Is It A Starter Problem>

[seehack]

Sorry if this is discussed before. My 1999 with 107k beginning to have starting problem on a daily basis vs once every couple of weeks a few months ago. This is the current situation for past 2 weeks.

1) During 1st startup after overnight (>90% of the time) or after the weekend (100% of the time), when you turn on the ignition, instruments panel light up normally but engine won't start. Sometime I hear a click sound and sometime no click sound.

2) Switch off ignition and try again. It usually works on 2nd or 3rd try but sometimes 4th. So far the car will start after multiple tries. Strange thing is I notice if you hold the ignition longer like 2-3 seconds vs the normal 1 or less second, the engine will start turning and starts.

3) This problem does not happen after you drive for like 10+ mins i.e. car is warmed up. I can start multiple times on 1 turn and not holding whenever I test it.

I have a 2nd new battery installed about 6m ago after 1st new one died in 12m due to some defective cell. Both from Lexus. When I was in Lexus for 105k service last month, they cannot reproduce this problem (at that time it happens once every 1 or 2 weeks). Battery terminals are tight. Did not hit the box behind the positive terminal like the other poster.

I would like some opinion before paying Lexus $1k to change out the starter or search for a Toyota independent shop. I noticed other threads point to possible fuelline problems.

Thanks.

[Jim_Chow]

Sorry if this is discussed before. My 1999 with 107k beginning to have starting problem on a daily basis vs once every couple of weeks a few months ago. This is the current situation for past 2 weeks.

1) During 1st startup after overnight (>90% of the time) or after the weekend (100% of the time), when you turn on the ignition, instruments panel light up normally but engine won't start. Sometime I hear a click sound and sometime no click sound.

2) Switch off ignition and try again. It usually works on 2nd or 3rd try but sometimes 4th. So far the car will start after multiple tries. Strange thing is I notice if you hold the ignition longer like 2-3 seconds vs the normal 1 or less second, the engine will start turning and starts.

3) This problem does not happen after you drive for like 10+ mins i.e. car is warmed up. I can start multiple times on 1 turn and not holding whenever I test it.

I have a 2nd new battery installed about 6m ago after 1st new one died in 12m due to some defective cell. Both from Lexus. When I was in Lexus for 105k service last month, they cannot reproduce this problem (at that time it happens once every 1 or 2 weeks). Battery terminals are tight. Did not hit the box behind the positive terminal like the other poster.

I would like some opinion before paying Lexus $1k to change out the starter or search for a Toyota independent shop. I noticed other threads point to possible fuelline problems.

Thanks.

I suspect worn starter contacts.

[NicLX470]

Sorry if this is discussed before. My 1999 with 107k beginning to have starting problem on a daily basis vs once every couple of weeks a few months ago. This is the current situation for past 2 weeks.

1) During 1st startup after overnight (>90% of the time) or after the weekend (100% of the time), when you turn on the ignition, instruments panel light up normally but engine won't start. Sometime I hear a click sound and sometime no click sound.

2) Switch off ignition and try again. It usually works on 2nd or 3rd try but sometimes 4th. So far the car will start after multiple tries. Strange thing is I notice if you hold the ignition longer like 2-3 seconds vs the normal 1 or less second, the engine will start turning and starts.

3) This problem does not happen after you drive for like 10+ mins i.e. car is warmed up. I can start multiple times on 1 turn and not holding whenever I test it.

I have a 2nd new battery installed about 6m ago after 1st new one died in 12m due to some defective cell. Both from Lexus. When I was in Lexus for 105k service last month, they cannot reproduce this problem (at that time it happens once every 1 or 2 weeks). Battery terminals are tight. Did not hit the box behind the positive terminal like the other poster.

I would like some opinion before paying Lexus $1k to change out the starter or search for a Toyota independent shop. I noticed other threads point to possible fuelline problems.

Thanks.

Yes I had the same problem when I first got my truck with only 67k miles on it and it WAS the starter. It would click sometimes and it would take a few times to get it started. I had a friend I know that works on foreign cars here in Houston do it for me and he only charged me $75 dollars for the part and labor because the dealership wanted over a $1000 dollars to do it. But 2 years later something similar happened and it ended up being the battery was defective and it was a LEXUS battery. It would click and sometimes starts and sometimes not. Just like the starter did. But because I knew I had a recently replaced starter I thought it was something else. So before I wanted to go to get the starter fixed again I went down to my local AutoZone and got a new Duralast Gold battery for 80 dollars and everything has worked perfect!! So I would try a different battery first and if the problem still persists. Get your starter changed.

[mdenman]

Sorry if this is discussed before. My 1999 with 107k beginning to have starting problem on a daily basis vs once every couple of weeks a few months ago. This is the current situation for past 2 weeks.

1) During 1st startup after overnight (>90% of the time) or after the weekend (100% of the time), when you turn on the ignition, instruments panel light up normally but engine won't start. Sometime I hear a click sound and sometime no click sound.

2) Switch off ignition and try again. It usually works on 2nd or 3rd try but sometimes 4th. So far the car will start after multiple tries. Strange thing is I notice if you hold the ignition longer like 2-3 seconds vs the normal 1 or less second, the engine will start turning and starts.

3) This problem does not happen after you drive for like 10+ mins i.e. car is warmed up. I can start multiple times on 1 turn and not holding whenever I test it.

I have a 2nd new battery installed about 6m ago after 1st new one died in 12m due to some defective cell. Both from Lexus. When I was in Lexus for 105k service last month, they cannot reproduce this problem (at that time it happens once every 1 or 2 weeks). Battery terminals are tight. Did not hit the box behind the positive terminal like the other poster.

I would like some opinion before paying Lexus $1k to change out the starter or search for a Toyota independent shop. I noticed other threads point to possible fuelline problems.

Thanks.

I think you have a bad set on contacts on your starter, you can pick them up for less than 30.00 at you friendly toyota dealer (same as land cruiser) taking the starter out is about a 3-4 hr job complete and i would suggest any competent mechanic can do, it if not yourself. There are plenty of instructions with pictures on the internet. 1k is absolutely ridiculous.

[Jim_Chow]

Sorry if this is discussed before. My 1999 with 107k beginning to have starting problem on a daily basis vs once every couple of weeks a few months ago. This is the current situation for past 2 weeks.

1) During 1st startup after overnight (>90% of the time) or after the weekend (100% of the time), when you turn on the ignition, instruments panel light up normally but engine won't start. Sometime I hear a click sound and sometime no click sound.

2) Switch off ignition and try again. It usually works on 2nd or 3rd try but sometimes 4th. So far the car will start after multiple tries. Strange thing is I notice if you hold the ignition longer like 2-3 seconds vs the normal 1 or less second, the engine will start turning and starts.

3) This problem does not happen after you drive for like 10+ mins i.e. car is warmed up. I can start multiple times on 1 turn and not holding whenever I test it.

I have a 2nd new battery installed about 6m ago after 1st new one died in 12m due to some defective cell. Both from Lexus. When I was in Lexus for 105k service last month, they cannot reproduce this problem (at that time it happens once every 1 or 2 weeks). Battery terminals are tight. Did not hit the box behind the positive terminal like the other poster.

I would like some opinion before paying Lexus $1k to change out the starter or search for a Toyota independent shop. I noticed other threads point to possible fuelline problems.

Thanks.

I think you have a bad set on contacts on your starter, you can pick them up for less than 30.00 at you friendly toyota dealer (same as land cruiser) taking the starter out is about a 3-4 hr job complete and i would suggest any competent mechanic can do, it if not yourself. There are plenty of instructions with pictures on the internet. 1k is absolutely ridiculous.

You can get a brand new OEM starter from toyota-parts.com for around $200. Since the starter is under the intake manifold, you want to make sure it works before you button up the engine since it's a fair amount of work to remove all the hoses, manifold, and the hard-to-access starter mounting bolts. If it were me, I'd buy a new starter plus replacement starter contacts & plunger, swap in the new starter, then replace the contacts/plunger on the old starter at my leisure and bench test it. This way, if the contacts go again, I have a fresh starter to swap in.

[seehack]

Sorry if this is discussed before. My 1999 with 107k beginning to have starting problem on a daily basis vs once every couple of weeks a few months ago. This is the current situation for past 2 weeks.

1) During 1st startup after overnight (>90% of the time) or after the weekend (100% of the time), when you turn on the ignition, instruments panel light up normally but engine won't start. Sometime I hear a click sound and sometime no click sound.

2) Switch off ignition and try again. It usually works on 2nd or 3rd try but sometimes 4th. So far the car will start after multiple tries. Strange thing is I notice if you hold the ignition longer like 2-3 seconds vs the normal 1 or less second, the engine will start turning and starts.

3) This problem does not happen after you drive for like 10+ mins i.e. car is warmed up. I can start multiple times on 1 turn and not holding whenever I test it.

I have a 2nd new battery installed about 6m ago after 1st new one died in 12m due to some defective cell. Both from Lexus. When I was in Lexus for 105k service last month, they cannot reproduce this problem (at that time it happens once every 1 or 2 weeks). Battery terminals are tight. Did not hit the box behind the positive terminal like the other poster.

I would like some opinion before paying Lexus $1k to change out the starter or search for a Toyota independent shop. I noticed other threads point to possible fuelline problems.

Thanks.

I think you have a bad set on contacts on your starter, you can pick them up for less than 30.00 at you friendly toyota dealer (same as land cruiser) taking the starter out is about a 3-4 hr job complete and i would suggest any competent mechanic can do, it if not yourself. There are plenty of instructions with pictures on the internet. 1k is absolutely ridiculous.

You can get a brand new OEM starter from toyota-parts.com for around $200. Since the starter is under the intake manifold, you want to make sure it works before you button up the engine since it's a fair amount of work to remove all the hoses, manifold, and the hard-to-access starter mounting bolts. If it were me, I'd buy a new starter plus replacement starter contacts & plunger, swap in the new starter, then replace the contacts/plunger on the old starter at my leisure and bench test it. This way, if the contacts go again, I have a fresh starter to swap in.

Thanks for the inputs. I replaced the starter today at an independent auto shop who does Lexus and Toyota. Total cost incl. tax $790. Starter $270, Gasket $60 and Labor $430. Lexus wanted $1300+tax but willing to discount to about 1150+tax.