Mmt/keyless Entry Starting Problem

[Phil0600]

Hi folks – advice needed, please:

Sorry this is a bit of a long post. I have a (nearly) 3½ years old Auris 1.6 T Spirit MMT which – apart from initial problems getting used to it’s quirky transmission – I’ve been very pleased with. It has always, without fail, started first time. That was, however, until today!

I got in, pressed the brake pedal and starter button (as usual); the engine continuously turned but would not start. The only way to stop the engine turning was to take my foot off the footbrake. As it has always started first time it was a weird experience pressing the start button and the engine just continuously turning. There were clouds of black smoke but it just wouldn’t start. I did notice, though, that there was no movement in the brake pedal – it just felt solid (is this significant?)

After getting out of the car, locking it and un-locking it and trying again, it still wouldn’t start. Eventually, after leaving it for an hour and trying again, it eventually started to splutter and a few seconds later finally started accompanied by massive smoke clouds!

Some further background info: I took the car to the carwash on Friday and it has been garaged for the last three days. I always apply the handbrake in the garage out of habit and I’ve noticed previously that when the brakes have been wet immediately before it’s been garaged for a few days (with the handbrake on) that when I reverse out of the garage there is frequently a loud 'snatching' sound from the rear wheels which, I have always assumed, is where the brakes have become stuck to the drum/disc because of the moisture.

Rightly or wrongly, I’m connecting the brake pedal being ‘solid’ (i.e., having no movement) with the starting problem.

Sorry this is such a lengthy post, but if you’ve taken the time to read it, I’d be grateful for any thoughts/advice.

Many thanks

Phil

[Jan&tone]

Hi there

Can't help with the starting, but I never put the handbrake on in the garage for just that reason, especially if I've just driven in the rain or washed the car!

[Phil0600]

Thanks Jan&tone for the reply. I think you’re probably right about applying the handbrake in the garage when the wheels are wet.

In relation to the difficulty starting, I suppose the keyless entry/push-button start/multimode transmission combination is probably not one that many posters here have experience of. As far as I know it was only on the M/M T Spirit.

As a non-mechanic/technician, I can only assume that the problem starting either had something to do with (a) the rear brakes sticking (as there was no movement in the brake pedal) - strange, though, that it had never happened before and also that the handbrake is nearly always on when I start the car; or (B) a micro-switch somewhere sticking.

Hopefully it was a one-off, but without knowing why it happened, it does tend to knock your confidence in the car - as you’re waiting for it to happen again!

[ashpole]

Hi folks – advice needed, please:

Sorry this is a bit of a long post. I have a (nearly) 3½ years old Auris 1.6 T Spirit MMT which – apart from initial problems getting used to it's quirky transmission – I've been very pleased with. It has always, without fail, started first time. That was, however, until today!

I got in, pressed the brake pedal and starter button (as usual); the engine continuously turned but would not start. The only way to stop the engine turning was to take my foot off the footbrake. As it has always started first time it was a weird experience pressing the start button and the engine just continuously turning. There were clouds of black smoke but it just wouldn't start. I did notice, though, that there was no movement in the brake pedal – it just felt solid (is this significant?)

After getting out of the car, locking it and un-locking it and trying again, it still wouldn't start. Eventually, after leaving it for an hour and trying again, it eventually started to splutter and a few seconds later finally started accompanied by massive smoke clouds!

Some further background info: I took the car to the carwash on Friday and it has been garaged for the last three days. I always apply the handbrake in the garage out of habit and I've noticed previously that when the brakes have been wet immediately before it's been garaged for a few days (with the handbrake on) that when I reverse out of the garage there is frequently a loud 'snatching' sound from the rear wheels which, I have always assumed, is where the brakes have become stuck to the drum/disc because of the moisture.

Rightly or wrongly, I'm connecting the brake pedal being 'solid' (i.e., having no movement) with the starting problem.

Sorry this is such a lengthy post, but if you've taken the time to read it, I'd be grateful for any thoughts/advice.

Many thanks

Phil

Sounds like the engine was damp and/or flooded. Flooring the accelerator (same action as we did in the '70s with our carbs!) tells the ECU to change the start-up parameters.

[forevered]

your brave having a out of warranty t spirit with the infamous mmt gearbox

keyless entry and start must be an expensive fix out of warranty,it put me off a t spirit.

mind you i havnt got room to talk all the problems ive had with my sr, thankfully have got a warranty till june next year,

thats when i will be nervous !

[Phil0600]

your brave having a out of warranty t spirit with the infamous mmt gearbox

keyless entry and start must be an expensive fix out of warranty,it put me off a t spirit.

mind you i havnt got room to talk all the problems ive had with my sr, thankfully have got a warranty till june next year,

thats when i will be nervous !

Thanks for your reply. I see where you’re coming from. I did take out an extra year’s warranty with Toyota so I’m covered for another six months. If it came to the crunch, however, I’m not completely confident that they wouldn’t try to wriggle out of their liability.

In relation to the car itself (apart from the starting problem a few weeks ago) I’ve been very pleased with it. I did have a lot of problems getting used to the quirky transmission at first (see previous posts) but I really enjoy driving it now – plus it doesn’t ‘sound’ like an automatic.

In relation to the keyless entry/push-button start, it’s become an absolute ‘must-have’ for me – just like power windows and air-conditioning did many years ago.

In fact it’s one of the reasons I’ve hung onto it. I’d have bought another new Auris MMT/CVT if it was still available with keyless entry (apart from the T Spirit HSD – which I’m not interested in for various reasons). Unfortunately, it’s not a commonly available feature with other manufacturers either – I’d be tempted by a Golf DSG if it had this option.

Sadly, for Toyota and me – because I’d prefer to support British car workers - I’m likely to be looking elsewhere in the not too distant future.

Phil