Just had an issue this afternoon with my 2005 V6...
Preface this with, I have a basic Viper remote start system installed that was put in by a car stereo shop 5 years ago.
Anyways, I hadn't driven the car since Wednesday, but before that I had no issues.
Today I hit the remote start button and wait a sec to go out. I go outside and the engine isn't running. Okay, lets hit the button again, well this time I get one click and then nothing (honestly sounds like the solenoid isn't engaging)
Hop inside the car and all electrical stuff looks fine, windows work, no dim lights. Cool, probably not the battery then.
Stick key in ignition and same thing, click then no start. I repeated this cycle a few times with nothing changing.
At this point I pop the hood and take a look at the battery terminals, and while they are 15 years old, they don't look bad. Nothing loose and this battery was purchased just under a year ago (by my wife while I was on a work trip, so Pep Boys had installed it)
Anyways, now I start searching internets and someone said something about dimming headlights when starting. Okay, so I turn on headlights and the truck fires right up. Well that's strange. So instead of going to the gas station to fill up (I've got $0.25 off a gallon of gas expiring today) I drive around the block and park in the street, just in case I can easily get a tow and my other car isn't blocked in.
So now I park in front of my house and shut it off. Wait 30 secs, attempt to start and the same thing happens. But I cycle the key a few times and it eventually works.
Now I'm confident that I probably won't be stranded at the gas station so I head there. Turn off engine and pump gas, this time when I turn it back on I hold the key in the start position for a second longer than normal (I'm used to that great Toyota ignition switch that doesn't make me hold the key there). And it starts up!
Drive home now, and turn off the car wait about 5 minutes and get back in and it starts right up.
Here is where I start researching and I can't find a lot of info on 4th gens with similar issues, but here are likely culprits from my research:
1. Bad battery connection somewhere (to starter, or fuse box) to include internally corroded cables
2. bad starter contacts (this one came up a lot with 3rd gens, never heard of just replacing just those in my 10 years of tinkering with Hondas, but okay sure)
3. Bad starter relay, tbh I'm not sure how to test this
4. Bad ignition switch, the contacts could be worn out making starting intermittent.
TL;DR
2005 4Runner V6 wouldn't start. Not dead battery. Get one click from starter then nothing. Eventually it starts after a few tries. Drive around the block a bit and now it seems fine. Did research and didn't see a lot of issues like this on the 4th gen. Came up with 4 possibilities; Bad battery cables/connections, bad starter contacts, bad starter relay, bad ignition switch.
Anyone have any tips or what I should try first?
Preface this with, I have a basic Viper remote start system installed that was put in by a car stereo shop 5 years ago.
Anyways, I hadn't driven the car since Wednesday, but before that I had no issues.
Today I hit the remote start button and wait a sec to go out. I go outside and the engine isn't running. Okay, lets hit the button again, well this time I get one click and then nothing (honestly sounds like the solenoid isn't engaging)
Hop inside the car and all electrical stuff looks fine, windows work, no dim lights. Cool, probably not the battery then.
Stick key in ignition and same thing, click then no start. I repeated this cycle a few times with nothing changing.
At this point I pop the hood and take a look at the battery terminals, and while they are 15 years old, they don't look bad. Nothing loose and this battery was purchased just under a year ago (by my wife while I was on a work trip, so Pep Boys had installed it)
Anyways, now I start searching internets and someone said something about dimming headlights when starting. Okay, so I turn on headlights and the truck fires right up. Well that's strange. So instead of going to the gas station to fill up (I've got $0.25 off a gallon of gas expiring today) I drive around the block and park in the street, just in case I can easily get a tow and my other car isn't blocked in.
So now I park in front of my house and shut it off. Wait 30 secs, attempt to start and the same thing happens. But I cycle the key a few times and it eventually works.
Now I'm confident that I probably won't be stranded at the gas station so I head there. Turn off engine and pump gas, this time when I turn it back on I hold the key in the start position for a second longer than normal (I'm used to that great Toyota ignition switch that doesn't make me hold the key there). And it starts up!
Drive home now, and turn off the car wait about 5 minutes and get back in and it starts right up.
Here is where I start researching and I can't find a lot of info on 4th gens with similar issues, but here are likely culprits from my research:
1. Bad battery connection somewhere (to starter, or fuse box) to include internally corroded cables
2. bad starter contacts (this one came up a lot with 3rd gens, never heard of just replacing just those in my 10 years of tinkering with Hondas, but okay sure)
3. Bad starter relay, tbh I'm not sure how to test this
4. Bad ignition switch, the contacts could be worn out making starting intermittent.
TL;DR
2005 4Runner V6 wouldn't start. Not dead battery. Get one click from starter then nothing. Eventually it starts after a few tries. Drive around the block a bit and now it seems fine. Did research and didn't see a lot of issues like this on the 4th gen. Came up with 4 possibilities; Bad battery cables/connections, bad starter contacts, bad starter relay, bad ignition switch.
Anyone have any tips or what I should try first?
