Ignition, Starter or Electrical Problem?

I have a ’96 Corolla 4 door 3 speed automatic sedan. We just replaced
the battery about 3 weeks ago, and only after that had this problem.
When turning the key in the ignition, on occasion, nothing will happen.
The panel lights go on; all the electrical devices work with the ACC
setting, like the radio, but absolutely nothing happens with the starter
motor or engine. This doesn't happen all the time. The amount of
time the car is sitting around unused doesn't seem to be a
variable. The weather has been fairly cold here, we live in
Wisconsin. Trying it after slamming the door and/or moving the
transmission stick on the floor a few times seems to help, it will start
right up, at least so far.

Any ideas? Is there some sort of switch that detects if the transmission
stick isn’t in park that may be the cause? Maybe a loose wire or
connection or something burned out or damaged when the battery was
replaced?

TIA for any suggestions.

Gary E
--
|Gary A. Edelstein
|edelsgNO@SPAMyahoo.com.invalid (remove NOSPAM and .invalid to reply)
|"We have met the enemy and he is us." - Walt Kelly's Pogo

On Wed, 15 Mar 2006 15:30:34 -0600, "Gary A. Edelstein"
<edelsgNO@SPAMyahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
[color=blue]
>I have a ’96 Corolla 4 door 3 speed automatic sedan. We just replaced
>the battery about 3 weeks ago, and only after that had this problem.
>When turning the key in the ignition, on occasion, nothing will happen.
>The panel lights go on; all the electrical devices work with the ACC
>setting, like the radio, but absolutely nothing happens with the starter
>motor or engine. This doesn't happen all the time. The amount of
>time the car is sitting around unused doesn't seem to be a
>variable. The weather has been fairly cold here, we live in
>Wisconsin. Trying it after slamming the door and/or moving the
>transmission stick on the floor a few times seems to help, it will start
>right up, at least so far.
>
>Any ideas? Is there some sort of switch that detects if the transmission
>stick isn’t in park that may be the cause? Maybe a loose wire or
>connection or something burned out or damaged when the battery was
>replaced?
>
>TIA for any suggestions.
>
>Gary E[/color]

Yes....same thing happened to my '92 Corolla and my '97 Corolla.

It is probably the copper power contacts in the starter.

You can replace them yourself pretty cheap or get your dealer to
install a Toyota rebuilt unit.

btw the problem will NOT get better with time....LOL

[url]http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef227ec.ef0a161/2309[/url]
--

Scott in Florida

In article <c53h12ph8l43306ui4c592gphsoq3mbv0k@4ax.com>, [email]MoveOn@outa.here[/email]
says...[color=blue]
>
>
>On Wed, 15 Mar 2006 15:30:34 -0600, "Gary A. Edelstein"
><edelsgNO@SPAMyahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
>[color=green]
>>I have a ’96 Corolla 4 door 3 speed automatic sedan. We just replaced
>>the battery about 3 weeks ago, and only after that had this problem.
>>When turning the key in the ignition, on occasion, nothing will happen.
>>The panel lights go on; all the electrical devices work with the ACC
>>setting, like the radio, but absolutely nothing happens with the starter
>>motor or engine. This doesn't happen all the time. The amount of
>>time the car is sitting around unused doesn't seem to be a
>>variable. The weather has been fairly cold here, we live in
>>Wisconsin. Trying it after slamming the door and/or moving the
>>transmission stick on the floor a few times seems to help, it will start
>>right up, at least so far.
>>
>>Any ideas? Is there some sort of switch that detects if the transmission
>>stick isn’t in park that may be the cause? Maybe a loose wire or
>>connection or something burned out or damaged when the battery was
>>replaced?
>>
>>TIA for any suggestions.
>>
>>Gary E[/color]
>
>Yes....same thing happened to my '92 Corolla and my '97 Corolla.
>
>It is probably the copper power contacts in the starter.
>
>You can replace them yourself pretty cheap or get your dealer to
>install a Toyota rebuilt unit.
>
>btw the problem will NOT get better with time....LOL
>
>[url]http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef227ec.ef0a161/2309[/url]
>--[/color]
Thanks for the fast reply, Scott. You may be right on the money. Seems
weird though that this problem would start right after the battery was
replaced.

The link you gave goes to a web forum that discusses this - thanks. It seems
others who have this problem will at least get a click when they turn the
key. I don't get anything - no click, no noise, nothing.

Gary E
--
|Gary A. Edelstein
|edelsgNO@SPAMyahoo.com.invalid (remove NOSPAM and .invalid to reply)
|"We have met the enemy and he is us." - Walt Kelly's Pogo

On Wed, 15 Mar 2006 16:30:39 -0600, "Gary A. Edelstein"
<edelsgNO@SPAMyahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
[color=blue]
>In article <c53h12ph8l43306ui4c592gphsoq3mbv0k@4ax.com>, [email]MoveOn@outa.here[/email]
>says...[color=green]
>>
>>
>>On Wed, 15 Mar 2006 15:30:34 -0600, "Gary A. Edelstein"
>><edelsgNO@SPAMyahoo.com.invalid> wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>>I have a ’96 Corolla 4 door 3 speed automatic sedan. We just replaced
>>>the battery about 3 weeks ago, and only after that had this problem.
>>>When turning the key in the ignition, on occasion, nothing will happen.
>>>The panel lights go on; all the electrical devices work with the ACC
>>>setting, like the radio, but absolutely nothing happens with the starter
>>>motor or engine. This doesn't happen all the time. The amount of
>>>time the car is sitting around unused doesn't seem to be a
>>>variable. The weather has been fairly cold here, we live in
>>>Wisconsin. Trying it after slamming the door and/or moving the
>>>transmission stick on the floor a few times seems to help, it will start
>>>right up, at least so far.
>>>
>>>Any ideas? Is there some sort of switch that detects if the transmission
>>>stick isn’t in park that may be the cause? Maybe a loose wire or
>>>connection or something burned out or damaged when the battery was
>>>replaced?
>>>
>>>TIA for any suggestions.
>>>
>>>Gary E[/color]
>>
>>Yes....same thing happened to my '92 Corolla and my '97 Corolla.
>>
>>It is probably the copper power contacts in the starter.
>>
>>You can replace them yourself pretty cheap or get your dealer to
>>install a Toyota rebuilt unit.
>>
>>btw the problem will NOT get better with time....LOL
>>
>>[url]http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef227ec.ef0a161/2309[/url]
>>--[/color]
>Thanks for the fast reply, Scott. You may be right on the money. Seems
>weird though that this problem would start right after the battery was
>replaced.
>
>The link you gave goes to a web forum that discusses this - thanks. It seems
>others who have this problem will at least get a click when they turn the
>key. I don't get anything - no click, no noise, nothing.
>
>Gary E[/color]

Our cars had two failure indications.

The '92 was just like yours. It got to the point that nothing would
happen.

The '97 froze and was ALWAYS on....which made me have to unhook the
battery while it was whirring away. The dealer would not even attempt
to replace parts on that one, because they were afraid a winding or
two could have burned.
--

Scott in Florida

had the same problem . have a 97 corolla with the 3 speed auto 88000
miles. it was a.bad starter. the dealer wanted 450 to replace the
starter. checked with a local garage with a good reputation and they
charged me 208. mine would only do it every now and then. most of the
time if you tried it 3 or 4 times it would finally turn over.had it
replaced about a month ago and hasn't done it since.

"Gary A. Edelstein" <edelsgNO@SPAMyahoo.com.invalid> wrote:

[color=blue]
>The link you gave goes to a web forum that discusses this - thanks. It seems
>others who have this problem will at least get a click when they turn the
>key. I don't get anything - no click, no noise, nothing.
>
>Gary E[/color]

That's an indication (no click) that you might have a shift
'lever safety switch' problem...automatic transmissions have a
safety switch which prevents the starter relay circuit from
working unless the lever is in either park or neutral...try
wiggling the lever (while it's in either park or neutral) while
holding the key to start...
--

-Gord.
(use gordon in email)

On Thu, 16 Mar 2006 05:15:46 GMT, Gord Beaman <gord@islandtelecom.com>
wrote:[color=blue]
>"Gary A. Edelstein" <edelsgNO@SPAMyahoo.com.invalid> wrote:[/color]
[color=blue][color=green]
>>The link you gave goes to a web forum that discusses this - thanks. It seems
>>others who have this problem will at least get a click when they turn the
>>key. I don't get anything - no click, no noise, nothing.[/color]
>
>That's an indication (no click) that you might have a shift
>'lever safety switch' problem...automatic transmissions have a
>safety switch which prevents the starter relay circuit from
>working unless the lever is in either park or neutral...try
>wiggling the lever (while it's in either park or neutral) while
>holding the key to start...[/color]

And on a newer stick-shift car there is usually a starter safety
switch on the clutch, and they can fail too. Or they get out of
adjustment, and you have to practically stuff the clutch pedal through
the floorboard before it'll let you start the engine.

Almost as annoying as the automatic transmission 'Press the brake
pedal so you can shift out of Park or Neutral' interlock.

--<< Bruce >>--

--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.

Dear Fellow Corolla Driver,

I have a 99 Corolla and have a similar problem. When I turn the key,
sometimes it starts like a charm - other times, the car is dead; other
times, the car barely starts. The battery is less than 1 year old, so
I doubt it's the battery. I suspected the ignition switch, which I
replaced last week. It seemed to fix the problem -- but sure enough,
yesterday, the problem came back suddenly.

Did you ever identify the problem?

Joe
Gary A. Edelstein wrote:[color=blue]
> I have a '96 Corolla 4 door 3 speed automatic sedan. We just replaced
> the battery about 3 weeks ago, and only after that had this problem.
> When turning the key in the ignition, on occasion, nothing will happen.
> The panel lights go on; all the electrical devices work with the ACC
> setting, like the radio, but absolutely nothing happens with the starter
> motor or engine. This doesn't happen all the time. The amount of
> time the car is sitting around unused doesn't seem to be a
> variable. The weather has been fairly cold here, we live in
> Wisconsin. Trying it after slamming the door and/or moving the
> transmission stick on the floor a few times seems to help, it will start
> right up, at least so far.
>
> Any ideas? Is there some sort of switch that detects if the transmission
> stick isn't in park that may be the cause? Maybe a loose wire or
> connection or something burned out or damaged when the battery was
> replaced?
>
> TIA for any suggestions.
>
> Gary E
> --
> |Gary A. Edelstein
> |edelsgNO@SPAMyahoo.com.invalid (remove NOSPAM and .invalid to reply)
> |"We have met the enemy and he is us." - Walt Kelly's Pogo[/color]