Need help diagnose start issue - maybe battery

2010 Sport + tow package + v6/4x4

Problem started two months ago. Only happens on "some" mornings. After starting / driving the truck starts up all day long without a problem. The frequency is increasing.

Turn key to start, there is a simple "tch" sound - only once, and then it's quiet. Motor does not turn over. Lights on dash remain on until I turn the key off. This might happen 10x and then the engine turns over once, very slow, and then stops. Then, in the next attempt or two, it spins up like it should, starts and runs great for the rest of the day.

Horn and lights appear to be at full strength.

Multimeter attached to the battery terminals:

With engine off battery shows ~12.5 volts.
With engine running shows ~14v.
Checking minimal voltage when starting shows 10.5v.

From what I'm reading these are within the normal range. The Bosch battery is ~5 years old.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

The contacts in the starter solenoid are burned and needs to be replaced. Give me a second and I'll attach some information.

A real easy fix for about 40 dollars and and hour of your time.

You can buy the contacts and plunger new from Nations Starter and Alternator for about 30 - 35 bucks. Much cheaper than hundreds for a rebuilt POS from Autozone etc.

https://www.nationsstarteralternator.com/Starter-Rebuild-Kits-s/37.htm


Check this video for rebuilding the solenoid on the starter. The biggest issue with the V6 Engine and 4X4 is you have to take the starter out through the drivers wheel well area.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwokxzjlYcQ

 

Don't usually recommend firing the parts cannon like this but maybe start with a new battery because if it is ~5 years old like you said, you are getting close to the time of replacement and if you go through with the starter connections and that's not the problem then yeah... Your MM numbers are meaningless if it can't hold a charge, but with what you are saying your battery seems to be in decent health. A way to test if it can hold a charge is to hold the brights on for a little while and see if the start to dim then it could be battery. Good luck!

 

I was thinking starter too if your battery is testing fine, but I am not the best diag person for electrical.

I just had a breaker keep blowing in my home fuse panel. I had to replace 3 light fixtures and 3 switches until I found the problem switch.

 

I would remove both battery and starter and take it to a local auto parts to have both load tested to confirm which item is faulty. Out of the 2, the battery would likely be the culprit due to it being 5 yrs old.

 

Good advice.
Only thing I can add is;

Start with just the battery. It is A LOT easier to remove and reinstall.

The starter on the 4WD 1GR trucks are no fun to swap.
If I pull the starter out an 11 year old Tacoma with 4WD. It’s getting a new one.
Or at least rebuilt. It’s not like the 2WD or 2.7 trucks.

 

Thanks for all this helpful advice. Will follow up. Hoping to find a battery sale over the fourth.

After posting I connected another symptom. Over the past several weeks I noticed that pressing the door unlock button on the keyfob at the normal rate would have no effect on the locks. Holding it down .5 or full second would trigger the locks. Very obvious change. Last night I added a bit of water to the battery, went for a short ride, wrapped things up for the night and clicked the button and the locks responded instantly. It was back to normal and the change was blatantly obvious. Repeated lock/unlock with instant results for the first time in weeks.

Is this a symptom of a low battery?

FYI: When I checked the battery water the cells looked pretty "even" and close to being full. I popped the caps back on and moved on. Then after watching diagnostics videos, returned and added some water to top off. It held more water than I expected - maybe .25" or so (properly done to the "fill line".)

 

I had this sort of issue last year, same thing with the key fob and single click too. I did the same with the multimeter and got basically the same results you did. I took my battery into the parts house and had them run it through the paces, it was shot. My starter test came back good.

I’d pull the battery and get it tested first to confirm or eliminate that as an issue. You could pull the starter too and take that in for a test.

 

If the truck does not start with one attempt then after a few tries it starts without a jump, its not a battery issue. The tell tale sign of a failing starter is a single "click" when trying to start. Pretty sure you have an intermittently failing starter.

 

I have this EXACT same problem (I created a thread about it). I have yet to replace the solenoid contacts and plunger but its 100% the starter.

 

This solenoid repair kit solved my problem, which is exactly the same problem you're having.

Your battery test results show a good battery, primarily the 10.5v result which truly says how strong the battery is. 14.0v is a little low, indicating a weak alternator or loose belt, but not enough to be too concerned, my work truck was 13.5 for years. 5 years old, it's passed what most consider end of life. If you drive it often enough it'll be ok but I'd swap it as soon as it seems to crank slow. My Toyota trustart was 7 years old and still testing good. But don't drive it often enough so it petered out.

 

Sounds like the starter, but there may be more than one issue since there are other symptoms as well with the power lock system response. A bad starter alone doesn’t do that.
I’d check it all, battery, starter. As well as the alternator and belt like @Waasheem suggested (or doesn’t suggest I guess).

 

I'm looking for battery sales in San Diego north county. Let me know if you see any sales for the fourth. As of now, have not seen any at all. Maybe tomorrow.

 

Replacing the battery won't do any harm. Nothing wrong with being proactive.

I don't believe your intermittent no start issue will be solved with a new battery. Mine was doing exactly what yours is except worse. It got bad enough that it would leave me stranded not wanting to start at all.

Yours being a 4x4, the starter removal is a bit more difficult. I do recall a post "removing the starter on a 4x4 without removing the front drive shaft", or something like that. Once you decide to remove the starter and fix it, here's a mini write up with pictures I did that'll help once it's removed.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/new-starter-source.718589/

 

AFter adding water a few days ago I charged the battery overnight. The next morning it "clicked" away and would not start. I gave up. Then yesterday it cranked up after ~6 trys (turns of the ignition). This morning it fired right up. I had Batteries+ test everything and they said it all tested good (starter, battery, alternator), the battery was at around 600 crank amps. Terry, the owner, said that should be plenty to start the truck. Regardless, I installed anew battery since the old one was five years old. It has been running fine today, but it was starting prior to installing the new battery. Will report back next week.

 

Just replace the starter and be done with it

 

I'm thinking we should set up a money pool: battery or starter. Do we have a bookie amongst us?!

 

Sell to Carvana, worries go bye bye.

 

I've been having the same issue for the past few weeks. The battery tested fine, I've cleaned the cables and I thought that did the trick. But it started acting up again. The key fob works intermittently, but I was assuming that is a different issue...I could be wrong. But I'm resigned to believing it's the solenoid. I took the starter out yesterday and the repair kit should come in today. I'll let you know how it goes. It might give you some insight into what's going on with yours.

 

Which repair kit did you buy?