in need of some help!!!

[aznofmuff]

hey guys, i have a 1.5 yaris 08 that i accidentally had a light crash into my own fence! can u believe that?! well anyways, the front bumper is a tad smacked in and everything else seems to be fine. all the mechanical controls are good but theres just one thing. i cant start the engine. i cant seem to get it to crank but i can turn the battery on and all the electronics work fine. can anyone help me?! i was thinking maybe one of the sensors sensed that i crashed and now it wont let me turn on the engine. many thanks!!!

[CTScott]

There is not a safety interlock that would prevent starting, so start by checking to make sure that the battery has enough of a charge to crank the starter. If it is OK, then check all of the fuses in the under hood and under dash fuse panels to see if perhaps you pinched a wire, causing a short and hence a popped fuse.

[aznofmuff]

thanks scotty i tried what you said but it still wont turn over. when i turn the key into ignition theres no cranking sound what so ever. i can just hear the battery hum. and the check engine and check oil lights are on. i checked the fuses but they all seem to be okay and theres still plenty of juice in the battery.

[ilikerice]

try jumping the starter.. basicly bypass the ignition. have the car in the "ON" position. hit the starter straight from the battery using a large guage wire.. connect it to the positive side battery and they touch the signal wire... *dont shock yourself*

you can rule out battery and starter like this.. if it does start that is..then look toward the ignition possible..

[CTScott]

thanks scotty i tried what you said but it still wont turn over. when i turn the key into ignition theres no cranking sound what so ever. i can just hear the battery hum. and the check engine and check oil lights are on. i checked the fuses but they all seem to be okay and theres still plenty of juice in the battery.

The hum may be the starter solenoid being energized, but not having enough juice to actually spin the starter. Either try measuring the battery voltage while attempting to crank (if the battery is low/bad it will drop below 9 Volts) or just try jump starting it with another car.

[DMZ]

Check the battery connections and the condition of the poles. They may have been jarred enough to loosen up or even (unlikely) break a pole loose.

[rick996]

That hum sounds like a weak battery like CTScott said. Most car parts places will check your battery for free.

[aznofmuff]

hey guys!! thanks a lot for all your suggestions. but i tried jump starting the car, checking the fuses and everything but it still doesnt wanna start. theres no cranking sound from the starter motor when i turn on the engine. i kinda hit the right front side of the yaris and the radiator was bent in by like 10 cms. I still got no idea of how i can get the old girl running again. when i start the key the check engine, check oil and battery lights stay on. I also tried a scantool on it but theres no codes. thanks in advance!

[CTScott]

hey guys!! thanks a lot for all your suggestions. but i tried jump starting the car, checking the fuses and everything but it still doesnt wanna start. theres no cranking sound from the starter motor when i turn on the engine. i kinda hit the right front side of the yaris and the radiator was bent in by like 10 cms. I still got no idea of how i can get the old girl running again. when i start the key the check engine, check oil and battery lights stay on. I also tried a scantool on it but theres no codes. thanks in advance!

The lights stay on until the ECM gets the "start" input. If you have a multimeter, the next thing to do is to start following the flow of current to see where it stops.

First: At the ignition switch connector, measure the voltage on the gray wire (with the ignition off)

[henry98]

if you tried all these suggestions given to you and you are unable to start it.why dont you check it properly and take the help of any technician.

[aznofmuff]

hey scott, i just got a multimeter. how would i go about checking the flow of current. im kinda of a noob at these automotive thingy mabobs. is there a link with some diagrams you could link me with. many thanks

[CTScott]

hey scott, i just got a multimeter. how would i go about checking the flow of current. im kinda of a noob at these automotive thingy mabobs. is there a link with some diagrams you could link me with. many thanks

First measurement is the battery - Flip up the red cover on the positive terminal, so you can see the battery post.

1. Put the red meter lead on the + terminal and the black one on the - terminal of the battery. Measure the voltage:

2. Have someone else turn the key while you are still measuring. Record the lowest value that you see while they are turning the key:

3. Pop the cover on the under-hood fuse box. Locate the large violet wire in the center of the connector. Touch the red lead to the exposed metal on the pin of the violet wire and the black lead to the negative terminal of the battery.

Measure the voltage:

Have someone turn the key and record the voltage seen while they are turning the key:

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Misc%20Yaris/CA1.jpg

[aznofmuff]

hey scott i tried what you said and both of them i get no voltage change what so ever. i know for one the ignition switch isnt busted since the radio turns off when i crank. but thats about it, could it be that i busted my starter motor? can the starter motor have gotten damaged when i crashed?

[CTScott]

hey scott i tried what you said and both of them i get no voltage change what so ever. i know for one the ignition switch isnt busted since the radio turns off when i crank. but thats about it, could it be that i busted my starter motor? can the starter motor have gotten damaged when i crashed?

If the starter was damaged, it would still draw power, unless the wiring snapped off of it.

On the ignition switch connector, measure each of the wires with respect to ground with the key "OFF", "ON", and with holding the key in "START"

[aznofmuff]

hey scott, i took off the starter motor and the solenoid, i put 12v to the starter and it works. but when i applied it to the solenoid nothing happens. is there a way that i can if the solenoid or the wiring to the solenoid is faulty? thanks in advance

[CTScott]

hey scott, i took off the starter motor and the solenoid, i put 12v to the starter and it works. but when i applied it to the solenoid nothing happens. is there a way that i can if the solenoid or the wiring to the solenoid is faulty? thanks in advance

On the solenoid, measure the resistance between the pin that the violet wire connects to and the large bolt terminal. The resistance should be less than 2 ohms.

[aznofmuff]

hey scott i tested the solenoid and i get around 0.6 - 0.9 ohms. so what does that mean?! many thanks again!!!

[CTScott]

hey scott i tested the solenoid and i get around 0.6 - 0.9 ohms. so what does that mean?! many thanks again!!!

It means that it is good. Take the measurements that I asked for in post #14 above next.

[aznofmuff]

oh kool thanks!!! sorry scott what is the ignition switch connector?! can u provide a picture of sorts?! thanks so much for being so helpful, i dont even know who you are!!! =D sorry im not very bright thanks a million again!!

[CTScott]

It's the one that plugs into the base of the ignition switch. The lower one in this pic with the pink, yellow, grey, black, green, and white wires.

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Headlights%20w%20Key/KeyswitchConnector.jpg

[aznofmuff]

so what do i do with the multimeter? do i measure the current or the voltage or the resistance?! id so how do i measure the voltagee without the battery and etc... thanks again!

[CTScott]

so what do i do with the multimeter? do i measure the current or the voltage or the resistance?! id so how do i measure the voltagee without the battery and etc... thanks again!

Voltage. Stick the tip of the red lead into the back of the connector, touching the metal of the pin while holding the tip of the black lead to a ground (the metal body of the key switch is fine as the ground).

Measure first with the ignition off and key out and then a second time with the key in and rotated to start. Record the voltage seen on each color wire in both of those modes.

[aznofmuff]

hey scott, these are the measurements i recorded for the wires.
GREY [ 14.4v off, 14.4v on, 14.4 v start]
YELLOW [ 14.4 off, 14.4 on, 14.4 start]
BLACK [0v off, 0.01 v on, 14.4 v start]
PINK [0v off, 14.3 on, 14.4 start ]
WHITe [0 off, 14.33 on, 0 start]
GREEN [0 v off, 14.43 on, 14.43 start]

thanks!

[CTScott]

hey scott, these are the measurements i recorded for the wires.
GREY [ 14.4v off, 14.4v on, 14.4 v start]
YELLOW [ 14.4 off, 14.4 on, 14.4 start]
BLACK [0v off, 0.01 v on, 14.4 v start]
PINK [0v off, 14.3 on, 14.4 start ]
WHITe [0 off, 14.33 on, 0 start]
GREEN [0 v off, 14.43 on, 14.43 start]

thanks!

OK - That is all correct.

What I would like you to do next is to swap two relays for me in the under hood fuse panel, to see if the ST relay is bad.

In the diagram below of the fuse box there is the "HTR SUB1" Relay and the *10 Relay (which is the "ST" relay). They are both the same type of relay, so you can safely switch them for a test. Swap them and then try to start it.


42665

[aznofmuff]

hey scott, i just went to look at the fuse book and i dont have the hrb sub 2 relay. just the st relay. i took the st relay to have a look and its got what looks like black ink around the metal connects, is this normal? and is there anything else i can do?! thankssss again for the help

[CTScott]

hey scott, i just went to look at the fuse book and i dont have the hrb sub 2 relay. just the st relay. i took the st relay to have a look and its got what looks like black ink around the metal connects, is this normal? and is there anything else i can do?! thankssss again for the help


HTR SUB1 is only on Yaris with the supplemental heater, so some don't have it.

The black is normal on the base of the contacts. If you have a 9 volt battery on hand you can touch it to the two contacts on the left side of the picture below. When you do so the relay should click.

http://images.wrenchead.com/smartpages/partinfo_resize/DUS/E1729A.jpg

[aznofmuff]

hey scottt i tried putting a 9v battery t the relay and i don't hear anything!!! does this mean that the relay is broken?!!?! thankss again!!!!!!

[CTScott]

hey scottt i tried putting a 9v battery t the relay and i don't hear anything!!! does this mean that the relay is broken?!!?! thankss again!!!!!!

It likely does. Mine clicks loudly when I do it. Do you have fog lights? If so, you can swap that relay, which is on the side of the under-dash fuse panel.

[aznofmuff]

ohh nevermind it does click... my bad sorry. so what should i do now?!

[CTScott]

ohh nevermind it does click... my bad sorry. so what should i do now?!

Put the relay back in, put your ear right against it, and have someone else turn the key to the start position and see if it clicks while in circuit.

[aznofmuff]

hey scott yeah it does click when the ignition is turned on. what should i check next/!?!! many thanks yet again!!

[CTScott]

hey scott yeah it does click when the ignition is turned on. what should i check next/!?!! many thanks yet again!!

Is that one clicking when the key is turned to "START" or is one clicking when it is turned to "ON"?

If that one is definitely the clicking one, then the next thing to try is to pull the relay and using a piece of wire, jump the other two contacts on the relay socket (other two from the ones that you touched the battery to above). Don't fully insert the wire in to the two terminals, but rather just touch it between them,

When you do so, it will make a good spark and theoretically the starter should spin.

[aznofmuff]

stil nothing... i put the wire across and started the engine but it doesnt wanna do anything... is there anything else u can recommend?! thanks again

[CTScott]

stil nothing... i put the wire across and started the engine but it doesnt wanna do anything... is there anything else u can recommend?! thanks again

With the relay out, measure the voltage between each of those terminals on the relay socket and the negative post of the battery.

Also measure the voltage between the huge wire on the stater and a ground (like the engine block).

[lablab]

If I were you, go the nearest auto shop and let the professional handle it. It might worsen the case if you yourself will touch it,.