dpross16

I have a 2004 4Runner with about 150k miles on it. Got in one day and it wouldn't start, 5 mins later it started fine. Drove around and turned it off, tried to start again, and nothing. No click or crank. Put new battery in and started fine. Next day, tried to start and nothing. Tried to jump, nothing. 10 mins later, started fine. Am I correct in assuming it is the starter?

anthony1

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like the starter to me.

mjwalfredo

Could be your starter contacts going bad. If you can access the starter, try tapping it with a wrench or something when it won't start. If it starts right up after that, it's probably the contacts.

warpigg

my 4runner did this we took the starter out and it was fine when we put it back in it work every time. but we also traced all wires dealing with sarting the car and we cleaned the fuse pannel of corrosion. so good luck because it can be a huge headache.

dpross16

Let me give a little update on this... I took my 4Runner to a mechanic and it started fine every time i was there. He wanted me to recreate the problem, and it wouldn't not start. So, he thought it was the starter relay but I had cleaned it off before I went in to him so he couldn't say for sure. A couple days later my A/C clutch relay went out. So I went and got a new one, a couple days later, my car won't start again. No sound! Here is what happened to me the other day... Car starts fine in the morning, drive it to work, go to start car 3 hours later, it won't start, I pull starter relay out a few times, still won't start, call my wife to come pick me up and it starts. Drive to bank, go pick up pizza, car starts but as I crossing an intersection, car dies while running. Won't start back up, mess with things, pull starter relay in and out about 15 times, nothing, get on the phone to call my wife and tell her to come pick me up, get off phone, car starts. WTF??? Yes I have tried to take A/C relay out again and it doesn't seem to help. Can someone please help me????? It also has a brand new battery. Cables look fine.

dpross16

Okay, I tried to disconnect both battery cables to reset the ECU didn't seem to help. Still would not start. I tried removing starter relay a couple of times but that didn't seem to help. Then I started pushing down on the other relays and when I pushed on the AC clutch relay I could hear the AC clicking, I pushed down on another one, I think it was the heater relay and I could hear clicking by the starter. Got in the 4Runner and it started. But it was not a very strong start and it ran very weakly, tried driving back to work but it kind of sputtered, never shut off, just didn't seem like 100% power. HELP!!!!

dpross16

I cannot believe what happened yesterday. I went home and tried to start the 4Runner, and it didn't start. I checked the AF fuse and it seemed a little old, but didn't look dead, so I changed that one and it still didn't start, so then I proceeded to check the EFI fuse and BINGO... it was not blown but it had a broken leg. The leg wasn't completely broken off, just a little fractured, so I attributed the occasional starting to this fracture. I put a new fuse in and it started right up. It has started everytime since. It seems that the EFI may still have a problem because it is a little hesitant when driving and idling, but at least it is running. THANK YOU!!! I can't believe this has been ongoing for 4 weeks and the problem was a damn fuse. Well at least I have a new battery, new A/C relay, and a new starter relay. I guess I am going to have to get the EFI checked one of these days, maybe I can put a new one of those in too.