Yaris not starting

[Philip321]

Hi, 

First post on this forum. 

Hope someone can help with some suggestions, drove to the store Friday evening, no problems. Saturday morning, got in, tried to start and there was just this awful rattle. Sounded like the starter trying to engage, but the engine didnt crank. Just like something spinning around and around knocking against something else. 

 

Never had trouble with my Yaris before. Has around 112 000km on the clock. No major problems since I bought the car at 56 000km, and none with previous owner I know of.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[alan333]

First thoughts would be the starter.  There's a 'cog' on the starter which 'jumps' an inch outwards to engage the flywheel teeth.  If the cog doesn't jump out it just spins in it's home position and makes a whine noise.  If it jumps partially out it'll give a noise like you describe as it jumps in/out slightly and rattles against some teeth.  Alternatively the teeth on either the cog or the flywheel could be damaged/broken.

[RUToyota]

Yep..agree....^^^^...sounds like a duff starter motor to me.

Not the end of the world and it can be easily replaced without too much fuss or expense.

[Philip321]

Thanks, sounds like the general opinion out there.

 

Just a thought, could it be the Battery? Weak-ish Battery, not properly activating solenoid pushing out the cog that engages the flywheel? Or maybe just the solenoid? Probably no way of knowing without testing, but if those suggestions sound ridiculous I'm just going to replace the starter without bothering testing Battery or first replacing the solenoid before I do the whole starter.

 

[Philip321]

Okay so Battery had a dead cell. Replaced Battery, all good.

[alan333]

Good result :)