Jamesy Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 (edited) Hi guys wondered if you can help please: Yesterday morning went out in the morning to start car up 5 mins before setting off as usual...... ...the key fob worked fine and the alarm turned off, when i turned the key all the lights came on the dash fine, then as i go to turn it on it just "clicked"! .... now all the lights are off, and i cant even get the dash lights on again unless i shut the doors, set the alarm and then press the key fob again - but every time i go to turn it on it just clicks once, then no lights or no "anything as if the car is dead!!! ...tried jump leads and even after 15mins it still just clicked - was thinking must be immobiliser? I disconnected battery for 5 mins, re connected and then it started first time as usual and i was away? Anyway, throughout the rest of the day it started fine and dandy. Then this morning, as i put the key in to start it, it clicked twice really fast then started straight away. WTF? it drives fine but i just wondered what that could be? Edited December 2, 2009 by Jamesy (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heckler Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 clicking is usually a duff battery or sticky starter motor - sounds more like starter actually from what you wrote Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_b Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 (edited) I would guess starter motor contacts need replacing. It's a common fault, do a search for it on here. There's a sticky on how to do it. £15ish for parts from Toyota. The only thing that confuses me is what you said about the dash lights not coming on until you muck about with the key fob. Is that normal? Do your other electrics (headlights/stereo etc) still work when you just get the click from the ignition? Edited December 2, 2009 by stevie_b (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesy Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 clicking is usually a duff battery or sticky starter motor - sounds more like starter actually from what you wrote Thanks i did think maybe starter motor - but would that actually cause all the lights on the dash to go out as if i havent turned off the immobilser? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesy Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 I would guess starter motor contacts need replacing. It's a common fault, do a search for it on here. There's a sticky on how to do it. £15ish for parts from Toyota. The only thing that confuses me is what you said about the dash lights not coming on until you muck about with the key fob. Is that normal? Do your other electrics (headlights/stereo etc) still work when you just get the click from the ignition? thanx mate guessing you mean this thread - http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?t=51682&highlight=starter+motor no nothing at all works once the "click" noise happened - i litterally had to shut the doors, alarm the car, un-alarm it and try again every time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dude Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Clean your battery posts and clamps and use vaseline when you put it back together before you try anything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_b Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Yep, that's the how-to thread. The fact that nothing works at all suggests a battery-related problem instead of starter motor contacts. See dude's post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesy Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 Clean your battery posts and clamps and use vaseline when you put it back together before you try anything else. Thanx John - do i need to use anything in particular to clean it with? Yep, that's the how-to thread. The fact that nothing works at all suggests a battery-related problem instead of starter motor contacts. See dude's post. Yeah but the battery seems fine, becuase before i try to turn it on everyrthing works, lights, wipers, alarm, radio etc, it only goes off after this clicking... however once i'd disconnected the battery (which might have caused the immobiliser to reset??) the car started fine, no chugging battery tring to get going, just fired straight up... ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_b Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 (edited) I'm wondering if it's a faulty immobiliser? Your symptoms are classic "starter motor contacts", apart from none of the other electrics working. You might be able to "test" the starter motor by giving it a tap with a soft hammer or mallet when it doesn't want to start. If this persuades the engine to start, that adds weight to the starter motor contacts diagnosis. Edited December 2, 2009 by stevie_b (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesy Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 I'm wondering if it's a faulty immobiliser? Your symptoms are classic "starter motor contacts", apart from none of the other electrics working. You might be able to "test" the starter motor by giving it a tap with a soft hammer or mallet when it doesn't want to start. If this persuades the engine to start, that adds weight to the starter motor contacts diagnosis. yeah good idea mate - im not convinced its the starter motor, as all the lights and car seems to go dead after i've tried it. but the clicking does seem to be starter motor related!! i'm just a bit worried about driving it anywhere right now as i dont wanna get stuck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesy Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 Just discovered i have a LaserLine Cat 1 alarm/immob system and apparently they are prone to getting water on the main board and playing up.... ...now what lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abz Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 I'd first go with checking the battery connections\clamps as Dude mention, I had this on my civic a couple of times, where it would click & then not start. Then it looked like the car had no power! after a little fiddle with the battery (Remember you did try to jump start it). It then burst into life, thought nothing of it... next time I replaced my battery the rust which developed meant I had to replace the clamps. Then I'd do the starter pack route. Not sure if it is your alarm, I have the same one as well & if you don't turn the alarm off & then try to turn the key the alarm goes off. Try sitting in your car, alarm the car then try starting the car. If the alarm goes off and it does not start then I guess your immobilizer can be dismissed from the issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Hi guys wondered if you can help please: Yesterday morning went out in the morning to start car up 5 mins before setting off as usual...... I can help by saying not to do that. just start it and drive it straight away (but steady until the OIL's warm). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonkin Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 I had similar problems to you mate. Try and start it and it just clicked and all the lights on the dash flickered on and off, (almost in time with the clicks!) I had the starter contacts replaced as they were knackered anyway but i also cleaned up all the battery connections and more importantly the connection going from the negative to the chassis earth, this was a mess. Give it a good clean with a metal brush, get all the rust and crap off, and clean the chassis area to. Put it back then put some vaseline over it like dude said. bet thats the problem.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesy Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 thanx guys - i will definitely try the cleaning as orginally recomended. i spoke to a radio/alarm company who said they can disable the immob for me if i want, but i dont really want to go down that route ... i just dont want it to leave me stranded either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesy Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 ARGGHHHH fu(k sake Went out to the car this morning, unlocked it ... "click click" then nothing, only the radio still on but no dash lights etc. Had to lock it up, unlock it and try again "click click" exactly the same. Shut doors again, waited for a minute and tried again..... Bish bosh started forst time no worries!! Going to try cleaning the terminals of the battery this morning but it just seems very strange - the battery isn't actually dead else it would start so easy ... and immob isn't totally knackered as it will start. Only seems to happen 1st thing in morning, throughout the day its absolutely fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_b Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 (edited) Hmm, my money's still on the starter motor contacts. I reckon your electrics in the cabin are potentially another issue, maybe immobiliser-related. Whatever it is that cuts the power to your stereo and lights is clearly tempramental, because your stereo worked this morning whereas it didn't in the past. If you have a bad electrical contact at the battery, it doesn't usually right itself after waiting a few minutes. The starter motor does do this however. Give the battery terminals a good clean (e.g. with fine sandpaper) to remove corrosion, smear the terminals with vaseline as dude said (this is an electrical conductor and will give a good electrical contact between cable and post: it also protects against corrosion), and re-attach the battery cables nice and tight. If it still does it, I'd then look at getting the starter motor contacts replaced if it were me. Edited December 3, 2009 by stevie_b (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesy Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 Hmm, my money's still on the starter motor contacts. I reckon your electrics in the cabin are potentially another issue, maybe immobiliser-related. Whatever it is that cuts the power to your stereo and lights is clearly tempramental, because your stereo worked this morning whereas it didn't in the past. If you have a bad electrical contact at the battery, it doesn't usually right itself after waiting a few minutes. The starter motor does do this however. Give the battery terminals a good clean (e.g. with fine sandpaper) to remove corrosion, smear the terminals with vaseline as dude said (this is an electrical conductor and will give a good electrical contact between cable and post: it also protects against corrosion), and re-attach the battery cables nice and tight. If it still does it, I'd then look at getting the starter motor contacts replaced if it were me. Ok thanx mate - will try with the terminals this morning and report back!! strange how it only happens 1st thing in the morning too!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie_b Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 strange how it only happens 1st thing in the morning too!! That's probably the cold weather: batteries hate the cold, it really saps the energy they can supply. If the starter contacts are on the tipping point of working or not working, a cold morning could conceivably sap the battery's power and decide which way it'll tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesy Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 That makes sense, Got ya! right im off out to try the terminals now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesy Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 right back now! took them to Simon (Baldy) to use his workshop - cheers mate took the terminals off and cleaned them with sand paper and wire brush - to be honest they all looked pretty good but cleaned them anyway and put it all back together. he checked the voltage and the battery does seem fine .... .... will have to wait to see how it starts in the morning - if it still does it i guess next step is the starter motor contacts!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesy Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 Can someone pls confirm if the part numbers in supralopys how2 thread are still correct as his original post was in 2005? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 If the part numbers have changed toyota will issue the new parts instead. I doubt they will have changed but you have nothing to worry about. In the past when recieving parts the guy has simply said that x part has been superseeded by y part and given me y. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesy Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 Ok cheers scott - just found out there is an ebay link in that thread with all the parts ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesy Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 Went out this morning, fecking freezing and it started first time! Will see how it goes over next few days i hope the battery terminals was the fix - thanx to all who helped. if it starts clicking again i'll look to do the starter motor contacts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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