brooklynite

Hello.

My TL only starts once in a while. Pretty unreliable. Here is a video. Any help is greatly appreciated!!!


https://youtu.be/Bu38FrEzVjE


Arash

peter6

Test the ignition switch, if that is good then starter is on it's way out. Probe them with test light.

Do you hear starter clicking when you try to start it but it doesn't crank?
Do you hear starter spinning? Maybe it doesn't engage on the flywheel?

brooklynite

Thank u so much for your response.

How do I test the ignition switch independent of the starter?

​​​​​​No it does not click at all. No sound whatsoever . But then as shown on the video it suddenly turns on like nothing happened.

thoiboi

replace your battery to rule that out

peter6

White should be always power, so check that with test light to good ground.
Then start checking the rest of the wires in various positions - mostly to make sure that this page 'agrees' with what car is doing.
Then for the last test, put test light between ground and Black/white wire.
- there should be no power in any other position than cranking
- if light turns ON but starter doesn't crank, then check if starter is receiving power (test light on ground and starter solenoid [not the main starter terminal], turn key to 'start' and check if light turns on)
- if light doesn't turn on then something is wrong with wire/ignition switch - first take apart plastic trim around steering wheel to get to the ignition switch, and test directly there, then:
- if power is there - there must be break in the wire (unlikely)
- if power still not there, then ignition switch bad

brooklynite

Wow. What a detailed explanation! Thank you! I hope this helps many other people.

brooklynite

Battery is only like 3 months old and 750 ( previous one was 500) and when the car actually does turn on, it easily turns on so I doubt it's the battery . Plus with battery issues the inside lights flickers and I hear rapid clicking from the starter kit getting enough juice while lights flicker. With my current issue 8 hear nothing and nights don't dim it flicker so nothing seens to be drawing power .

I think the response about the switch is spot on. It's either the ignoter switch or the wire feeding the starter because the POS+ wire to the battery was causing issues a week before and I had to clean it up. But again if the wire feeding the starter was faulty ir do, I should see the lights diming indicating s struggle or occasional rapid click of the starter. So I'm confident it's the ignoter switch.

Will update when I fix the issue.

DMZ

Try replacing the + battery cable. At this age, it may be corroded internally where you can't see it. Had same issues a couple of years ago.
.
.

brooklynite

Thanks for the hint. That may very well be the case. Because the positive was so corroded the car would not start the battery was dead, I had to wash it with hot water and then use sandpaper. Then it worked perfectly fine for two weeks then it would not start again and now I have the new issue.

brooklynite

Hi I everyone. Thank you for all the comments. So I went to the shop today and the mechanic said it's the starter. Replaced it with a rebuild one for $414. So far after 4 tries it has started without an issue. (It was acting pretty bad when I got there today, they had to push the car lol).

Thank u again. All of you,!

VikDakid23

peter6

Same principle. Check fuses, check for loose battery terminals and corrosion.
If all if good, then check for power on the starter and starter solenoid. If it receives power when key is turned, but nothing happens, then starter is bad.
If it doesn't receive power, then you go back and figure out what is broken.



There's just not much there to go bad.