Less Than 2 Year Old Tacoma Won't Start Randomly

Hello,

I've been intermittently dealing with an issue that keeps my Tacoma from randomly starting in the morning.

It originally acts like a battery issue where I hear a clicking when I push the start button. Followed by the vehicle not turning over and eventually dying out.

However I'll get on the phone and call roadside assistance but in the middle of my 15 minute phone call all the lights in the truck will turn on and the phone will connect via bluetooth then magically the truck will start and run no issues.

This has happened to me 3 times 10/27/17 (6 months after purchase), 2/22/19, and 2/25/19. All three in the morning with it below 40 degrees with some minor condensation.

I thought it was the battery but I've tested an it appears to be good. Dealer saw the vehicle after the issue in 2017 and couldn't find a problem.

Dealership won't do anything because they cannot replicate the problem, and now the vehicle is about 4,000 miles out of warranty.

Has anyone else had this issue?

Thank you in advance!

 

Next time this happens, I would video record it so you can show the dealer.

 

Check your battery connections and look/feel around in the driver side kick panel area. I have seen one or two cases where water got in that area and there is a lot of wires right there. Could be from a leaking windshield or seal and getting wet.

 

That's one problem with electrical issues that are intermittent. If all connections appear good and things work at the shop then what can the dealer do? They can't randomly throw parts at it. Something has to be hard broken or obviously loose/intermittent.

My guess is that if it clicks but doesn't turn over, it could be a starter solenoid that's intermittent since the battery tested good.

 

Would the solenoid being out cause trip odometer and radio presets to reset?

 

That sounds like a battery issue

 

No. Bad starter will eventually run down a battery due to excessive draw. Power/electrical. Maybe related to moisture. Good luck.

Edit: Meter at the fusebox supply for the radio. Work back to to the power source (battery).

 

I had this on/off randomly for a few months. Truck would power on, but not turn over or do anything else. Then after sitting for a while it would start up normally. One dealer scratched their heads for ages and couldn't do anything.

Another dealer installed some software updates from... get this... a Lexus platform. I've no idea how that's even possible, as I would imagine their systems wouldn't allow the installation of software meant for another vehicle, but that's what I was told. Didn't have any more issues since then. No idea what the software was and don't have the Taco anymore.

 

It's the same engine and platform with just a different tune on the ecu. I would imagine that anything they put this 3.5 v6 in has similarities.

 

Do you have this dealers contact? I’d like to chat with them about this.

 

Nope. Knowing that you're completely losing all power to the truck at this point and that sometimes the starter clicks, you definitely have power issues at the source. Since your battery tested good my next guess is a funky wire (positive or ground) between the battery and fuse box or battery and ground. Check battery terminals for security and wire condition. Follow the wires to the fuse box and check the other end for security and condition. Do the same for the ground.

 

Had this problem with my wife's Corolla . They changed the starter, then it worked, but the starter they replaced was a bad one, so changed that one out and her car has been behaving. I tried tapping it with something and sure enough it started, this is how I found out. Next time it happens trying wacking it with a hammer gently

 

No electrical mods, Right???

G.

 

No electric mods. Air intake and exhaust. I have a winch, but I leave it disconnected to avoid an issue like this.

 

This happened to me as well with a Honda s2000 I had. Sure enough, I was looking all wires on he engine bay and it was a loose screw out off the battery terminal.

 

My truck was doing this as well. About 4 times in three months. I took the the starter off and had it professionally cleaned at an alternator/starter repair place. Cost me $40. Hasn't done it since.

 

What exactly Lexus year model the 3rd gen motor came out off?

 

2006 to present

 

There is a lot of Lexus out there... what model?

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2016-tacoma-wiring-diagram.534041/#post-17148795

Just in case you didn't know splitbolt posted this.