Trouble starting 2000 LX

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S

Serge

Joined
May 7, 2008
Threads
14
Messages
60
Location
Seattle
Hey guys, I have a 2000 LX with 210,000 miles on it. I have had it since it had 55,000 miles. It’s my wife’s daily driver. Recently it had developed a problem with starting. Sometimes and only sometimes the turnover is sluggish lasts two or three seconds and stops. All lights work. If you wait a few seconds it starts with may be a hint of sluggishness. Seems to only happen in the mornings. Battery is fairly new (May 2011). Starter and contacts are original i.e. never replaced before.

I am researching the starter contacts issues on the forum, but thought I someone had the same issue they would chime in.

Thanks,

Serge
 
Battery voltage?

The starter is positioned in a horrible place, below the intake manifold in the engine valley. The accumulation of hot starts over its life will cause it to fail.

You most likely will have to replace the starter. There will be no point in just doing the contacts after getting to the starter @ 210k.
 
Thanks, I agree. I will be swapping the whole starter out.
 
Very impressive if it's made it 210,00 miles on orignal starter. Starter problems usually result in turning the key and nothing happening at all. I'd guess battery. Have you tried jump starting it from another car/truck? New battery is certainly a less expensive try than new starter. If it is starter, I'll second just replacing it vs. rebuild at that milage.
 
Haven't tried jump starting, but also the truck doesn't die. It just won't do anything when you turn a key sometimes. This happens rarely and when it starts it starts strong. Battery is fairly new, May 2011. I have a starter coming tomorrow morning. At 210K miles I think I am due. Thanks for all the replies.
 
Sometimes but not always you'll get the click from the solenoid when the starter (contacts) become worn. Apart of worn contacts nothing happens when keyed, to clicking to full-on normal starting...no rhyme or reason to how/when it happens.

Also, make sure your battery cables/posts/clamps/ground are clean and tight to fully eliminate battery connections as a potential cause.
 
Sounds like the starter. Mine went out at 70k, same symptoms :( At least yours lasted as long!!
 
I'm still on the original starter too, with similar mileage at 202k on my 99LX. I wonder when mine will go out ???

How big of a job is this? If you get a shop to do it, let me know what they charge
 
Yours will go out at 210K miles. Just kidding, I don't really know.

I do my own work, so I can't tell for sure how much a shop would charge but I would guess you are looking at about a $1000 including parts.

From reading here I understand it's takes about 4-5 hours. I am picking up my starter today and will probably put in over the weekend.
 
IIRC one of the more experienced mechanics at American Toyota in ABQ can do the starter swap in less than 2-hours total. That's probably not the norm for even a seasoned mechanic...but I was impressed just the same after doing mine twice.
 
The pics and writeups here cut a lot of time off this job for me.

When I have a weak start situation I always grab the multi-tester. The voltage on the battery terminals should drop "some" when cranking, several volts at least. The voltage drop on the cable ends should be the same, if not you have a bad connection to your battery. If there isn't much of a drop at the cables, the starter is likely the culprit.
 
Thanks for the tip scottm, I actually just acquired a multimeter, so might as well give it a go.
 
My 2000 LC with 137k mi is showing exactly the same symptoms.

Sluggish turnover, or no turnover at first, then after waiting for a few seconds it starts strong. Happens sometimes only. I was hoping it wouldn't be the starter (because of the positioning of the starter) but this thread confirms my fears.

The question is what else should i get done along with this job and what kind of cost am I looking at.
 
Related question. This car I've test driven a couple of times, needed a jump start each time. There was no crank at all. Also, none of the electronics ( door locks, lights, etc ) worked either. Both times, the dealer came out with one of those starter packs to start it and then it was fine. They tested the alternator output and said it was over 14 volts, so it seems to charge fine. After a test ride ( 15 minutes or so ), I turned the car off, and tried to start it again. Not a sound, click or any electronics at all.

This should indicate battery right ? If it was a starter issue, the door locks and everything else would still have worked, wouldn't they ?

I'm asking, because in the service history, it shows the battery was replaced in 11/2012. Seems like it should still be good. It may have been sitting on the lot for a while, but after the test drive, I would have expected the battery to show some signs of life.

Thoughts ?

Thanks
Oz
 
ozmanyyy said:
Related question. This car I've test driven a couple of times, needed a jump start each time. There was no crank at all. Also, none of the electronics ( door locks, lights, etc ) worked either. Both times, the dealer came out with one of those starter packs to start it and then it was fine. They tested the alternator output and said it was over 14 volts, so it seems to charge fine. After a test ride ( 15 minutes or so ), I turned the car off, and tried to start it again. Not a sound, click or any electronics at all. This should indicate battery right ? If it was a starter issue, the door locks and everything else would still have worked, wouldn't they ? I'm asking, because in the service history, it shows the battery was replaced in 11/2012. Seems like it should still be good. It may have been sitting on the lot for a while, but after the test drive, I would have expected the battery to show some signs of life. Thoughts ? Thanks Oz
Click to expand...
Sounds like the battery is completely done and can't hold any residual charge, and it's possible the battery installed as per the service record is not the battery actually installed today! It will have a month/year manufacture date somewhere if you're really curios, but it's more than plausible the PO installed a new battery then decided to trade the vehicle and swapped out their new battery for an older one. If you're seriously considering this vehicle tell the dealer you're not comfortable with the whole jump start/dead battery thing and get a new one installed.

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
 
PADDO said:
Sounds like the battery is completely done and can't hold any residual charge, and it's possible the battery installed as per the service record is not the battery actually installed today! It will have a month/year manufacture date somewhere if you're really curios, but it's more than plausible the PO installed a new battery then decided to trade the vehicle and swapped out their new battery for an older one. If you're seriously considering this vehicle tell the dealer you're not comfortable with the whole jump start/dead battery thing and get a new one installed.

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD
Click to expand...

That makes sense. This "starter" thread just got me thinking, but I doubt a bad starter wouldn't stop the other electronics from working.

The dealer already mentioned they'd replace the battery. The only thing that's still making me hesitate is the molding and the whistling in the sunroof. I don't want to hijack this thread, but I discuss it here:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/789983-looking-buy.html

Thanks for the feedback.
Oz
 
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