Sometimes get no response when turning key to START

are optima batteries still crap?

 

It's a crap shoot from what I read. Some get good ones and some get bad ones. If you're wanting an AGM battery, like Optima, somebody sells a rebranded Odyssey, very high quality. Might be a few companies actually. I think Sears Diehard Platinum line is one. Excellent warranty through Sears too, though I'm not sure how much longer Sears will be around.

 

On thing I want to add from my observations (2004 V6 manual) I have to push the clutch in a little more over time to make the clutch safety switch change state so the starter will work. I will be looking at that switch and the clutch interaction this weekend. You may want to check that switch also.

 

Sears already discontinued the Diehard Platinum. This last go-around I went with Odyssey by mail order, which turned out to be a big mistake since the battery failed after only 8 months. I got a refund, but only after I spent $100 to mail the battery back to BatteryMart.com. As others have said, X2-Power batteries at Batteries+Bulbs is the AGM to go with since they have stores everywhere in case you need to take it back.

 

Oh did they discontinue it? Bummer. Was a great price for an AGM. Interesting yours failed so quickly. Maybe they started having quality control issues? Deka is another brand of AGM that is known for high quality. I think they also let a company rebrand their batteries as well. Might be Lowe's or Bass Pro Shop that sells them rebranded? Don't recall. Personally, I find the Interstate lead/acid batteries for 80 bucks a steal. Some say you can score the 'scratch n dent' batteries from their retail stores for 30 bucks. It might have a sticker put on wrong or some cosmetic defect. Now that's a steal, if true.

 

Are you having any other issues with your clutch engaging? I also had this issue where I would have to put a lot of pressure at times to shift gears. Sometimes it wouldn't do it properly leading to some grinding. Finally I got it looked at and had to replace the master and slave cylinders.

 

I’ve had this to happen on my 02, been a while

 

I'd have the battery tested at parts store first thing. The can test it without even pulling it out. I don't think its the starter contacts because I believe you would hear a click(which is the sound of the solenoid getting launched toward the contacts). That sound isn't happening. I'm not saying its not the starter, but I don't think its the contacts.

 

I agree, it’s like, it doesn’t make it that far, for lack of better wording. I think it’s it the immediate area of the switch. It has happened a couple times for me not a regular occurrence, hope it stays that way. If u figure it please post up, good luck finding the issue

 

^^^ agree

 

Most automotive ignition switches use copper buttons and sliding contacts, lubricated with a heavy grease. This grease hardens as the years go by causing the contacts to not contact so well, and arc a bit each time current is switched. The starter contacts are a bit higher stressed as they also have to deal with the reverse EMF pulse of the started solenoid's coil, caused when the coil field collapses (quite similar to the ignition coil's generating a spark).

After a number of years they look like this on the inside (from a 1990 Miata):



Note the displaced metal on the sliding contact caused by repeated operation after the grease had hardened and while arcing, and carbon build-up from same.

The good news is that on most older vehicles the switches can be disassembled (most will snap apart [gently] as shown above) and cleaned. Use a solvent like CRCs electronic cleaner and a tooth brush, scraped up contact can be filed smooth and if necessary the displaced metal can often be reshaped with some light blows from a jeweler's hammer.

Grease it up with some new dielectric grease and snap it back together--good as new...


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I had a problem with my wife's old Malibu. I don't remember exactly what it was doing but the car wouldn't start. Dash lights seemed fine, lights turned on, battery voltaged checked fine, no codes. I had it towed to the dealer that evening. They called me the next day and told me my battery was dead. Pretty embarrassing considering the amount of automotive related things I have fixed over the years.

 

There is a starter relay in the underhood fuse/relay block. look to see what connection in the fuse box the crank signal from the electrical portion of the keyed switch is. Put a test light on it and turn the key to crank a few times... if the light lights EVERY time then you have eliminated the entire portion of the wiring from the battery, through the fuse/relay panel, through the start swith up to the relay. If is doesnt light every time it is most likely the electrical portion of the keyed switch or *. If it does light everytime but still does not crank after you put the relay back, move the tester to the signal wire on the starter and repeat. If it lights and doesnt crank, it is in the solinoid of the starter... hit it with a hammer lightly. After years of use carbon will build up between the solinoid contacts and prevent current from passing... same thing for the brushes on the starters commutator... a slight tap will usually reseat things untill the next time.

*if an automatic, try putting her in neutral and cranking her, there is an interrupter so that you cant start her in Drive or reverse.

*if a manual, make sure you have the clutch to the floor. There is a switch on the pedal assembly. Some have a clutch eliminator switch on the dash... not sure what they are thinging there... never had an issue with it so never played with it.

 

Battery still good. Still had 650 CCAs. Checking the starter next.

 

Sorry I just thought of this. We had a van at work that wouldn't start, periodically. Took it in and everything. When we got it back, I started to work on it. Found out it was bad grounds. When you would turn the key, it would just go dead, no click, nothing.

 

It happened again last night. I didn’t move my foot at all on the second attempt, so I don’t think it’s the clutch start switch. I visually inspected it and everything seemed fine.

I cleaned off the battery terminals but there wasn’t very much corrosion at all.

I didn’t hear a starter clicking or anything of that nature, but I still need to remove from the truck and check. And then that’s leaves the ignition switch.

 

Is this a good video? I’m not having much luck finding Tacoma-specific videos. Most of them have to do with replacing the cylinder.

https://youtu.be/rXGc5dob8fE

 

Have you tried starting it with the clutch start cancel button? Could be something to do with the truck not recognizing that the clutch is depressed

 

I don’t think it’s that, because of this:

1. Depress clutch pedal
2. Move key to START.
3. Nothing happens, leave foot on clutch pedal. (Don’t move foot at all)
4. Move key to START again
5. Truck starts

 

Yeah that's definitely strange but if you haven't tried it with the clutch start cancel it's worth a shot. Anything else weird happening electrically in your truck?