Vehicle Starting Failure Diagnosis - Expert Help Needed

[jcmiro]

KLF and Toyoda's above posts are exactly what happened to mine.....I shipped my landrcuiser overseas....The seals on the sunroof were flaky and water got into the cabin and glove box.....Replaced the AC fan and had the start and doesnt start issue for 6 months until the dealer finally found the issue.

 

[RET2]

KLF and Toyoda's above posts are exactly what happened to mine.....I shipped my landrcuiser overseas....The seals on the sunroof were flaky and water got into the cabin and glove box.....Replaced the AC fan and had the start and doesnt start issue for 6 months until the dealer finally found the issue.

And the solution was?

 

[kah1593]

Thank you all

 

[kah1593]

Thank you all

 

[grinchy]

If you had the neutral switch replaced recently I’d seek warranty on that work.

 

[Sandroad]

After a week of not having any issues, the vehicle failed to start this morning after attempting to start it 5-6 times using the regular procedure. I also tried the emergency start procedure twice, and it did not start. I then cycled through the gears twice and it then started. In every instance that the vehicle did not start it always started after 10-30 minutes and often after cycling it through the gears. Please recall we replaced the neutral safety switch, but could there be something more to the gears that has something to do with starting or is this just a mere coincidence?

I am at a cross roads. I LOVE this vehicle but I am $1,700 deep into it thus far. If I decide to take it to the dealer I am looking at a labor rate of $130 per hour. There are likely going to spend 2-3 hours going through the vehicle ($275 to $400) and then another $1,000 to $1,500 to install a new start button and immobilizer, which will bring the total cost to well over $3,500 without any assurance it will be fixed. I can afford this and have no problem whatsoever paying this or more if I knew it would definitively fix the issue, but it pains me to spend $3,500 on fixes with no guarantee the problem would be resolved.

I am seriously considering stopping here and trading it in for something a new vehicle. The problem is I am having a big problem convincing my wife to trading it in for another Land Cruiser because of this problem - I hate to admit it but she does have a point.

I would love to hear your infinite wisdom. What would you do if you were in my situation?

No infinite wisdom on my part, but if it were me (and my wife), I’d trade it in (with disclosure). My family and I take my LC to places it has to start. And if I had to spend $3500 on a single repair with no certainty of it working, I’m pretty sure my family would say get rid of it. What to get next is the harder decision. I spent the big bucks on a LC because of the vaunted reliability. If that becomes a hard sell, then other less expensive vehicles become options. Bummer you’re having so much trouble.

 

[kah1593]

Thank you

 

[bloc]

That dash part comes out surprisingly easy. Just get some plastic auto trim tools and use a tapered one to pry out on the edge of the soft knee pad. There are a few plastic clips holding it in. Once that is out you’ll see a few 10mm bolts to remove, then the gray part will pull free and you’ll have access to the switch.

 

[kah1593]

 

[SWUtah]

Time to trade

 

[bkfj40]

Start sequence is lock button short short hold

So my 2013 wouldn’t start. The immobilized red light above the climate button was blinking red.

I tried the other suggestion in here about accessory (start but no brake) button on then off the hold brake and press start and hold it.

It didn’t do anything

Then closed door hit lock button for second then do it again then do it again but hold it down. Then brake on and start. Bastard started right up.

Now what?