dave_jackson

I have spent some time reading the forums and pursuing various tests on my 2006 TL (220,000 KM). When I turn the ignition, all the dash lights come on, no flashing green key, gauges light up, but no clicking no solenoid noise, I tried jumping it, no difference. There's no noise except when I turn the key very slowly, I heard a buzzing sound from the ignition relay. I swapped the relay and had the same issue. I pulled the ignition switch and when I opened it, a couple of points looked fried and dodgy, I replaced it, but the same issue continued. Good battery, one year old, tested 12.9 V, I checked the alternator charging 13.6V, checked all fuses and switched relays.

I looked for the ground cable connections, the obvious one from the negative post to the body was tight and clean of corrosion. I could not locate the other 5 (?) negative ground connections, some guidance would be appreciated

What was strange to me, and I admit that I may be confused on how a starter works...... but when I put the positive probe on the large nut on the starter (covered by a rubber guard) that's connected to the positive terminal and the negative probe on the negative terminal I get no voltage. It seems obvious to me I have a bad positive supply to the starter, no? I reviewed the wiring diagrams, it doesn't appear that there's an inline fuse.

I knocked the starter with a steel rod and it started right away, I am prepared to replace it, however I am puzzled abut the lack of current to the starter, am i missing something?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

Superunknown

Get out of volts and check continuity on the positive cable to the starter and resistance across the starter.

But also, you smacked the starter and it worked, so replace the starter.

Chad05TL

The weirdest thing happened to me last year.. I had a bad starter but it acted like a battery was going bad.
Like, over a month period, I thought my starter was turning slower than normal. And then after a few weeks I noticed it was getting harder to start...
So I was like, oh great, the battery is getting weak.. Time to replace it again.
But nope, it was the starter. I replaced the batter and had the same problem. Turns out the starter was "failing". yes, I knwo that doesnt make a lot of sense. Usually when a starter goes out, it just stops. But not the last starter I got for my car..

Nevertheless, the battery was 2.5 years old, so I went ahead and kept the new battery sincce it was a 3 yr battery.
Walmart said my old battery tested good at the time when I bought the new battery... And i thought to myself, "ya sure you dont know what you are talkign about".
So, I replaced the battery and still had a problem like the next day. And it got so bad it almost failed to start. Like it ihalf way cranked and then it turned over and almost didnt start. So I drove to a parts store and bought a NEW (not a reman) starter.. And BAM! It turned over really fast.... THe new starters really do work better than reman.
Lastly, walmart called me back a few days later and said, Are you sure you dont want this battery? It tests good.. And I said, "na that's ok.. Thanks for the call!" Walmart was actually correct, the battery WAS Good.. But I went ahead kept the new battery. And I have not had a slightest problem since then.. So ya, Starter problems some times mimic a weak battery.. First time ever I experienced a start that Got slower and slower over a few weeks and the battery was good.

So I would not over think the issue. I would just replace the Starter since you ahve done all that work testing the battery and alt.
Btw, Walmart has a machine that will test the battery for free. but you have to remove the battery from the car.

dave_jackson

thanks Chad05TL and Superunknown, I replaced the starter, not very difficult at all, and it has resolved the starting issues, all good now

Cheers,