Intermittent starting issue caused by bad clutch start switch

Last winter, I had intermittent starting issues for a few weeks before finally couldn't get the truck started at all. Would turn key and get all accessories on but no response from starter motor when I turned the key.

Figured it was something electrical because there was no other indication that the starter was failing. After checking a few other things, like starter relay and making sure the clutch start switch was being engaged properly, I took out the switch, and sure enough when I bridged the gap in the electrical harness with some spare wire, the truck started fine.

The switch was difficult to pop open, but when I got it, I saw that when the button fully depressed the contacts (red circle) on the "spring posts" would pass over the metal sleeve, and hence the circuit was not complete when I turned the key. I fixed this by placing a small nut under the spring to ensure the metal sleeve could not go past the contacts, cleaned up the metal sleeve, and reassembled. I think a replacement switch was fairly cheap at rockauto.com if the switch had not been repairable.

Figured I'd post this up, because when I was searching intermittent start problems on the web, I didn't find the clutch start switch as a potential cause, and spent a lot of time looking into more complicated causes. The truck is a 2001 tacoma with 240k at the time.

 

Nice fix!

 

Nice work, my 99 with 247k is doing the exact same thing. Thanks a lot!!!!

 

Thanks for the info.

 

I just did mine, 256K miles. It's been intermittent for at least 20K but it just took a dump today.

I used some DeoxIT electrical cleaner on the copper "spring" connections and the metal ring attached to the plastic button. Used a brass wire brush with that stuff to clean it up good and then put a small amount of Di-Electric grease on there for minor lubricant.

Took me 15 minutes! Works Great!!

 

One of the first things removed from my vehicles.

Nothing but trouble since not all vehicles have a bypass switch

 

Luckily I have the bypass but I didn't want to depend on it cause it also has been used a lot.

Personally I like it cause regular folk don't know how to start the vehicle. But now that I've fixed it, it makes it a lot easier.

I think I'm going to install a couple kill switches. I'm often out in the middle of no where and people like my truck.