Car not starting

[Baxter01]

it is a 2011 Auris.

 

Was fine yesterday, then this afternoon I go to start it and it wont start.

Put foot on clutch and turn key. Sounds like starter motor kicks in, makes that whinning machine gun type sound and 2 times the car stuttered as if it might start, but usually noise stops after 6 seconds or so and car wont start, if i turn it to ignition again (without removing key first) it would even try to start ( no noise at all).  I have to remove key for a bit, try to start again, and the whinning noise startsagain for 6 secs or so then shuts off.  all electrics work in car.

checked Battery, Battery was about 12.4 cold and dropped slightly when electrics switched on, Battery appears ok and is only 10 months old.

serviced last month and have filters changed and fuel flush by toyota.

 

any clues on what could be wrong?

 

 

[fordulike]

Battery needs to be load tested to check it's ok. You can't check it's condition by voltage alone. The starter motor requires a massive amount of amps to operate correctly.

Have you got road assistance, as they will check this as part of their diagnosis?

[Baxter01]

11 minutes ago, fordulike said:

Battery needs to be load tested to check it's ok. You can't check it's condition by voltage alone. The starter motor requires a massive amount of amps to operate correctly.

Have you got road assistance, as they will check this as part of their diagnosis?

i have rescue and key recovery with axa, but if they came out today and couldnt start it, being a sunday, i wouldnt be able to arrange for them to tow it to a garage.  They wont come out for the same problem twice so i would have to tow it tomorrow at my own expense if they couldnt start it today.  So will need to call again tomorrow instead.

cant see the Battery being at fault.  i know my car was left unlocked for about 7 hours yesterday by accident, checked handle when passing car at 10pm on way to shop and it was open, but nothing was left on in car, went and got key and started car fine, locked it and walked to the shop.  The stop and start system worked all yesterday morning which would suggest Battery was good

[Baxter01]

Weird one.  Rescue came out, checked Battery.  Battery was at 98% and charge at 77%.  Started first time when he tried it.

 

a lot off smoke came out the exhaust as i prob flooded it trying to get it to start.

 

why did it work this morning.

 

putting key in yesterday and switching on give a whining machine gun noise, and if i turned key again without removing it first i got nothing, no noise at all.

how could it just start today.

 

surely it cant be the Battery cos how can a Battery not be charged enough to start a car on Sunday and then be able to start the car the following day.

 

surely it has to be something else

[fordulike]

7 minutes ago, Baxter01 said:

Weird one.  Rescue came out, checked battery.  Battery was at 98% and charge at 77%

Don't quite understand the two different figures?

[Baxter01]

Battery health 98% and Battery charge 77%

[fordulike]

36 minutes ago, Baxter01 said:

Battery health 98% and battery charge 77%

Ok, odd your Battery is low charge though. Alternator perhaps.

[Baxter01]

But thats from this morning so surely trying to start it yesterday again and again would have decreased the batterys charge so why start today and not yesterday

[fordulike]

Batteries do slightly recover after a period of rest. I would personally charge the Battery back up to 100% using an external charger. If the car starts ok, then the engine will be running to check out the alternator voltage, which I believe should be between 13.5 - 14.5 volts.

[fordulike]

I apologize for me changing the figures in my post above. Different internet searches state different values. I would say definitely above 13 volts with fans on full and rear demister on.

This is to put a good load on the charging system, as it should adjust the amps available to compensate. If the voltage drops badly, then suspect a dodgy alternator or loose drive belt.

[craggle]

How much fuel do you have in the tank? 

I have a 1.33 iQ and have essentially run out of fuel a couple of times. Both times were when the tank was low but still had one or two bars on the gauge, the low warning, flashing bar was not flashing at the time. 

I pressed the clutch, pressed the start button and heard the wine of the fuel pump which I normally don't hear. The engine spun over but no life. Tried a few times with the accelerator pressed to the floor and on the 4th or 5th time it spluttered into life with smoke and rough running for a few seconds. 

I had the same again when I started the car from cold, moved it a few feet away from the garage door and turned it off again. 30 minutes later try to start it and no chance, engine spinning but no life until pressing the accelerator again and trying a few times.

I can only assume the fuel pump tried sucking fuel to prime the fuel rail before starting but it got a gulp of air from the surface of the fuel. Once the air is in the system it will take a while to clear it and get fuel back to where it's needed. 

I now make a point of filling up well before the last fuel bar is left.

Craig.

[Gerg]

I wonder if you have a bad (i.e. corroded) earth connection to the body or engine?

If there is a slight resistance in an earth (or positive feed, for that matter), then when the car starter motor is connected the bad connection will get hot quickly, perhaps making the connection worse until it has cooled down?

(I am assuming the machine-gun sound is the Battery operating the starter motor solenoid (small current needed), which then tries to connect the starter motor windings (big current needed), a resistance is present somewhere (?) so when there is a big current draw there is a big voltage drop across the poor connection, so there is insufficient voltage to turn the starter now, so the solenoid disconnects, the voltage recovers, and the whole process starts again, rapidly).

If this were the case, you might try remaking (loosening then tightening up again) all the bolted electrical connectors on the Battery, starter motor and car body/engine. There won't be many, say 4, including the Battery terminals themselves.

For safety, it would be a good idea to disconnect the battery earth lead first to prevent any accidental short circuits.

Corroded connections can start out as intermittent failures.