2007 Toyota Avensis II 1.6l petrol is not starting, further details in the rest of the post

November 2, 2022

Hello. This is my first post to the forum, so if this doesn't follow a required format or rules then I'm sorry, but I'm just annoyed right now and would like to vent a bit while simultaneously searching for advice. So I just bought my first car at 20 years old, a 2007 Toyota Avensis II 1.6l petrol. I've only had it for 5 days, and I've already encountered my first major problem. I took it out for a drive to a spot about 10 minutes for my house only a few hours ago. When I started it up at my house it started just fine, even on a cold start. I got to the spot without incident, got out, went on a walk for about an hour, and when I came back I turned the key just once to get the heating going, and the lights on. I sat there like that for only about a minute until I tried to turn the key fully, and the car wouldn't start. I heard a grinding or a clicking noise coming from somewhere within the dash (I know the word "grinding" in relation to cars is never good, but it sounded "plasticy" and it was coming from a distinct location) , and *all* of the warning lights turned on in the dash (check engine light, Battery light, oil light, power steering light, all the works). I don't think I heard any of the pistons moving or the sound of any combustion, but I don't know enough mechanically to know that for sure. I kept trying to start the engine (yes, I know it's probably not good to keep pushing it but I just couldn't accept that this was happening at that point in time and thought if I just kept trying it would eventually work). But no, the same thing just kept happening, clicking/grinding noise, entire dash lights up, but the headlights and the heating turned on anyway. So I had to call my dad to come pick me up, I just went back home with him and left the car at the spot (it's pretty secluded and in an area that it's extremely unlikely to be stolen or messed with), and here I am typing this as a way to vent my frustration and try get some advice. The thing that scares me the most is all of the warning lights on the dash coming on. Did I seriously break everything in the car? It was working perfectly fine when I drove it down there, and I swear on everything that is good that I drove it down there perfectly normally, I drove it very easily (as I always do in these times of high petrol prices), and I didn't damage it in any way on the drive down. I also didn't leave the headlights on or any interior lights on. I also didn't leave the key in the ignition or anything like that. All I did was have the headlights and heating on for a maximum of two minutes without fully starting the car when I got in. Is that seriously enough to drain the Battery or something? Or did my starter motor give out in the time between I first departed and tried to head off again? I know it's a 15 year old car, but I was always told that toyotas are reliable, and the guy I bought it off didn't seem shady, two mechanics looked at it and said it would be alright for at least two more years (I was hoping to get more than that out of it, and definitely more than a week), and it passed the NCT before I bought it (Irish version of the MOT, basically the same thing). So why is it having this major problem only 5 days after I bought it? I spent €1800 on the car itself and over €1500 on insurance and tax, so I really don't need this nonsense at the moment. I didn't try jump starting it when my dad came to collect me, because I don't think he keeps jumper cables in his car, and also the Battery is covered by a plastic piece which is bolted on. Also I kind of just wanted to get the f away from the car at that moment cause it really ****** me off. Anyway, sorry for the rant, but if anyone has any advice that could help I'd really appreciate it. I didn't take any pictures or videos of the situation, for the same reason of being too ****** off at the moment.

November 2, 2022

36 minutes ago, AtomiK_ said:

Hello. This is my first post to the forum, so if this doesn't follow a required format or rules then I'm sorry, but I'm just annoyed right now and would like to vent a bit while simultaneously searching for advice. So I just bought my first car at 20 years old, a 2007 Toyota Avensis II 1.6l petrol. I've only had it for 5 days, and I've already encountered my first major problem. I took it out for a drive to a spot about 10 minutes for my house only a few hours ago. When I started it up at my house it started just fine, even on a cold start. I got to the spot without incident, got out, went on a walk for about an hour, and when I came back I turned the key just once to get the heating going, and the lights on. I sat there like that for only about a minute until I tried to turn the key fully, and the car wouldn't start. I heard a grinding or a clicking noise coming from somewhere within the dash (I know the word "grinding" in relation to cars is never good, but it sounded "plasticy" and it was coming from a distinct location) , and *all* of the warning lights turned on in the dash (check engine light, battery light, oil light, power steering light, all the works). I don't think I heard any of the pistons moving or the sound of any combustion, but I don't know enough mechanically to know that for sure. I kept trying to start the engine (yes, I know it's probably not good to keep pushing it but I just couldn't accept that this was happening at that point in time and thought if I just kept trying it would eventually work). But no, the same thing just kept happening, clicking/grinding noise, entire dash lights up, but the headlights and the heating turned on anyway. So I had to call my dad to come pick me up, I just went back home with him and left the car at the spot (it's pretty secluded and in an area that it's extremely unlikely to be stolen or messed with), and here I am typing this as a way to vent my frustration and try get some advice. The thing that scares me the most is all of the warning lights on the dash coming on. Did I seriously break everything in the car? It was working perfectly fine when I drove it down there, and I swear on everything that is good that I drove it down there perfectly normally, I drove it very easily (as I always do in these times of high petrol prices), and I didn't damage it in any way on the drive down. I also didn't leave the headlights on or any interior lights on. I also didn't leave the key in the ignition or anything like that. All I did was have the headlights and heating on for a maximum of two minutes without fully starting the car when I got in. Is that seriously enough to drain the battery or something? Or did my starter motor give out in the time between I first departed and tried to head off again? I know it's a 15 year old car, but I was always told that toyotas are reliable, and the guy I bought it off didn't seem shady, two mechanics looked at it and said it would be alright for at least two more years (I was hoping to get more than that out of it, and definitely more than a week), and it passed the NCT before I bought it (Irish version of the MOT, basically the same thing). So why is it having this major problem only 5 days after I bought it? I spent €1800 on the car itself and over €1500 on insurance and tax, so I really don't need this nonsense at the moment. I didn't try jump starting it when my dad came to collect me, because I don't think he keeps jumper cables in his car, and also the battery is covered by a plastic piece which is bolted on. Also I kind of just wanted to get the f away from the car at that moment cause it really ****** me off. Anyway, sorry for the rant, but if anyone has any advice that could help I'd really appreciate it. I didn't take any pictures or videos of the situation, for the same reason of being too ****** off at the moment.

sorry to hear bud im not sure if there timing belt engines but suppose the best way is to jump the car and see if it starts as might just be a Battery on its way out and suppose if it clicks just maybe the starter but starters kina you would notice them going out and getting weaker so im not sure if dont start with a jump r jump leads and the starter is ok im thinking could maybe be a snapped timing belt is it possible to take off a bit of the timing belt to look in and see if its ok .

November 2, 2022

UPDATE: After a bit of research, one of the diagnoses that fits best with my situation is that there is a problem with the immobiliser system. The main thing that draws me to that conclusion is that the immobiliser light on the dash was on, as it is in all of the videos that cover this problem that I've seen. This picture isn't exactly from my car as I said I didn't take any pictures, but this is exactly what it looked like (except the defogging and immobiser thing and the cupholder are switched in the right hand drive versions in the UK and Ireland), and I'm not sure if I've ever seen that light on before this happened. So yeah, if anybody has any further information regarding this that could help, I'd really appreciate it.

November 3, 2022

9 minutes ago, 2009joe said:

sorry to hear bud im not sure if there timing belt engines but suppose the best way is to jump the car and see if it starts as might just be a battery on its way out and suppose if it clicks just maybe the starter but starters kina you would notice them going out and getting weaker so im not sure if dont start with a jump r jump leads and the starter is ok im thinking could maybe be a snapped timing belt is it possible to take off a bit of the timing belt to look in and see if its ok .

Thanks for the reply, it's definitely not a timing belt (thankfully) cause when I looked under the bonnet the timing belt was perfectly intact. I'll try jump start it tomorrow, hopefully that works. If it doesn't I'll just have to get it towed to a mechanic. But I really would not like to do that after only owning the car for less than a week.

November 3, 2022

1 hour ago, AtomiK_ said:

Hello. This is my first post to the forum, so if this doesn't follow a required format or rules then I'm sorry, but I'm just annoyed right now and would like to vent a bit while simultaneously searching for advice. So I just bought my first car at 20 years old, a 2007 Toyota Avensis II 1.6l petrol. I've only had it for 5 days, and I've already encountered my first major problem. I took it out for a drive to a spot about 10 minutes for my house only a few hours ago. When I started it up at my house it started just fine, even on a cold start. I got to the spot without incident, got out, went on a walk for about an hour, and when I came back I turned the key just once to get the heating going, and the lights on. I sat there like that for only about a minute until I tried to turn the key fully, and the car wouldn't start. I heard a grinding or a clicking noise coming from somewhere within the dash (I know the word "grinding" in relation to cars is never good, but it sounded "plasticy" and it was coming from a distinct location) , and *all* of the warning lights turned on in the dash (check engine light, battery light, oil light, power steering light, all the works). I don't think I heard any of the pistons moving or the sound of any combustion, but I don't know enough mechanically to know that for sure. I kept trying to start the engine (yes, I know it's probably not good to keep pushing it but I just couldn't accept that this was happening at that point in time and thought if I just kept trying it would eventually work). But no, the same thing just kept happening, clicking/grinding noise, entire dash lights up, but the headlights and the heating turned on anyway. So I had to call my dad to come pick me up, I just went back home with him and left the car at the spot (it's pretty secluded and in an area that it's extremely unlikely to be stolen or messed with), and here I am typing this as a way to vent my frustration and try get some advice. The thing that scares me the most is all of the warning lights on the dash coming on. Did I seriously break everything in the car? It was working perfectly fine when I drove it down there, and I swear on everything that is good that I drove it down there perfectly normally, I drove it very easily (as I always do in these times of high petrol prices), and I didn't damage it in any way on the drive down. I also didn't leave the headlights on or any interior lights on. I also didn't leave the key in the ignition or anything like that. All I did was have the headlights and heating on for a maximum of two minutes without fully starting the car when I got in. Is that seriously enough to drain the battery or something? Or did my starter motor give out in the time between I first departed and tried to head off again? I know it's a 15 year old car, but I was always told that toyotas are reliable, and the guy I bought it off didn't seem shady, two mechanics looked at it and said it would be alright for at least two more years (I was hoping to get more than that out of it, and definitely more than a week), and it passed the NCT before I bought it (Irish version of the MOT, basically the same thing). So why is it having this major problem only 5 days after I bought it? I spent €1800 on the car itself and over €1500 on insurance and tax, so I really don't need this nonsense at the moment. I didn't try jump starting it when my dad came to collect me, because I don't think he keeps jumper cables in his car, and also the battery is covered by a plastic piece which is bolted on. Also I kind of just wanted to get the f away from the car at that moment cause it really ****** me off. Anyway, sorry for the rant, but if anyone has any advice that could help I'd really appreciate it. I didn't take any pictures or videos of the situation, for the same reason of being too ****** off at the moment.

First thing to rule out is a low Battery, as that is the most likely cause. A low Battery can cause all sorts of clicking noises from starter trying to engage, and flashing warning lights. Try jump starting the car.

With regards to the immobiliser, that little red light should always be flashing, except for when the key is in the ignition, then it should not illuminate.

Also with your comment about the timing belt, your car does not have a timing belt, but uses a timing chain. This chain is not visible as it is inside the engine. The belt that you see down the left side of the engine is the accessory belt. It is used to drive the alternator, A/C, etc.