My taco suddenly won't start-weird issues

Hi all...

strange problem. I went out earlier today and the taco started just fine (i didnt go anywhere, though).

i went back out a little while later to leave and it barely cranked..then "click-click-click"...as if the battery was dead. i double checked and nothing was left on so i'm not sure what killed the battery.

tried to jump with cables..but it just would not start...kept getting a very weak crank then click-click. took the battery to get tested (tested bad) and baught a new battery from autozone. installed the new battery...

when i tried to start it...i just got a (kind of louder) click (actually more of a SNAP) sound from the engine somewhere...and then nothing. after that it would not even crank and i have no power at all. no lights, no radio, no gauges.

also...i cannot take it out of park. the shifter will not move..even if i turn the key and/or hold the brake. its like the shifter is locked.

i thought maybe the alarm system was causing it...but i tried the little bypass button (although theres no power) and nothing.

to sum it up:
1st...slow crank then click - but still had power
jump start w/no luck - but still had power
replaced battery then completely lost power and shifter is locked


2004 tayota tacoma double cab
126k miles
all original parts

any ideas would awesome
thanks
cadman

 

dumb question, but.............. u didnt reverse the terminals on accident do you?

 

Not a dumb question - quite legitimate.

Check all your fuses.

 

Does sound like a possible polarity switch, but diodes should have protected your electronics "hopefully". When your truck has no power, you can't shift out of Park (it's like that on the 2nd gens, at least, unless you remove the little plastic tab by the shifter and put your key in there and turn it to unlock).

You blew fuses for sure. That's likely what the pop sound was after you put the new battery in.

 

Prob a fuse, check them, hopefully its nothing serious

 

You might also check the battery ground on the engine and chassis.

 

Maybe a ground wire issue? What about bad starter or possibly alternator...

The click click click could be a bad starter

 

With a new battery it'd start with no alternator at all - but the clickclickclick could definitely be a bad starter. I just replaced mine a month or two ago (was giving me one click or nothing at all).

 

Thanks for all the replies and info.

I'm working on checking fuses.... Since its the easiest first step. But how can I check relays? I don't think it's a starter issue bc I have absolutely no power at all to any accessories. I tried clamping a wire from the neg terminal to bare metal chassis to see if that would give me power but no luck. I connected the wire to the pos terminal and touched bare chassis and got a pretty good spark that scared me a bit (won't do that again). I took the battery to get tested thinking maybe they sold me a bad one. But it tested good.

How can I find the ground for the engine and chassis?

 

Could also be a blown fusible link. Never had one go, but it could have made that 'snap' sound. Those are the big amp guys with the visible element.

Mine are in the top portion of the underhood fuse box (my 3rz has a 30, 40, and 80 -amp ones). I don't think those pull out. To replace, you may have to remove the fuse fox and remove a screw/bolt.

 

ok...i've tried tapping the starter...no luck. theres just no power getting to the starter. i removed the fuse box in the engine compartment and checked the cables going from the fuse box to the pos batt terminal....they both look good. actually one is going from the pos terminal to the fuse box... and the other is coming from down in the engine compartment somewhere going to the fuse box...to a bolt.

i've checked the fuses..including the larger 120amp/60amp/30amp, etc. are those the fusible links?

i checked all the fuses inside by the drivers side.

i'm at a loss. i still have zero elec power. what could it be?

 

Start checking voltage / continuity. There's a break somewhere.

 

Did you hook up the battery incorrectly when you had the snap sound?

 

Son of a gun.....I sure did hook up the battery incorrectly. Well,,,,I
Actually what I did was replace one bad battery terminal. The new one comes with a thin plate between the terminal and the bolt....I installed it with the connector from the positive cable on top Of the plate and not under it (touching the terminal). So it wasn't making good contact with the terminal. I think that plate is there to "crimp" a bare wire to the terminal. I reinstalled the pos cable without the plate and I instantly got power back.

I feel like an idiot

I was ready to remove the starter.

Thanks so much for all your help

 

Glad you got it working