1995 Gs300 Will Not Start - Please Help!

[Classy1]

Hello Fellow Lexus Lovers,

I was wondering if anyone can give me any insight on why my car will not start. I have a 1995 GS300. My husband just recently replaced the started, what a job that was . He just replaced it the day before yesterday I drove the car all day yesterday, it started up fine. I didn't have any issues with it at all. Well this morning when I left to go to work, it did not start. It didn't do anything. The battery seems to be fine, all the power was on. When I turned the key, nothing, complete silence. No clicking, no cranking....nothing. Now the part we got was a used starter part. The part did have some corrosion on it, but my husband said he put oil or WD40 on it to clean it up and like I said it worked fine after he installed it. Unfortunately he is out of town this week, so he is not here to look at it for me.

Please help, I miss driving my baby. Thanks.

[RCPeters]

From your description, I understand the "starter solenoid" was replaced with a used one. If so, I wonder why a new one was not installed. Thus, I would guess that the starter solenoid is not working. You probably do not want to get into this by yourself, but the following would be the troubleshooting steps to follow:

1. Car in park, emergency brake on, ground the starter solenoid control terminal. If nothing happens, then the solenoid is bad. If it clicks, then it may be bad or the battery cables at the terminals are either corroded or not tight.

2. If the starter turns over, then with the key on, it will probably start. If not, there are other problems.

Another possibility if the starter will not turn over, is a bad battery. Try charging the battery. Also, I have had problems with recently replaced starters (was the starter replaced, or just the solenoid?) where the mounting bolts were improperly tightened and the starter would bind; but this was with old Fords.

[Classy1]

From your description, I understand the "starter solenoid" was replaced with a used one. If so, I wonder why a new one was not installed. Thus, I would guess that the starter solenoid is not working. You probably do not want to get into this by yourself, but the following would be the troubleshooting steps to follow:

1. Car in park, emergency brake on, ground the starter solenoid control terminal. If nothing happens, then the solenoid is bad. If it clicks, then it may be bad or the battery cables at the terminals are either corroded or not tight.

2. If the starter turns over, then with the key on, it will probably start. If not, there are other problems.

Another possibility if the starter will not turn over, is a bad battery. Try charging the battery. Also, I have had problems with recently replaced starters (was the starter replaced, or just the solenoid?) where the mounting bolts were improperly tightened and the starter would bind; but this was with old Fords.

Thanks for responding. He replaced the whole starter. Prior to the starter going out completely, every time I would start the car, I would turn the ignition then it would just click, then I would turn it a few more times and it would finally start. Then one day it didn't turn over at all and I heard this really strang "winding" noise when I was trying to start it. Thats when he replaced the starter. He got a used one because he knows someone that has a salvage business and sold us the part for like $50. As I mentioned before, there was some corrosion on the used part but it was exactly the same has the one on my car previously.

Thanks again for your input. I really appreciate it. :)