Electronic/electricity breakdown

[Grink]

Hi! 
I am newly member and it’s my 1st message here but so far this site has been very helpful for me. Thank you. 
 

I have now a new issue on my 2005 2.0 vvti avensis. 
sometimes I just can’t start the engine. 
When I turn the key I have lights on the board and when I go to ignition, lights disappear and it’s just like there is no Battery at all in the car (Battery and charging circuit are good). It once started again after I pushed it aside the road. 
when it starts radio and clock are reset. 
 

any ideas or link to a similar topic ?

 

regards, from France. 
thaks a lot 

 

grink 

[Bper]

Hi Kevin,

Have a look at this post it may help with your issue.

https://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/8985-starting-problem/

 

[Phil T]

Check the Battery terminals are clean and tight no corrosion and have some grease dialectic or Vaseline on them

 

[Konrad C]

It could be the ignition switch at the base of the key barrel. It was a common problem with Toyotas, including my '98 Avensis. If you know what you are doing, or get an auto electrician, they can jump two wires to see if the starter will work. If the car starts, then the ignition switch has failed. If the starter does not work, and the Battery is good, check the main cable, connections and earth straps. 

 

[flash22]

Are your car keys on their own key ring, or do you have a bunch of keys if so, it's likely a worn ignition switch, next time jiggle the key in the ignition

[Gerg]

All good advice above.

This does sound like it might be a typical poor Battery connection problem (i.e. clock resetting), especially given that the age of the car means corrosion has likely been allowed to get into and underneath bolted connectors.

Where there are major connections, particularly the big diameter earth ones to the body or engine, then I would unbolt them and make sure they're still bright.  Clean them with a wire brush and/or abrasive paper. 

For safety, it would be worth disconnecting the Battery earth lead whilst you do this, just in case your wrench goes somewhere it shouldn't.

The tickover will be unsteady for a few minutes after the first startup as the engine ECU re-learns its parameters. This is normal.

[Grink]

Thank you all for your fast and good answers. 
I’ve been facing board lights recently (yellow engine one of course but also esp(?) off etc) so I did not even think about checking Battery connection ! I’ll do so tonight. 
And now I read you all I realize those yellow lights on the board after a very short engine failure…maybe allready the Battery thing  

i managed to switch off the lights thanks to obd terminal  

(my car key is alone on its own Toyota key ring;) !)

this is how I found the negative side of my Battery  (see pictures). Enough to break contact ?

I will clean this properly tomorrow, To be continued

thank you again, regards. 

[Gerg]

I've seen worse, but definitely worth cleaning, not least because it is so easy and cheap to do!  Don't forget the other end of this particular pictured wire, too.

Some people, when thinking of electrical theory, make a comparison to water flow.  It sometimes help to consider it this way.

For current - think water flow 

For voltage - think water pressure

In a hose pipe, if you have a moderate kink in it (equivalent in a wire to some resistance/corrosion/bad connection), then it will work fine at low openings of the valve/sprayer at the end; so the pressure of the water (voltage) is maintained.

If the valve is opened wide at the end of the kinked hose (big flow requested - like starting the car engine), then the pressure (voltage) collapses because of the restriction.  So the 12v supply at the 'car' end collapses and your clock and radio reset themselves.

The problem could be something else of course.