Car won't start after recharging battery (1 Viewer)

[UVNH]

2011, 162K miles

Car would not start this morning, but did try and turn over weakly before completely dying. Odd thing was the dash and screen was on, presumably overnight, even though the car was shut off and in park. It's possible car was shut off in gear and then moved to park (kids).

Got the battery charged by leaving jumper cables attached to a running car for an hour, then using a 4 amp battery maintainer/charger. Battery is just a couple years old.

So now nothing happens when I press start, and the dash board is lit up all the time, even with no key nearby. Almost as if it does not think it is in park. (Accessory mode)

I'm thinking the sensor that tells the car it is in park is broken.

Any other ideas before I have it towed to the dealer? Could be the dreaded dead starter, but why the lit up dash?

Thanks!

 

[TeCKis300]

Could be as simple as a really dead battery. One that will not accept charge anymore. Have you tried jumping the car with the other car tied in instead of just charging?

Could also be the starter. Have you ever changed it? The master solenoid as part of the starter has been known to go out around your mileage (or earlier). The failure could also have been precipitated by a weak/low voltage battery causing excess current to finally burn out the relay.

 

[tbisaacs]

Could be as simple as a really dead battery. One that will not accept charge anymore. Have you tried jumping the car with the other car tied in instead of just charging?

Could also be the starter. Have you ever changed it? The master solenoid as part of the starter has been known to go out around your mileage (or earlier). The failure could also have been precipitated by a weak/low voltage battery causing excess current to finally burn out the relay.

Plus 100 here. When my starter went out I also had a dead battery. Seriously chased my tail and questioned my sanity but it happens.

 

[Sandroad]

I suggest disconnect the battery for a few minutes and thoroughly clean the terminals when reinstalling. Then get a regular charger hooked up to the battery overnight. That 4 amp maintainer is irrelevant as a charger. See if those actions turn off the lights and revive the starter.

 

[Paul1911]

Did you test battery with battery tester as other other said? Sometimes they are too far gone to charge.

 

[TheIcemanCometh]

My battery died the big one and when I replaced it I could not start the engine. IIRC I had to do the hokey pokey with the door locks. That is get in the vehicle, close the door, lock it, then unlock, then I could start the engine. Or something like that. I found that in the owner's manual. If needed I check in the am unless someone else has better memory than me.

 

[UVNH]

My battery died the big one and when I replaced it I could not start the engine. IIRC I had to do the hokey pokey with the door locks. That is get in the vehicle, close the door, lock it, then unlock, then I could start the engine. Or something like that. I found that in the owner's manual. If needed I check in the am unless someone else has better memory than me.

I'll get a new battery in a couple hours and install.

 

[yOHda]

Do you have a power probe? Find starter relay, pull it out, and apply 12v. See if starter kicks.

And yes, vehicle will still animate, but do nothing if starter is out.

 

[Fisher23]

Are the dash lights on ALL the time like you said or do they turn off when you lock the car?

What year is your vehicle and how many miles?

 

[UVNH]

again car in 2011 with 162k miles

Just tried new battery.

Lights, wipers all work, Ignition light button goes from orange to green when I step on the brake. Button is totally unresponsive.

Dash and panel stays lit all the time.

Car does not actually lock. Second door lock actuator has been broken for about a month and I need to replace it. Has had no ill effects on anything for the past month.

I'm thinking "in park" sensor or starter. Calling AAA to bring car to the dealer.

 

[TeCKis300]

With the door open, foot on brake, and pressing start, can you hear a faint click and whirring from under the car?

 

[Sandroad]

Bummer. Among other things, have the dealer check for water inside in the door sills and under the front carpet in the footwells below the dash. Corroded connectors can do weird things.

 

[UVNH]

Bummer. Among other things, have the dealer check for water inside in the door sills and under the front carpet in the footwells below the dash. Corroded connectors can do weird things.

No clicking or whirring from starter when I press the start button.

Also, I noticed the start button only turns green when in neutral or park. So it seems it does recognize that it is in park.

Dead starter I can understand. Don't understand why dash lights are always on.

 

[Sandroad]

No clicking or whirring from starter when I press the start button.

Also, I noticed the start button only turns green when in neutral or park. So it seems it does recognize that it is in park.

Dead starter I can understand. Don't understand why dash lights are always on.

The dash lights are a good reason to check for water inside somewhere.

 

[Fisher23]

I think could be separate issues. as in 1). the starter has gone out and 2) some electrical problem which caused the dead battery.
or 3). some electrical issue causing both problems, clue being the dash lights. I would guess #3.

 

[UVNH]

Answer:
1. Dead battery
2. Left hood partially open when trying to charge Dead battery during snow flurries. Snow in engine compartment cause electrical problems. Maybe frozen relay

So $200 for new battery I had purchased and a very reasonable $115 from the dealer to diagnose problem. Free AAA tow.

Dealer tried to start after charging new battery and car would not start. They left the car inside overnight and it started right away. Left the car outside overnight and it started right away.

They think it.could have been a frozen ignition relay. I plan to keep some extras in the glovebox.

 

[Sandroad]

Answer:
1. Dead battery
2. Left hood partially open when trying to charge Dead battery during snow flurries. Snow in engine compartment cause electrical problems. Maybe frozen relay

So $200 for new battery I had purchased and a very reasonable $115 from the dealer to diagnose problem. Free AAA tow.

Dealer tried to start after charging new battery and car would not start. They left the car inside overnight and it started right away. Left the car outside overnight and it started right away.

They think it.could have been a frozen ignition relay. I plan to keep some extras in the glovebox.

Interesting follow up. The stuff in the engine compartment is remarkably waterproof. I’d be surprised if some snow from a partially open hood caused electrical problems leading to no start. I wonder what the dealer meant by would not start? No crank, nothing, crank but not fire? Frozen relay doesn’t seem plausible, given the recent Mud thread about starts in really cold weather. Anyway, it’s good it’s working again.

 

[UVNH]

Do you have a power probe? Find starter relay, pull it out, and apply 12v. See if starter kicks.

And yes, vehicle will still animate, but do nothing if starter is out.

This advice

Interesting follow up. The stuff in the engine compartment is remarkably waterproof. I’d be surprised if some snow from a partially open hood caused electrical problems leading to no start. I wonder what the dealer meant by would not start? No crank, nothing, crank but not fire? Frozen relay doesn’t seem plausible, given the recent Mud thread about starts in really cold weather. Anyway, it’s good it’s working again.

Nothing happened at all when the start button was pressed.

We have had a weird range of tempatures here the past week. Zero to 45 and back. It's possible some condensation formed in a relay and froze? Time will tell.

The advice above from yOHda to bypass the relay and apply power to the starter was good troubleshooting advice. I didn't follow it..was a free tow. But I'll have some extra relays in my car kit going forward.

 

[GordJ]

In your first post you said that the engine turned over weakly. Doesn't that rule out a frozen relay or a faulty neutral/ park switch? Unless the relay froze after the battery died it wasn't frozen. The relays in my jet boat don't "freeze" so I wouldn't expect Toyotas to either. Dash lit up says water ingress to me. I am unclear, did you try to start it while the jumper cables were attached? Are your seat heater lights on? The ones around the switches. That was a water problem signal to me. And don't dismiss the door lock either. This is another possible signal for water.

 

[bloc]

This advice

Nothing happened at all when the start button was pressed.

We have had a weird range of tempatures here the past week. Zero to 45 and back. It's possible some condensation formed in a relay and froze? Time will tell.

The advice above from yOHda to bypass the relay and apply power to the starter was good troubleshooting advice. I didn't follow it..was a free tow. But I'll have some extra relays in my car kit going forward.

Have any specs or part number on this starter relay? And where does it go in the box?