Scary Problem With My 4Runner

[Mark86]

In the past week, my 4Runner has given me a good scare twice. I parked my truck and left it parked for about 3.5 hours in not too cold weather. When I went to start it, it would crank for around 10 seconds and then all of the lights in my truck would dim out. You would hear other weird cranking noises and then it would finally turn over but struggle. It sounded like the engine couldn't turn over. Today, same scenario but worse noises. I went to start my truck but again, you heard the cranking noises and then the lights dimmed out. The thing didn't start for 20 seconds and it was making really annoying cranking sounds. Then when it finally turned over, it like sputtered. When this first happened, I thought it was a bad tank of gas. I gased up last Wednesday and then again today. I went out and bought dry gas from the supermarket hoping it is only a bad tank of gas. My dad thought it could be my battery going. What do you think the problem is? I don't feel like being stranded any time soon!!

 

[Border411]

I say battery or alternator. Either way...get it back to the dealership for warranty service.

 

[Mark86]

I say battery or alternator. Either way...get it back to the dealership for warranty service.

I was afraid of that. First thing tomorrow I will be at the dealer for them to check it!!

 

[slowginjoe]

make sure your battery terminals are tight. if it's lose the battery's not charging right or only some of the time.

 

[Mark86]

make sure your battery terminals are tight. if it's lose the battery's not charging right or only some of the time.

That also sounds possible. It doesn't happen every time I start it. So far, it happened twice within 6 days. Also, the battery light on my dashboard is not on if that means anything.

 

[slowginjoe]

have you tried opening the hood and wiggling the + and - cables on the terminal to see if either one's loose? it sounds exactly like the problem my dad had and that was the cause on his car. sometimes they just rattle loose.

 

[toyo]

What in the hell are you doing idling for 3 hours?

 

[toyo]

OOPs , sorry just read it again. At first I thought you let it idle for that long.

 

[Sac State]

OOPs , sorry just read it again. At first I thought you let it idle for that long.

At first, I thought the same thing.

 

[Mark86]

Woops. I meant to say parked, not idled.

 

[JungleJim]

Might want to check the fuel pump relay. Whenever I've had starting issues on modern vehicles, it ends up being fuel pump related.