ScionTexas

Hello!


I have a 2009 Scion xB with about 67,000 mileage that would not start. Issue started about 3 weeks ago, but once I removed the keys and tried again, it started up. I thought it was the battery so I got it replaced. Had no issues for about a week after the battery was replaced then all of a sudden, it will not start. There are no sounds of the car trying to start up but there is a humming or buzzing sound coming from the fuse box in the hood when the key is in the ON position. Interior lights, headlights, horn, radio are all working. There is half tank of fuel. Gear is in Parked position.


Here are few things that I've tried:

* Put the car in Neutral and tried to start, same issue

* Tried jump starting the car, still not will start

* I removed the Starter and took it to AutoZone and they tested it which came back passing.

* Tried to look for the starter relay but was unable to find the correct one (I attached the image of the fuse box and the cover)


I also attached a video of the sound coming from the fuse box when the key is in the ON position.


When the car does not start and have no crank, what else can I check for in this situation? I look forward to your advice! Thank you!

Greg S

iTrader: (1)

Check the engine to chassis ground. It's under the air box so you'll need to remove that. Also check the actual terminals for the cables in the battery to make sure they are not corroded.

ScionTexas

Hello Greg!

Thank you for your reply! Visually checking the engine to chassis ground seems okay but I was wondering if there is something specific that I'm suppose to be looking for. Also the terminals for the cables in the battery are not corroded. Do you think there is some relevance to the buzzing sound coming from the fuse box when the ignition is in the "ON" position and the car not starting? What else would be useful to check? Thank you again for your input!

Greg S

iTrader: (1)

It's best to check the main powers and grounds with a multi-meter so you can see the actual voltage. No idea on the buzzing, but it could be a relay going bad. You would need to isolate what is actually buzzing to see if it's related or not.

amyy0920

Hi!

im having the same exact problem and was wondering if you ever figured out what was wrong with it? I’m stumped. My starter passed and my alternator and battery is new

MattDiehl

Hi there, my girlfriends car is having the same issue. She was driving down the road the other day and everything shut off on her. Got it towed back to our place and now it won’t Even crank over. Batter is good, starter is good but nothin but the buzzing noise. Was wondering if you figured it out?

RichBinAZ

Could well be a relay. Pop the cover on the engine fuse box and put your finger on the blue and brown boxes while it is making the buzzing noise, you may be able to find a relay that is buzzing.
I believe they are supposed to click over and there may be a low level of buzz, but it should not be loud or coupled with crackling noises, that would indicate that the contacts inside are not contacting properly or are burned out.

This shows how relays work: https://www.google.com/search?q=how+...3-M0f1qFdYmEM:

This may help: https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...switch+&+relay

Another thought I'm having is the key. Does it have a battery in it? can it be replaced? try the other key see if it works

__________________

grantimatter

Hi! I'm having the identical problem with a 2008 2nd Gen xB - it intermittently just won't start. Everything is fine, no flickering headlamps or anything - just starts fine, I go someplace, park, turn the key, and nothing.

What I've done so far: I've checked the battery (12.4 v) and cleaned the connections. I've taken out the starter and had it tested in two different auto parts stores (passed both times). I've cleaned and tested the battery ground wire,
and checked the ignition fuses - they all seem solid. I've put a new 4-gauge ground from the engine to the chassis - the wire that runs under the battery and air filter - based on some other discussions here. Hasn't fixed it.

I can't find any relay labeled "start" or "ignition" but it really feels like either a relay or else something else going wrong between the positive from the battery and the starter.

I do have a multi-meter, although I'm still getting used to using it. Does anyone know the best way to troubleshoot that positive connection? Are there other things I should do to diagnose the problem?

It's driving me a little crazy.

____

MR_LUV

Check Out:

2nd Gen xB won’t Start. Please help Troubleshoot..

RichBinAZ

The starter comes with its own solenoid mounted to it.
https://parts.earnhardttoyota.com/v-...rical--starter
Your battery looks low at 12.4V. 12.9V is a good battery, 12.3V is in the range of "Iffy" The last time you started it, did it crank slowly?
Anyway, while at the autostore, get a free battery load test, which will be definitive if your battery is any good or not.
And do check out the other thread too.

grantimatter

Thanks very much!
I'd seen that thread but kind of lost track of it while digging through all the possibilities. I think today I'll put things back together and try to get those readings.

Thanks! That's a thought. As far as I can tell by just listening, it either starts up fine or not at all - there's no real sluggishness to it. The battery is new
enough that I think it's still under warranty. I'll double check the voltage today when I hook things up again and start jiggling more wires.

I'm starting to wonder if the issue might be an ignition switch problem - I'm kind of running down the possibilities in this Ratchets and Wrenches video:

,

If that seems like a good idea to y'all. Auto wiring is kind of a new beast for me to tangle with.

____

Greg S

iTrader: (1)

Other option is that your starter is failing. I had mine do this intermittently over the course of a couple years and then the start finally failed. It was worse when the engine was hot.

DannoXYZ

This could be worn-out key and/or ignition-switch. Measure output wires at ignition-switch connector and verifies it sends out power properly when key is turned to ON. Without power leaving ignition-switch nothing will work after that. No power to ECU, no power to fuel-pump, no power to starter etc. zip.

grantimatter

OK! Had a fun afternoon of dodging rain while playing with electricity, and learned the following from the multimeter.

Going down the list from that other topic thread from memory, I found:

• The battery, terminal to terminal, disconnected from everything, reads 12.72v - so I think it's OK. (Maybe my leads were a little cruddy before - or, more likely, I was checking with the key turned to the "on" position.)
• The battery leads with the headlights on: 12.25v
• The dash lighter with no key in: 0.24v
• The dash lighter with keys in "on" position: 12.39v
• The dash lighter with keys in "on" position and headlights on: 12.12v

I'm not sure what these voltages should be.

I took apart the dash, found the ignition switch harness and started poking at it with a light probe. I'm not sure of the numbering system, but it was 8 spaces in two rows of four.

• With the key off, the test light turned on for the yellow wire, second from right on the top, and the white wire second from left on the bottom.
• While in the "start" position, the skinny white wire in the top all the way to the right lit up, and the white wire on the bottom all the way to the left lit up.

This makes me think the ignition switch is OK. Not sure if I'm correct there, either. I will say that with the key "on," everything on the dash works, windows go up and down, door locks work, radio turns on, etc.

I also noticed three relays under the dash - the middle, blue one clicks when the key is moved to the "start" position. This makes me think that hey, there's maybe a starter relay after all... and it seems to be working. Hmm.

Maybe, I thought, the issue was that wire that connects to the middle of the solenoid - the trigger wire.

So I took the multimeter back out to the starter and got my niece to come out and turn the key for me while checking the trigger wire to the solenoid. When the key is turned to "start," that wire is getting 12.25 volts.

This *seems* like it should be enough to make the starter start - is it?

I also, for the heck of it, tried jumping the positive lead of the battery directly to the solenoid lead where that wire connects to see if it would turn over. It did nothing.

If I was to guess, I'd guess that the solenoid really is failing, and that somehow both auto parts stores got the test wrong (maybe because of temperature or something). I'm just not sure. Does that seem like the right conclusion?

Thanks for all the help so far.

grantimatter

Update: I think (hope) I've fixed it. With intermittent problems you never really know, but the car now starts.

I was pricing replacement starters online and found a site that listed all the models this particular starter was compatible with - everything from a 2018 Yaris back to a 2003 Matrix. (I don't think I could pick either of those models out of a lineup.) Made me think, oh heck, why not head to the junkyard and pull a starter from one of these 30 or so models and see if it'd work. .

Took a bit over an hour of hunting through some super gnarly wrecks, but eventually found one with an intact starter - paid $36 for it, tested it with a battery in the parking lot, it worked... put it in my xB, and it worked there too!

So - my current theory is that DESPITE the two positive tests, the old starter solenoid was indeed failing. Now, the car starts. Am happy. Will be more skeptical about parts stores tests in the future.

Thanks for everything - in this thread and all the others. Good community.

DannoXYZ

Hey good job!!!

Typically it's the little starter-solenoid on starter that fails. Contacts wear out or plunger is stuck from dried-grease. There's some rebuild-kits for these solenoids if you want to refurb old one. Then you'll know for sure it's fixed and will work for long time. Junkyard parts I only anticipate limited life from since it may be just as old as one on car. It's just to buy time while you do proper repair and restoration.

grantimatter

Totally. I'll check out that rebuild kit idea - thanks again!

CarrollScion

Hey there!
I am wondering if your Scion fix worked indefinitely? I am dealing with such a similar issue, have gotten a new starter and it is still not starting. Thank you!