'06 tc, bone stock, 5sp less than 2 weeks old, full tank of gas and less than 350 miles on it.

I went to start it up today and it simply didnt start. The needles sweeped, all the lights went on (seatbelt, battery, maintenance, etc) but it didnt turn over. Taking the key out and putting it back in seemed to work.


I drove it home for lunch fine and when i got in to return to work, same thing. This bugged me so when I got to work, I shut the car down and tried starting it up and it wouldnt turn over about 10 out of 12 times. I went inside, called my dealership, arranged for a tow truck and after 10 minutes or so, I went back out and started the car. This time, it worked without any hesitation or problems about a dozen times.

So I called the dealer back and he basically said that they can't do much since its starting, but if it happens where it doesnt start again, to give them a call.


Has anyone had this happen? I am going to start the car once every hour for the rest of the day to see if it starts properly. A co-worker suggested that maybe it is the "exciter ring" ? I don't know enough about cars to know if that makes any sense or not, but I guess I am just curious if this has happened to anyone else.


Yes, its a 5sp, and yes I had the clutch all the way to the floor before and during starting the car. No, the wheels werent locked. I pulled straight in to the parking space.

 

Honestly that's really what it sounds like.

In situations where this has been the case - the car does just as you say... it turns "on" but does not turn over and does nothing more. Though it's possible that your clutch may need to be adjusted for that sensor. There is a very small sensor that I believe is actually on the pedal arm for this. This switch could be defective or out of place or something.

 

Mine sometimes seems to do that, but it usually has more to do with my own foot placement on the clutch pedal. If i only catch my toes on it when i press it down it doesnt start, I have to full-foot it.

 

the clutch sensor thing was gonna be my first suggestion. other than that, what about an issue with the transponder key? could that let the power come on without starting the engine or would the power not come on either? one thing you could do Fm_Tc, is put the key in the ignition and check that little flashing light by the cigarette lighter and make sure it goes out when you put your key in the ignition. there's also a section in the owners manual with a few things to keep in mind about the transponder key. it might be worth a look.

 

Thanks everyone. I can always count on the scionlife community to be quick with a response.

 

don't feel special, it's just because I'm at work and too lazy to actually do anything!

 

If you ever find out what really happened with your car, please come back here and post so we all can learn.

 

i was going to suggest this too, but you beat me to it. lol jk.

 

If it turns out to be anything other than what was already suggested, I will definately update this thread so that others may reference it as well.

I've gone out twice since then and she started up flawlessly.

So, I don't know. Maybe my floor mat was bunched up under the clutch slightly.

Again, thanks everyone.

 

if you have your AC on it doesn't turn...

turn off all electrical systems and then try turning your engine.

 

IMO you're all off track. I don't see how he could have NOT been depressing the clutch all they way..and if it is a problem with the sensor, why would it have started up a few times???

IMO this is probably related to the "sluggish morning start" thread.

 

And you don't think it might be possible that the sensor is just bad enough to occasionally work? Or even like he said himself, maybe the floormat was bunched up under the clutch and didn't let it go down all the way.

The reason this probably isn't a "sluggish" start is b/c it's not starting at all... it's not doing anything other than turning the guages on.

 

im a noob at stickshifts's but cant u turn on the car while the gear is in neutral and not have to press the clutch?

 

no the clutch has to be depressed unless you have a remote start system. then you can turn the key without depressing the clutch.

 

yea that used to happend to me the mat was a bit bunched up on the clutch so the car wouldnt turn on, moved the mat and it worked fine

 

The sluggish morning start is not even the same, or even similar, issue. His is not turning over at all. From all I have heard the "sluggish morning start" is a small percentage of people with a car that has trouble firing firs thing in the morning and a larger percentage who think that a car should just "jump" to life on the first half revolution or it is broken

If it were me I would first check the obvious and make sure you dont have an unhooked floormat up under the clutch arm so that you have to really have it pushed into it to operate the clutch switch.. probably not that, but doesnt hurt to check.

If not that, my next guess would be the clutch switch. Contrary to some belief ( ) that is EXACTLY how these types of things can fail. Something can be out of whack within the mechanism or just plain dirty and working intermittently. In the electronics and auto work I have done I have seen some very strange things act up intermittently. If it is not that, the ignition switch could come into play, I have seen them work similar to this.

But no matter what it is, I would reproduce it and have the dealer look at it while it is broken so you arent coming out of pocket to fix it.

And the car will start with the AC on.

If I am not mistaken also (I will have to read it in the manual again) but I believe if the transponder is not working, the car will start and shut off in 2 seconds.

 

correct, 2 seconds and the car shuts off

 

first off, sorry to sound snooty..didn't mean to at all. was just in a ____y mood cuz my landlord is being a sob.

anyway, its just my own "hunch" that the two problems may be related. I don't think my car should jump to life on the first rev...but i KNOW that it starts much more sluggishly than it used to. Certainly feels like its not going to turn over for a second or two.

I just think you would realize if your clutch pedal wasn't going down all the way.

ha! NO car will NOT start with the ac on.

 

yes, cars will start with the ac on. thats not true. ive had my car autostart with the ac blasting numberous times. though not recommended, it will start.

 

yeah, if the transponder system itself was messed up the car would probably shut itself off, but I'm thinking of other things, like the owners manual mentions a couple of things that can interfere with it. might be worth taking a look at.

unlikely? yes, it's a long shot, but also easy to rule out. like I said, just keep an eye on the flashing light when you start your car. if it keeps flashing, the system hasn't been disabled.