Okay, I need some serious help! And I need it fast. I have a 2004 4Runner SR5 V6 and it has a starting problem. As in it won't start, it doesn't even make a sound. No click, no grinding, pure silence. Let me explain a typical day and hopefully the 4Runner Nation can help me. Car starts fine in the morning, drive it to work, go to start car 3 hours later, it won't start, I pull starter relay out a few times, still won't start, call my wife to come pick me up and it starts. Drive to bank, go pick up pizza, car starts but as I crossing an intersection, car dies while running. Won't start back up, mess with things, pull starter relay in and out about 15 times, nothing, get on the phone to call my wife and tell her to come pick me up, get off phone, car starts. WTF??? Okay, here is the interesting part, when I took my car to the mechanic he said it was probably the starter relay but I had to order one, so while I was waiting for new relay, it started fine everyday, but then the A/C Clutch relay died, so I put a new one in and the air works fine, but now I am having this starting problem again. Yes I have tried to take A/C relay out again and it doesn't seem to help. Can someone please help me?????
Serious Problem Now - 2004 Won't Start
- Thread starter dpross16
- Start date
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Have you gone through all your fuses under the dash and under the hood?
Next I would disconnect the battery (both cables) so the ECU resets. Evidently the ECU is seeing something it doesn't like and killing the engine. After that if it happens again I'd see if a shop can pull any trouble codes off the ECU.
Next I would disconnect the battery (both cables) so the ECU resets. Evidently the ECU is seeing something it doesn't like and killing the engine. After that if it happens again I'd see if a shop can pull any trouble codes off the ECU.
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gm350reratliff
New member
Does the 4runner have an aftermarket alarm or remote start system? How worn is the key/ignition cylinder? Any wrecks, fender-benders, body work? So the 4runner isn't completely dead, it just doesn't engage the starter and/or sometimes it dies out for no reason.
Okay, I tried to disconnect both battery cables to reset the ECU didn't seem to help. Still would not start. I tried removing starter relay a couple of times but that didn't seem to help. Then I started pushing down on the other relays and when I pushed on the AC clutch relay I could hear the AC clicking, I pushed down on another one, I think it was the heater relay and I could hear clicking by the starter. Got in the 4Runner and it started. But it was not a very strong start and it ran very weakly, tried driving back to work but it kind of sputtered, never shut off, just didn't seem like 100% power. HELP!!!!
03_4x4Runner
Senior Member
I think you better take it someplace and get it checked out before you get stranded at a time that is not convenient. Are you sure you were checking the right relay? Do not go pushing on things violently or you will cause more problems.
That is kind of my problem right now. I am at least trying to figure out what the problems can be before I take it to a mechanic and they charge me $1,000,000.00 to tell me they can't fix it or there is nothing wrong with it. What things would make the car not start and also cut off while driving? A starter wouldn't make the car cut off while driving, would it? How about the ignition switch? It isn't the battery because that is brand new and I actually disconnected the battery cables while it was running and it didn't turn off. I know I wasn't supposed to do that, but I did and it was fine. Would the alternator cause the engine to cut off while running? It couldn't be a fuse because then it wouldn't start at all, right? I thought I had it narrowed down to the starter relay but Nope that didn't seem to help. Could the heat be causing a short, could a wire be exposed and rubbing metal and causing a bad connection? There are only so many things that I can guess would be the cause of both the car only starting occasionally and the car turning off while driving. Has anyone had this problem before? ANYONE? The mechanic I went to the first time actually looked it up on AllData.com and didn't find anything and he also called a buddy of his that has been working for Toyota for 30 years and he had never heard of this problem. He also told me that it is very uncommon for a relay to go bad, but I figured since that was the cheapest solution I would start there. I am about 1 day away from taking it into the Toyota stealership.
zstampe
New member
Engine fuse block, row closest to the front of the truck. It's on the diagram on the lid. Hold that fuse down and have someone try to start it.
WOW! If that is the only problem, I don't know if I will cry because of the level of frustration I am at, or if I will crack open a cold one because I will be so happy that it works. Anyone else have any suggestions while I wait to get off work so I can go home and see if this EFI fuse trick works?
zstampe
New member
Have a cold one if that's it! That's what I did! Ha ha. Hopefully that's all it is. My runner was doing the EXACT same thing.
03_4x4Runner
Senior Member
I have seen fuel pumps cause problems like that (no starts and stalling) on Jeeps but Toyota electric fuel pumps are usually very long lasting. How many miles do you have on the 4runner?
zstampe
New member
I don't think it's throwing codes though unless I read something wrong.
dennisy
New member
DPROSS16 - call the wife again:jump: it might start again, probably afraid of the wife!!! Just kidding buddy, just want to lighten you up a bit!
Seriously, check the battery cables again, there are some wires that are attached to the pole connector itself and not with the cables. when the battery was changed they may have overlooked those wires and did not replace them back. another is check your gear, if its not in P it won't start and you won't hear anything, another would be to check your fuse in the engine bay and in the car or check the solenoid for your starter motor, this may have gone bad also and gives the same symptoms.
Hope that helps!:fro:
