Avensis Won't Start

[durham_lad]

I’ve got a 53 plate Avensis T4 Diesel with about 80k on the clock.

For the past few weeks starting it has been a problem, especially from warm. It turns over, but just doesn’t fire up. Couple of Saturdays back, it wouldn’t start at all, turned it over till the Battery was just about flat, called the AA out then retired and it started. I took the car to the dealer on the Monday, who plugged it in to the PC, showed no faults. Car wouldn’t fail to start on a run by the ‘mechanic’. They gave me it back suggesting it might be the starter motor!!

Yesterday in Kent same issue, this time the AA came out, and couldn’t get it to start either. It was recovered from Kent back to the Dealer (Minories) in Durham.

Any one had any other similar issues, or recommendations for when I go to speak to the dealer? :ffs:

[Bosnjo]

For the past few weeks starting it has been a problem, especially from warm.

There have been some posts over the same issue. I suggest going to independent garage that has equipment for measuring compression in cylinders. Usualy it happens when compression gets lower. The garage should tell you what compression value is expected from your car and what car shows after measuring.

[durham_lad]

I have to go to the main dealer, as it is a company car. If it is a compression issue, surely they can check that. If it is what's the cause?

When it's trying to start, it's more like it's starved of fuel as when it's turning over can't see any exhaust emissions

[Bosnjo]

If there was fuel alimentation problem, once it starts it would have running problems, but if engine works fine after start I wouldn't point the fuel as a problem.

There are many cars (usualy diesel) with compression problem. As the engine gets hot, materials expand so compression drops further.

If there was compression problem it's not easy to fix.

Try to make sure that main dealer does compression check.

The other possible problem would be "Bosch PUMP", which is the "heart" of any diesel engine. If that pump was broken it has to be changed or fixed in some shops that do that kind of work.

[durham_lad]

After visiting the garage, they claim it is the starter moter and will cost approx £450 to fix (£315 of which is the starter motor from Toyota). Apparently the starter motor is turning the car over, but it won't run because the starter motor won't disengage.

This make sense to anyone?

[selfbuild]

Apparently the starter motor is turning the car over, but it won't run because the starter motor won't disengage.

What a load of cr@p!!!

If the starter motor won't disengage once it has started the engine, then it will make a high pitched whining noise. I had a rover that done that and the only way to stop it was to hit it with a bar once it had started until I got a new starter motor for it.

If it is turning over and not firing then it is either a fuel problem or a compression problem.

[silverav1]

Diesels need power to start...if the batteries good...and the starter motor works fine...then and only then do you check it's a fuel feed or compression problem. Cos a even a slightly discharged Battery wont have the power to start a diesel engine. And it's a darn sight cheaper on time, energy and the green stuff to check that first. Hook it up to another car/battery (one which you know is good) to make sure.

If it still doesn't start, it's worth checking out the starter...just in case.

Still don't start....take off the intake manifold, put a square bit of cardboard over the hole and get someone to crank the engine. If engine not sucky cardboard like Bangkok !Removed!, you have problem GI.

[durham_lad]

The Battery was/is/will be (delete as applicaple :) ) fine, it turned the car over for ages before it went dead. The AA bloke did take a hose off and stuck his hand over a bit while he had me turn the car over. He suspected that it was the fuel pump.

I was just really wondering if there were other people who'd had the same problem. I thought it might be one of those things where the garage has seen this thing dozens of times before (they did say they knew that's what the problem was as they had seen it happen before).

I think that company cars are an easy source of money for garages, as the driver usually pays whatever the cost is. In the past month mine has had new brkes, discs and timing belt.

[dazgetz]

Hi, dont know too much about the avensis engine, but, I used to have a Cavalier that had exactly the same fault and it was the immobilser on the alarm that had gone faulty. Car would run fine once started and would only show the fault once or twice a week but !Removed! annoying when it did. Was going to cost £600+ to repair so traded it in for my Avensis.

Hope this helps

[durham_lad]

Picked the car up and seems to be working great, although I haven't been to far in it. Mind you, it's like a different car starting. Makes me wonder if the starter motor has been dodgy all the time I've had the car.

It cost £422 to be repaired. Spotted a new shiney bit at the front od the engine, not that big, doesn't seem value for money to me. ;)

[durham_lad]

Well the latest complaint with the car is that the Air con isn't working. The same this happened last year, and it turned out to be a snapped wire.

This year I have been told that it will cost in the region of £450 to repair. It is under 3 years old, but over the 60k warranty mileage limit (85k on the clock). Wrote to Toyota customer services, who basically said ‘get-lost’.

It’s a company car who will pay for the repairs, but I’ve really had enough of this car. Previous cars I’ve have been German, and think that’s what I’ll go back to. Even the Rover 420 I once had was a lot less bother than this Toyota. At least I had the opportunity to fill in the Top Gear Survey.