Hey guys, so recently i took my 01 4runner to the body shop to get both bumpers fixed/replaced...
a week and a half later i got my car back (which was yesterday). When i started at the shop i had to give it some gas to start up, that was a bit odd but i didnt think much of it.
Now my car doesnt start up on the 1st try.
My thought is that the week and a half it was just sitting there must have done something to it.. maybe killed the battery? spark plugs? something?!
Just a few minutes ago, I was driving it and parked. 10 minutes didnt even pass by when i tried to start it and it wouldnt go! i went to go start it....
i turned the ignition and it wouldnt start, i held it for like 3 seconds.
i turned it again but this time gave it gas for another 4 seconds and still nothing!
i waited about 30 seconds and turned it again and it started normally.

I do not believe its the battery cause ive gone through that before.
When i turn the key, everything sound normal except the very very last park when you hear the "vroom!!!" ... thats all thats missing..

any thoughts or help please.
Thanks.

 

Check the battery connection. I've seen a few times where body guys will disconnect the battery but do not tighten the terminals good enough to get a full connection.

 

they are nice and tight...

A friend tells me it could be the distributor or crank shaft position sensor.... ??

 

If you have a 3.4 you do not have a distributor. Crank sensor is next on my mind, but I cannot really diagnose things over the internet, only give suggestions. Does it spin over when this happens? If it doesn't then I'd check connections to the starter and check the battery. If those are good, likely the starter is gone bad.

 

take it back to he shop and make them fix it, thats friggin ridiculous.

 

Yes i have a 3.4
Im not sure what you mean by spins over...?

this is what happens... i found this video online. Its not me of course lol.
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw-oJHJHE7U[/YOUTUBE]

 

x2. Make them fix it instead of letting them give you a headache.

 

well at the shop they only replaced the front and rear bumper....
if i go they gonna tell me they didnt touch anything under the hood...

 

Never know till you try, I had to fix all kinds of strange things that I didn't do for free just because the customer was a paying customer.

 

it worked when you tool it there, you got it back, now it doesnt work, CLEARLY THEY did something to it. make them fix it.

 

I'm going to go against the grain on this one. Maybe it is just a coincidence that you are having problems right after having gotten the vehicle back from a shop that just installed the bumpers. My advice is to do a comprehensive visual inspection of the vehicle. Look for anything that seems out of place, especially anything near where the front bumper mounts. I can't really think of anything that could have been done during a bumper r&r, but if they did something to your vehicle, it is most likely that they inadvertantly broke a wire, or a sensor or something like that. Take a look at it and if you see something amiss, then you can go and confront the shop about it. Just my two cents, take it for what it is worth.

 

i agree with zlathim look for a hanging wires near ur bumpers. grounding straps/wires are very commin for starting issues. or maybe its just some sensor.

good luck.

 

They probably have cases where they have set off air bags working on bumpers so I bet they do disconnect the battery before doing front bumpers. I'd double check the negative terminal--a piece of crud can keep the clamp loose even while the bolt feels tight.

 

Cranks and no start? How about fuel pump? It seems you cycle key 2 or 3 times to build up fuel pressure.

 

I loved the one I had a few years ago: "Every since you changed my oil the power windows don't work" Yeah, sure.

Coincidences do happen, there are many cases of a car leaving the shop and the timing belt breaks, eating the engine, within a few miles of leaving. Is it the shop's fault? Will they have to eat the cost of it? Maybe, if the customer is loud or belligerent enough.

Check the basics first. Visually inspect everything the shop may have touched. Are there fresh wrench marks on the battery terminals? If not, they may not have removed them. Then go and talk to the manager in a reasonable manner, don't start accusing right away and getting loud or you're likely to get nothing, not even a free look by a qualified mechanic for something they may/may not have had anything to do with.

 

yea you guys are right... i shouldnt go faulting them right away. My dad does a lot of car mechanics in his spare time. He tells me it could have been the car was just sitting there for 2 weeks doing nothing, so it might have lost some fuel pressure. Or something to that nature by not being used for a while. Ever since this morning it only happend once and it seems to be doing fine now... we have to wait and see tomorrow.