Internal Electrical Failure In 2001 Avensis

[ASbardella]

Hi,

I posted this in the audio/video/electronics forum but it doesn't seem to get much traffic! Would be very happy if anyone could come up with some ideas?

***

I’m having a bit of a problem with my 2001 Avensis (old shape). Went to turn it on last night and although the car started fine and the headlights work, almost none of the interior electrics are working – the dial lights, stereo, climate control, central locking, indicators, (aftermarket) Parrot kit, lighter socket, and rear lights are what I’ve found dead so far. The hazards and dome light were fine. I left the car running for about ten minutes and once or twice the whole lot flickered back into life for a few seconds but seemed like it was struggling for power, then cut out again. I checked all the fuses and relays in the interior box that houses those circuits but all are fine, although every now and then a high pitched whining was coming from the fuse area. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing the problem? I’m going to try it again tonight in the hope it’s magically fixed itself but I don’t hold out much hope. Any help gratefully appreciated!

[cmia]

when you reffer to high pitched wining..

exactly which fusebox, and location is it comming from ?

[ASbardella]

when you reffer to high pitched wining..

exactly which fusebox, and location is it comming from ?

It's the one to the lower right of the steering wheel. I can't work out precisely where in there it's coming from in there as I can't get my ear close enough and it's pretty intermittent so it catches me off guard

[ASbardella]

Oh dear now I have a new sympton! Just went out to run it for a bit (I was worried about the Battery draining) - kept it at about 2k revs for about ten minutes just to get the alternator ticking over. Turned it off and then tried to start it again. This time, all the things that were previously broken came on (albeit very dimly/flickering) but now the car wont start - the engine just makes a rapid clicking sound when I turn the key :(

[ASbardella]

Oh dear now I have a new sympton! Just went out to run it for a bit (I was worried about the battery draining) - kept it at about 2k revs for about ten minutes just to get the alternator ticking over. Turned it off and then tried to start it again. This time, all the things that were previously broken came on (albeit very dimly/flickering) but now the car wont start - the engine just makes a rapid clicking sound when I turn the key :(

I should mention - about three months ago, I left the internal light on by accident and the Battery drained right down. Got the RAC out to jump it and they tested the Battery, which came out in close to perfect condition - so I'd be confused if that's the problem?

[cmia]

when you reffer to high pitched wining..

exactly which fusebox, and location is it comming from ?

It's the one to the lower right of the steering wheel. I can't work out precisely where in there it's coming from in there as I can't get my ear close enough and it's pretty intermittent so it catches me off guard

Hi,

On the older avensis the location for a fuse box and a relay box is located under the steering wheel colum on the right.

Step one

Open the bonnet

Get your tool kit out

remove key from ignition

Undo the Battery connector (negative first)

Undo the Battery connector (postive second)

Secure connectors and push them back away from the Battery terminals.

Step two

Now, get a small Matt to kneel on, open your drivers side door, and get a

small torch. Under the steering rack you will see a plastic trim. two screws

hold this trim together.

Untighten and pull the plastic trim downwards,

Notice on the right, a fuse box - inspect for burn marks and any water ingress.

Take each fuse out and make sure they are ok.

Below this fuse box is a relay box on the right, open and inspect - (the noise is

possibly from the relay) Pull the relays out, ONE by ONE and check the connectors.

You are checking for firmness of the copper connector, or deposits or green gunk,

if any is visbale - clean with IPA

now once you have pugged in and checked all the fuses, leave the cover off.

Go to the engine, you should have one main fuse box and possible a relay box.

Do the same above and remove and check relays and fuses.

Make sure you are pushing them firmly in and using a fuse and relay extractor.

Step 3

Look at the battery clean the terminals - Get some tissue or a cloth and WD40

the negative and postive terminal Put the cables back onto the terminal and tighten.

check and make sure the cables do not sit loose on the battery.

Report back :)

[cmia]

Oh dear now I have a new sympton! Just went out to run it for a bit (I was worried about the battery draining) - kept it at about 2k revs for about ten minutes just to get the alternator ticking over. Turned it off and then tried to start it again. This time, all the things that were previously broken came on (albeit very dimly/flickering) but now the car wont start - the engine just makes a rapid clicking sound when I turn the key :(

sounds like

three things,

1- you have a bad earth

2 - you Battery has a short inside

3 - main power relay fault

WHen you have your hazards flashing, do u still get the "tick tock, tick tock" noise?

[ASbardella]

sounds like

three things,

1- you have a bad earth

2 - you battery has a short inside

3 - main power relay fault

WHen you have your hazards flashing, do u still get the "tick tock, tick tock" noise?

Hi cmia,

Thanks so much for trying to help me out! I do indeed get the tick tock noise. When I went to open it just now, everything actually seemed perfect - central locking worked, interior electrics fine - til I turned the key, and it very briefly tried to turn over then started clicking again. After that it seemed like the Battery was drained because it went back to being dim interior lights and not turning over at all.

I'll try all those things under the bonnet you mentioned in the post above that next weekend when I have the time, but out of those three - is there anything I can do to help further diagnose it?

[the shadow]

Hi,

I posted this in the audio/video/electronics forum but it doesn't seem to get much traffic! Would be very happy if anyone could come up with some ideas?

***

I’m having a bit of a problem with my 2001 Avensis (old shape). Went to turn it on last night and although the car started fine and the headlights work, almost none of the interior electrics are working – the dial lights, stereo, climate control, central locking, indicators, (aftermarket) Parrot kit, lighter socket, and rear lights are what I’ve found dead so far. The hazards and dome light were fine. I left the car running for about ten minutes and once or twice the whole lot flickered back into life for a few seconds but seemed like it was struggling for power, then cut out again. I checked all the fuses and relays in the interior box that houses those circuits but all are fine, although every now and then a high pitched whining was coming from the fuse area. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing the problem? I’m going to try it again tonight in the hope it’s magically fixed itself but I don’t hold out much hope. Any help gratefully appreciated!

hello, wiggle the ignition key a bit and see what happens. the electrical switch on the back of the barrel used to fail because of a worn spindle inside the housing of the barrel assembly. just might be that.

[cmia]

Hi,

I posted this in the audio/video/electronics forum but it doesn't seem to get much traffic! Would be very happy if anyone could come up with some ideas?

***

I’m having a bit of a problem with my 2001 Avensis (old shape). Went to turn it on last night and although the car started fine and the headlights work, almost none of the interior electrics are working – the dial lights, stereo, climate control, central locking, indicators, (aftermarket) Parrot kit, lighter socket, and rear lights are what I’ve found dead so far. The hazards and dome light were fine. I left the car running for about ten minutes and once or twice the whole lot flickered back into life for a few seconds but seemed like it was struggling for power, then cut out again. I checked all the fuses and relays in the interior box that houses those circuits but all are fine, although every now and then a high pitched whining was coming from the fuse area. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing the problem? I’m going to try it again tonight in the hope it’s magically fixed itself but I don’t hold out much hope. Any help gratefully appreciated!

hello, wiggle the ignition key a bit and see what happens. the electrical switch on the back of the barrel used to fail because of a worn spindle inside the housing of the barrel assembly. just might be that.

ignition barrel faliure = put key in and it dont turn.

You know when u took the dash off near the steering coloum, you should have seen a black box with a volume type nob what is it set to ?

[ASbardella]

You know when u took the dash off near the steering coloum, you should have seen a black box with a volume type nob what is it set to ?

I didn't actually take the dash off - I only needed to remove the coin tray to get at the fusebox (well, at least the one that had all the internal fuses according to the manual - is there another one there?). What should I be looking for?

[cmia]

You know when u took the dash off near the steering coloum, you should have seen a black box with a volume type nob what is it set to ?

I didn't actually take the dash off - I only needed to remove the coin tray to get at the fusebox (well, at least the one that had all the internal fuses according to the manual - is there another one there?). What should I be looking for?

you need to take dash off, and look at the fuse unit its self and the relay box below that.

[cmia]

sounds like

three things,

1- you have a bad earth

2 - you battery has a short inside

3 - main power relay fault

WHen you have your hazards flashing, do u still get the "tick tock, tick tock" noise?

Hi cmia,

Thanks so much for trying to help me out! I do indeed get the tick tock noise. When I went to open it just now, everything actually seemed perfect - central locking worked, interior electrics fine - til I turned the key, and it very briefly tried to turn over then started clicking again. After that it seemed like the Battery was drained because it went back to being dim interior lights and not turning over at all.

I'll try all those things under the bonnet you mentioned in the post above that next weekend when I have the time, but out of those three - is there anything I can do to help further diagnose it?

ok the clicking again could be the starter motor soloide

Have you got a Battery charger ?

If not ask around, charge the Battery (remove it from the car)

then put the batter back in and make sure u have it in gear and you rock the car back and forward.

then try to start.

If the battery is bad then you will be putting all electrical items under load = problems to electrics.

do this before you do anything now

[ASbardella]

ok the clicking again could be the starter motor soloide

Have you got a battery charger ?

If not ask around, charge the battery (remove it from the car)

then put the batter back in and make sure u have it in gear and you rock the car back and forward.

then try to start.

If the battery is bad then you will be putting all electrical items under load = problems to electrics.

do this before you do anything now

OK, will do! Although, it's an Auto, so I imagine that's a little different (and complicated...)?

[t-spiritpete]

ok the clicking again could be the starter motor soloide

Have you got a battery charger ?

If not ask around, charge the battery (remove it from the car)

then put the batter back in and make sure u have it in gear and you rock the car back and forward.

then try to start.

If the battery is bad then you will be putting all electrical items under load = problems to electrics.

do this before you do anything now

OK, will do! Although, it's an Auto, so I imagine that's a little different (and complicated...)?

Jump start leads or try (borrow) another Battery?!? You will know you can't tow start it I assume.

Pete.

[ASbardella]

Jump start leads or try (borrow) another battery?!? You will know you can't tow start it I assume.

Pete.

Yeah, I was more wondering about the "rocking back and forth" part - I assume I can just use the shift lock override to put it into drive and then do the same thing.

[ASbardella]

OK! With the Battery fully charged it started back up just fine, so we can rule out the starter being broken :) However, we are now back to square one with regard to the electrics :( I'm going to try checking all the relays etc as mentioned above in the next hour or so.

[ASbardella]

OK checked all the fuses and relays, no obvious problems there. One slightly odd thing is that a fuse location that should have been empty (as listed in the manual) had a 15 in there (which didn't really fit flush). When I took this out, the dials, odometer etc. lost power. Put it back in and they came back on. Huh??

Also found the volume switch, but it doesn't seem to have any sort of indication of where the switch is, and I can't really move it.

[cmia]

if the fuse is not fitting in flush

You need to investigate WHY bad contacts can cause issues.

if the fuse is not of the right size could explain why..

[ASbardella]

if the fuse is not fitting in flush

You need to investigate WHY bad contacts can cause issues.

if the fuse is not of the right size could explain why..

Surely the reason it doesn't fit properly is because it's not supposed to have a fuse in there in the first place? It seems more like a quirk than anything, the fuse has been in there for at least 2 years to my knowledge without an issue. Also when I took it out, the other internal stuff didn't fix itself unfortunately.

[cmia]

OK checked all the fuses and relays, no obvious problems there. One slightly odd thing is that a fuse location that should have been empty (as listed in the manual) had a 15 in there (which didn't really fit flush). When I took this out, the dials, odometer etc. lost power. Put it back in and they came back on. Huh??

thats what you typed.

picture please.