Engine won't turn over

I appreciate without seeing my vehicle this will be tough but ...

I have a 2012 DC TRD Sport. Over the weekend I installed LEDs in all the interior lights. When I went back to my vehicle a few hours later and tried to start it the engine would not turn over. There is however a rapid clicking.

I don't have a volt meter to test the load on the battery. The headlights dim in time with the rapid clicking.

I tried jumping the battery off a 2014 Jetta for 5 minutes - no joy.

I also noted that the keyless entry isn't working properly. It won't lock the driver's door and it wont unlock the rear doors.

Any ideas what's wrong? Could the LED install have caused this, or is it coincidence?

Thank for your help

 

I forgot to mention, I switched all the LEDS back to the original incandescent bulbs - this had no effect.

 

Check your battery cables, my 4Runner did the same thing this weekend and I loosened up the cable clamps, cleaned off the corrosion and retightened them and it started right up. Good luck.

 

Well if your truck was not experiencing any problems prior to you installing those LED's, I would start off by first removing all the LED's that you installed.

Then check the battery voltage and see if it is fully charged?......If no then get it fully charged.....If yes then try starting the vehicle.

If it starts with no problems and also if you don't encounter any problems with the keyless entry then you know for a fact that those LED's that you installed is causing you problems on your truck.

Those LED's that you installed, are they exactly for your style and year of Tacoma?
It's very important that they are!

If it's not the LED's then something shorted out your starter or battery, relay, etc.?

 

Thanks for the replies - gonna check the voltage afterwork today - already put the incandescent bulbs back.

 

Dead battery.

 

+1 for batteries. If it's not the batteries- then I'd start T/S starter system. If you manage to start it- I'd test the charge to make sure the Alternator is charging properly or is something stays on that's slowly discharging the batts while the truck is off.

 

Ok an update - I ran a volt meter over that battery and it was 10.33

I jumped it off a bigger engine and it started up after 5 minutes no problems. I drove it around for about half an hour although wasn't really thinking about it, and so had headlights(necessary) and radio and air con on.

When I got out it was at 13.00 and dropping - but that was some surface charge.

This morning it wouldn't turn over and it was at 12.00

Options I can see:
1) I didn't run it long enough to get it up above 12.4
2) there's something in my truck draining the battery when it's off
3) battery is done

I'll check it after work to see what it's at. I guess if it is below 12.00 then either something in the truck is draining it or the battery is done.

But if it's still at 12 - maybe I just didn't run it long enough ... thoughts?

Any thoughts on the LEDs - coincidence? Ran the battery down with the door open too long?

Thanks for your help everyone

 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but your battery could have the proper voltage- but don't have enough cranking amps.

 

^^^
This. I'm on my 3rd battery already.

 

If your alternator is charging- the you potentially have something that is staying on. Do you have a system or something? If you do- your amp might be on.

 

Did you leave the cabin light in the ON position?
Your truck battery should be between 13.5-14.5 volts when the truck is running if you have a good alternator and bad battery.

 

I'm pretty sure it was around 13.8 with aircon, lights and radio on, but don't trust my memory - it certainly wasn't 14.7

I definitely made sure everything visible was off and unplugged when I left it last night.

I too suspect it's the battery - I'm going to continue to update the thread for future users.

 

Already from a 2012 - wow.

 

Yep. The 2nd one, lasted only about a year.

 

You can have 14 volts but .01 amps. Just because you have 12 volts doesn't mean your battery is good.

 

This was leading up to my next question.

Is the battery you currently have in your 2012, the original battery?

If so then it could very well be that the battery has out run it's battery life and time for a new one? (2012-1017= 6yrs. old battery coming up on 7 yrs this coming 2018!)

As for myself, once the battery pass'es 5 years old I replace it with a new one regardless of it's condition (but again, that's just me).

As someone previously posted, it may show that you have 12 volts (which just about all vehicle batteries are) but it maybe falling short on the proper amperage (current) once the vehicle sits?

Also keep in mind that the alternators job is to keep the battery continously charged but again, once the vehicle is parked (over night, long periods of time, etc.) the voltage will decrease slowly and drag the amperage down with it but the voltage will pickup once the engine has started again but sadly not the amperage if one of the batteries cell or cells are dead.

 

This^^ It sounds like you have a power drain going on somewhere, especially if it's your third battery already. Dome lite, mirror light, camper light, Etc. Radio problem maybe?

 

Surely it was still under warranty?

 

That wasn't me - this is my first battery - but it's still likely dead - I'm just stuck at work right now.