds to kick on. I find it VERY hard to believe that... 1. Enough water could get in that area near the starter on a V8 to make it go bad and 2. why would it all of a sudden start doing it if it was a corroded wire? It would take a while for a wire to corrode

Now it did take 2 days for this issue to start AFTER I crossed thru the water. Is there a starter relay that could be bad before I go throwing money at the starter? Relay's usually require a certain amount of power to get it to switch over and let voltage thru. To me that's what it seems like when it hesitates to start. But I could be totally wrong. Is the relay near the starter and I'm stuck going in either way?

I just have a VERY hard time thinking it's the starter when it was fine before. And I know it's not my battery as it is a deep cycle and it was fine before.

 

[Garo 4runner]

Resurrecting an old thread here. Went to Mojave desert last weekend and drove thru Afton Canyon. When I went in the water came over the front of the hood for a VERY short time. My starter was working just fine before that. Now, I turn the key and release and it takes 2-3 seconds to kick on. I find it VERY hard to believe that... 1. Enough water could get in that area near the starter on a V8 to make it go bad and 2. why would it all of a sudden start doing it if it was a corroded wire? It would take a while for a wire to corrode

Now it did take 2 days for this issue to start AFTER I crossed thru the water. Is there a starter relay that could be bad before I go throwing money at the starter? Relay's usually require a certain amount of power to get it to switch over and let voltage thru. To me that's what it seems like when it hesitates to start. But I could be totally wrong. Is the relay near the starter and I'm stuck going in either way?

I just have a VERY hard time thinking it's the starter when it was fine before. And I know it's not my battery as it is a deep cycle and it was fine before.

I have the exact same issue from the exact same reason as you. Did you ever figure out what the problem was?

 

[SAC-CA-Runner]

I have the exact same issue from the exact same reason as you. Did you ever figure out what the problem was?

Yep...it was the starter. And it's a PITA to do on the V8 engine. Have to go underneath the intake manifold. I don't know if the water helped push it along or if it was already on it's way out. But after replacing it, no issue.