1998 Sc 300 Electrical Problem Need Help I'm Stumped

[Scott Gordon]

Here is the problem about three weeks ago I went to start the car as I turned the ignition it clicked once but did not turn over at all. I tried it again and the car started and ran the rest of the day no problem. Later that night after the car had sat for a few hours I went to start it and again it clicked once but would not crank. I turned all accessaries on lights bright beam, radio, windshield washer blades, all interior lights and turned on the ignition again it clickedonce and all accessaries continued to function perfectly no light dimming occured, music did not miss a beat, the wiper blades kept moving etc. So I put a charge on the battery, which was 2yr 6 months old, and the next day the car started fine. It ran for about a week no problem then after a cold night that morning (today) it would not start same problem after turning on the ignition it would click once but the car would not turn over again all accessories worked. I put another charge on the battery but this time the car would not turnover.

So I pulled the battery and took it to Sears and they check it out and told me it will not take a charge? so I buy a new diehard battery for the car, the correct one (it was fresh manufactored 12/05) I put it in and guess what the same exact problem all accessories work but the car will not turn over just the one click.

I have no oil running over the alternator, I rocked car in gear ( auto transmission) it does not do any good like moving it off a flat spot in the alternator and I do not get that click,click,click you know the machine gun clicking you would expect to here when you turn over a car but it does not start.

Could it be a starter ? is there a fuse or some other thing like a sensor Has anyone had this problem? any ideas ? I notice that when I turn on the ignition and all the idiot light come on then what remaines on is the check engine, battery and , oil light. The car has fresh oil filled appropratly to top of dipstick mark.

Any ideas suggestion would be appreciated

Thanks

Scott

[Moony400]

First thing I would check is to make sure there are no corrosion on the battery cable terminal, which you probably have already checked since you replaced the battery. I had the same thing happen on a Toyota 4-runner. Sometimes it would start fine and sometimes it would just click but would not turn over. Luckily it decided to never turn over when I was at my mother-in-law's house. I took out the starter, went to pep boys and got a replacement. After the installation, the car starts fine every time now. My guess is the alternator. When it just click, it's dead.

Good luck!

[Scott Gordon]

First thing I would check is to make sure there are no corrosion on the battery cable terminal, which you probably have already checked since you replaced the battery. I had the same thing happen on a Toyota 4-runner. Sometimes it would start fine and sometimes it would just click but would not turn over. Luckily it decided to never turn over when I was at my mother-in-law's house. I took out the starter, went to pep boys and got a replacement. After the installation, the car starts fine every time now. My guess is the alternator. When it just click, it's dead.

Good luck!

thanks for your thoughts I'll get a rebuilt alternator at a local place that rebuilds them, put one in my 1993 gs300 two years ago for $150.00 and no problem.but symptoms are a bit diffrent here so I'll wait and see what my mechanic finds out its just to cold now for me to be messing with this outdoors as my garage is being replaced. Man I hate the winters in the northeast

[Scott Gordon]

Here is the problem about three weeks ago I went to start the car as I turned the ignition it clicked once but did not turn over at all. I tried it again and the car started and ran the rest of the day no problem. Later that night after the car had sat for a few hours I went to start it and again it clicked once but would not crank. I turned all accessaries on lights bright beam, radio, windshield washer blades, all interior lights and turned on the ignition again it clickedonce and all accessaries continued to function perfectly no light dimming occured, music did not miss a beat, the wiper blades kept moving etc. So I put a charge on the battery, which was 2yr 6 months old, and the next day the car started fine. It ran for about a week no problem then after a cold night that morning (today) it would not start same problem after turning on the ignition it would click once but the car would not turn over again all accessories worked. I put another charge on the battery but this time the car would not turnover.

So I pulled the battery and took it to Sears and they check it out and told me it will not take a charge? so I buy a new diehard battery for the car, the correct one (it was fresh manufactored 12/05) I put it in and guess what the same exact problem all accessories work but the car will not turn over just the one click.

I have no oil running over the alternator, I rocked car in gear ( auto transmission) it does not do any good like moving it off a flat spot in the alternator and I do not get that click,click,click you know the machine gun clicking you would expect to here when you turn over a car but it does not start.

Could it be a starter ? is there a fuse or some other thing like a sensor Has anyone had this problem? any ideas ? I notice that when I turn on the ignition and all the idiot light come on then what remaines on is the check engine, battery and , oil light. The car has fresh oil filled appropratly to top of dipstick mark.

Any ideas suggestion would be appreciated

Thanks

Scott

I learned that if you replace a battery in a new model (1998?) it takes the computer between 5 to 10 repetitions of turning the ignition off and on with the key,once the car starts it will everytime thereafter.

the initial episode was caused by a dead battery.

[jbarhorst2]

Without actually seeing (hearing) the problem it is hard to tell, but my guess is that the starter or the solenoid is starting to die.

Tom

[MitchB]

I sure hope you didn't spend money on an alternator replacement.

When starters fail, it's typically the solenoid contacts that go first, followed by brushes, followed by drive (mechanical) failures.

Toyota starters also tend to fail by not releasing (stopping) when you let go of the key. You hear a high-pitched sound that seems to be a "hissing" sound, but in fact, it's the gear drive in the starter. (Toyota-Lexus starters have a small motor that spins really fast with a gearbox to reduce the output shaft speed.) The stuck starter can sit there and run for up to a minute or so.

[vettenut72]

Just had the same problem on my 95 SC300. Battery tested good, it is most likely the starter. Pepboys sells them for about $160.00 and charges about $65.00 to install it. I'm a decent wrench and had problems getting to the bolts so for 65 bucks I let them do it. Car starts fine now.

Hope this helps.

Joel

[soarer_bang]

definatly~ starter ... i had exactsame problem..if u know how to rebuild the starter it will cost u only 35 dollars for rebuild kit.. but if u don't... oh well.. gotta buy a new starter.. good luck with it...

^^ use OEM all the time~!! haha.. i love OEM

[Scott Gordon]

OK those folks that said it was the starter are correct. And I watched the mechanic get to the starter bolts via a 3 foot extension on a 45% or so angle from under neath the carfrom the back of the engine!! You gotta have the tools and the know how to use them. cost installed $210.00

thanks for all your ideas

[MitchB]

Damned, that's a bargain, for being installed. The Toyota starter I got recently for a Tacoma was $180 with a 25% discount (at the dealer).

[SKperformance]

Is sound more like the solenoid went bad not the starter.

Problem is that if you just replace the starter you also need to find out why you had a low voltage situation.

As the solenoid was more than likely carbon tracked causing it to need more power to engage ( i.e. charging the battery) which worked after charging to over come the extra resistance.

So unless you fix the problem it will happen again.

BTW just cleaning the solenoid would have fixed the problem as well.

[MitchB]

BTW just cleaning the solenoid would have fixed the problem as well.

Not true if the contacts were worn out.

[LexusTech117]

The solenoid was the thing making the tick / click noise if it was a fairly loud metalic smack. The solenoid pushes the starter motor's gear against the flexplate on the back of the engine. So, solenoid could be working fine doing it's job but then the starter motor contacts (or brushes) were not making good connections and would not turn the engine over intermitently.

-Dave

Edited January 23, 2006 by LexusTech117