Truck won't start, very sudden, no signs leading up to it. Please help!!!

hello!


I bought a 2000 Tacoma, automatic, V6 pre-runner, it only has 181,000 miles on it and I LOVE IT!

I drive this truck daily now.

I've never had an issue with it ever, then I went to the hardware store and the truck just wouldn't start. We tried to jump it, but that didn't help. It sounds like the fuel pump is running but it won't turn over at all.

I went ahead and replaced the starter solenoid and made sure I had a more rubust ground up by the battery in place.

Does anyone have any ideas what this could be wrong with my truck? I would love to have my truck back for the summer!

Thank you in advance!

 

hey thank you! I used to belong to a Toytoa MR2 site just like this, and I love them.

so the battery is fine (interior lights up fine, light turn on)... but the engine won't even turn over... just this humming sound which I think is the fuel pump?

 

Does it have any type of anti theft or car alarm?

 

I've never heard an alarm and I'm not 100% about the anti-theft as I bought it used, but it's certainly not something that the last owner showed me or that I currently use

 

also, when I got it towed home it fired right up once and then I tried again right after and nothing. So I don't think it's an anti-theft device I'm not aware of.

 

Allot of vehicles had the magic key or the black chip under the dash (almost looks like a obd port) . If not check starter relay also

 

It could be...the anti theft devices the dealer offered will disengage the starter if not deactivated properly. If this was installed back then it could be on the fritz and causing the starter to not engage on a random basis. Or you could just simply be looking at a bad starter.

 

If it does fire up again, drive it over to your local Autozone, Pep Boys, etc and they can test it for you. Aside from that I'm not sure how to diagnose it at home, someone else here will though.

On second thought, if it does fire up again it'd probably be better to just drive it straight to a shop to have them test it in case it doesn't start again after that lol.

 

totally agree on that, will drive it straight to a repair shop for diag.

I did actually replace the starter with this:

$94 DB Electrical 410-52127 Starter Compatible With/Replacement For Toyota 4Runner 3.4L 1996-2002, T-100 Pickup 3.4L 1995-1998, Tacoma 3.4 1995-2004, Tundra 3.4L 2000-2004/28100-07010/1.4KW, Grey

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007XUHP5S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And it is getting power as I have a volt meter and it's showing the connection is getting juice at the starter

 

What is the "starter relay"? Is that all of the connections from the battery to the starter?

ps thank you, everyone, for chiming in on this, it's all very appreciated!

 

There should be a relay in the fuse box for the starter. It's possible that it is stuck open and isn't completing the circuit. Try tapping on it and see if it magically helps the truck start. If it does, replace the relay. It's a black cube looking thing usually.

 

Double check all the grounds. My taco acted like it was dead a few years ago, and it was the diagnostic port ground on the intake plenum! Drivers side, as you may know...It would do it out of the blue, and then start right up. I kept checking grounds, and finally noticed the ground on the diagnostic port was loose. Once it was tightened up, and lock-tited, no problems ever since.

 

thank you!! I'm going to test all of these today. I also got a diagnostic off Amazon, so if I can't figure this out hopefully it's throwing a code for me to solve this issue!

 

is this a no crank or a crank and no start?

 

this is no crank, just the humming of what I think is the fuel pump

 

Sounds like your starter motor itself is going out. Some of the coils have gone bad so when the motor stops in certain positions it is unable to get power. You can try smacking it with a hammer and then try to start it next time it won't start and if it does after the hammer tap then you pretty much know it's the motor itself going out

 

I thought the same thing so I already replaced the starter motor with this one:
$76 DB Electrical SND0118 Starter For Toyota 4Runner 3.4L 3.4 96 97 98 99 00 01 02, T-100 Pickup 3.4L 95 96 97 98, Tacoma 3.4 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04, Tundra 3.4L 00 01 02 03 04/28100-07010/1.4KWhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007XUHP5S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

some people don't read through threads before offering "advice".

 

If it is a manual transmission truck check the clutch switch, if an automatic try putting it in neutral.

you have voltage at the starter... should be constant at the big cable that comes from the battery and voltage at the solinoid when the key is in the crank position. If nothing at the solinoid there is a fuse marked STA in the engine fuse box if I remember correctly. This fuse should only have power in the crank position also.

if you have voltage at all of the correct place and your battery is good you have a grounding issue. Follow the negative cable from the battery to the engine block and verify that it is tight.

If all of the above is ok you will need to put your bare hand on the positive cable somewhere where it is safe and have an helper turn the key to the crank position and see if the cable gets hot, do the same for the negative cable. If they do get hot, or jump when cranking, the cables are bad electronically, there is no fixing them, they have to be replaced.

 

It doesn't know it is Park? Next time it happens, run the PRNDL back
and forth once and try again...

-Mike "worked on my wife's f250 yesterday"