While stopped at road site for a while, the car could not start any more, not even the clicking sound. Lights were OK. Could not be jump started either. Waited for an hour, it was started again. Thought it's a security lock-down. But happend again the next day. Checked at a parts store, showing the battery was the problem(2-3/4 year old), starter and alternator were OK. But why there was not clicking sound? It was complete silence.
ayzhao
it sounds like the copper contacts have gone bad in the solonoid of the starter. common that it starts when cold.. then when it gets hot and things expand slightly.. it won't start. it's an easy fix if you can get the contact pieces , but most places just want to replace the starter for a hefty fee. i've even gone as far as to get some large copper wire, and used the torch to melt it onto the old contact.. then grind it back into shape.. that fix lasted 8 years until i got rid of the car. there was, at one time, a dealer on ebay called clickrfixer, who sold contact sets for lots of cars, or google starter solenoid repair..maybe can find the rebuild kit.
I agree with Silverxls; it's your starter. I had this same thing happen to my first Toyota, a 1985 pickup. I found the right contacts at a local heavy-truck transmission repair center of all places. Couldn't get just the parts through the Toyota dealers - they want to sell you a new or rebuilt starter.
here, i just found this link, there are others if you google solenoid repair kit.
http://www.nationsautoelectric.com/densoparts.html
http://www.nationsautoelectric.com/densoparts.html
click
The first profit center for the typical mechanic is a battery, which gets replaced without being tested. Cha ching. Then the alternator for more cha ching and finally a new or rebuilt starter solves the problem. Next time it happens (and it's an I4) rap the starter with a broom stick or rubber hammer. If it starts thereafter you need a starter, or at least the contact kit others have mentioned. I replaced the starter in my 98 with one which was made in China, apparently to fit a number of different Toyotas which take the same unit, including some trucks, I suspect. It cranks faster than the OEM in my 99 Camry in the cold and has been at it now for about 8 years. It was about half the price of a Toyota unit. By all means check for corrosion of the battery cables, though, especially the negative cables which are close enough to the battery to get a little battery acid on them. Make sure you check the screws which attach the cables to the body. Few things annoy me more than hearing about a poor soul who was told his battery was "shot" and when a replacement doesn't fix the problem is told NOT that the mechanic sells batteries without testing the one in the car but that the alternator is "shot" as well. Before a battery is condemned it needs to be load tested, as does the alternator, and about all that fails in a modern alternator is the carbon brush assembly which costs less than 15 bucks and takes about 15 min to change. They would rather sell you a 150 dollar replacement alternator instead. Anytime a mechanic tells you something is "shot", get another opinion if possible.
The first profit center for the typical mechanic is a battery, which gets replaced without being tested. Cha ching. Then the alternator for more cha ching and finally a new or rebuilt starter solves the problem. Next time it happens (and it's an I4) rap the starter with a broom stick or rubber hammer. If it starts thereafter you need a starter, or at least the contact kit others have mentioned. I replaced the starter in my 98 with one which was made in China, apparently to fit a number of different Toyotas which take the same unit, including some trucks, I suspect. It cranks faster than the OEM in my 99 Camry in the cold and has been at it now for about 8 years. It was about half the price of a Toyota unit. By all means check for corrosion of the battery cables, though, especially the negative cables which are close enough to the battery to get a little battery acid on them. Make sure you check the screws which attach the cables to the body. Few things annoy me more than hearing about a poor soul who was told his battery was "shot" and when a replacement doesn't fix the problem is told NOT that the mechanic sells batteries without testing the one in the car but that the alternator is "shot" as well. Before a battery is condemned it needs to be load tested, as does the alternator, and about all that fails in a modern alternator is the carbon brush assembly which costs less than 15 bucks and takes about 15 min to change. They would rather sell you a 150 dollar replacement alternator instead. Anytime a mechanic tells you something is "shot", get another opinion if possible.
I'm running into this issue myself.
A week or so ago, my 2002 Camry became hard to start (sounded weak when it turned over and struggled to start). I knew the battery was long past it's life expectancy, so I went and bought a new one. Car started fine for a few days and then had a couple times where it would barely turn over, but eventually started. Went back and had them check both the new battery and alternator (including under a load) and both checked out fine. The car will start fine several times in a row, then for some mysterious reason it will either not do anything when you turn the key (you can hear a slight buzz on the right side of the motor near the firewall, which I think is the starter relay) or it will struggle hard and then eventually start. This car has 226,000 miles on it, so I know it's time for things to start failing.
Based on what I've read on here I'm guessing it is the starter contacts as described above. Do these symptoms sound consistent with a bad starter solenoid/contacts or do think I need to look elsewhere?
A week or so ago, my 2002 Camry became hard to start (sounded weak when it turned over and struggled to start). I knew the battery was long past it's life expectancy, so I went and bought a new one. Car started fine for a few days and then had a couple times where it would barely turn over, but eventually started. Went back and had them check both the new battery and alternator (including under a load) and both checked out fine. The car will start fine several times in a row, then for some mysterious reason it will either not do anything when you turn the key (you can hear a slight buzz on the right side of the motor near the firewall, which I think is the starter relay) or it will struggle hard and then eventually start. This car has 226,000 miles on it, so I know it's time for things to start failing.
Based on what I've read on here I'm guessing it is the starter contacts as described above. Do these symptoms sound consistent with a bad starter solenoid/contacts or do think I need to look elsewhere?
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