[Southern Charms]

Four days ago the Check Engine light came on. Only problem was the car was hard to start. After a few tries the car would start and run perfectly. Once the car started I could make a quick trip, come back out 30 minutes later and the car started and ran perfectly. Check Engine Light Remained On. If the car sat in the garage over night, the car was once again hard to start. We were able to start it using a jump pack, until yesterday. Friend brought his Toyota Tundra over to see if we could jump start the car. The car sounded like it wanted to start, but after 15 minutes, we gave up.

The date on the Toyota True Start Battery was 2012. When checked the battery tested less than the 12 to 14 volts needed to start. Purchased a new Toyota battery and installed it. Took a couple of tries, but it started and ran perfectly. Started perfectly the whole day. This morning, after sitting in the garage overnight, it took two tries to start it and the check engine is back on. The problem only happens after the car sits parked for 12+ hours.

We are not getting any tell-tale signs of what could be happening. Once it starts it runs perfectly (accelerating, no stalls, no dim lights, etc). The car's temperature gauge never reaches the 50% mark, so it's not overheating.

My 2007 Toyota Camry (CE) only has 51,000 miles on it. At 30,000 the service maintenance was done, and I had the fuel injectors cleaned. Oil changed and fluids checked every six months or 5,000 miles, Scared to death that it's something major.

Any ideas?

 

[sdspeed]

Get it scanned by a local auto part store or better yet buy and inexpensive bluetooth scanner that works with a smart phone and keep it in the glove box.
Thanks for the introduction but since you had a specific issue I moved you to the Camry sub-forum.

 

[corollacoaster]

It's acting like the battery is weak- near the end of its' life. Have the battery load tested.

 

[Southern Charms]

It's acting like the battery is weak- near the end of its' life. Have the battery load tested.

I replaced the battery on Monday with a new one. The check engine light came back on the next day. I have an appointment tomorrow to have a diagnostic scan ran on the car. Based on everything I have read, it could one of ten problems. I just hope it's not the catalytic converter. Thanks for your reply.

 

[corollacoaster]

I replaced the battery on Monday with a new one. The check engine light came back on the next day. I have an appointment tomorrow to have a diagnostic scan ran on the car. Based on everything I have read, it could one of ten problems. I just hope it's not the catalytic converter. Thanks for your reply.

I hope you don't go to the dealer for the diagnostic scan because they'll eat your lunch for it- costs $$$. Buy your own code scanner and pull the trouble codes. My scanner cost me less than $20- its basic, but priceless since I can use it as much as I need. You might find a good quality code scanner at Walmart for $50. A car part store will pull codes for FREE, but make sure you write down the codes exactly- no abbreviations, then look up the definitions of each code to see what they mean....see: OBD-II Check Engine Light Trouble Codes Know this- erasing trouble codes does not fix the problem, so when you pull the code, do not erase it so whoever works on the car knows what to fix.

 

[Southern Charms]

I hope you don't go to the dealer for the diagnostic scan because they'll eat your lunch for it- costs $$$. Buy your own code scanner and pull the trouble codes. My scanner cost me less than $20- its basic, but priceless since I can use it as much as I need. You might find a good quality code scanner at Walmart for $50. A car part store will pull codes for FREE, but make sure you write down the codes exactly- no abbreviations, then look up the definitions of each code to see what they mean....see: OBD-II Check Engine Light Trouble Codes Know this- erasing trouble codes does not fix the problem, so when you pull the code, do not erase it so whoever works on the car knows what to fix.

I noted the charges on the Toyota dealership page. They would indeed eat my lunch for a week for what they charge to run the diagnostic. There is a very helpful Auto Zone location near my home and they will run the diagnostic scan for me. How well I know that erasing trouble codes does not fix the problem. By replacing the battery, it killed the "Check Engine" light, but the light was back on the next day. The dead battery was only part of the problem. It is my hope that due to the low mileage on the car, 2007 Toyota Camry (CE) only has 51,000 miles, that it will be one of the lessor cost repairs. Thank you for your reply