Why Is My Toyota Corolla Not Starting?

Your Toyota Corolla’s inability to start is likely due to a weak or dead battery. Of course, there are other factors that could be at play, but battery issues are the most frequent. Given that your Toyota was operating normally yesterday, the problem is almost certainly a dead battery.

How come I have electricity but my car won’t start?

When a new engine won’t start, the battery is typically at blame. However, a dead battery and an alternator are mostly out of the question if the car is still getting electricity. Some batteries could ship from the factory with a lesser charge retention capacity. This is a manufacturing flaw, and the warranty allows for a replacement.

However, it is simple to believe that the battery is in perfect condition if a car won’t start but still has power. It can be very deceiving, especially if the lights, horn, and other electrical components work well. This is because not all peripherals use the same amount of energy.

To start the engine, however, the starter motor requires a lot of power. It’s possible that a battery nearing the end of its useful life won’t be able to power the starter motor sufficiently. Additionally, some electronic ignition systems start out by using a lot of energy. But since they draw less power from the battery, accessories like lights, horns, and radio systems might function.

Everyone may become confused at this point. So, get your multimeter and examine the battery terminals if your car won’t start but has electricity. It should ideally read 12 volts with the engine off, if not extremely near to it. The battery is on the verge of dying if not.

Start the car, switch on most of the accessories, and read it once more. When you press the accelerator, the voltage shouldn’t drop; instead, it should rise to 13.5 to 14 volts. If this doesn’t happen, there might be a problem with the alternator. When a car won’t start yet has power, this is the most typical problem.

When the battery is healthy, what prevents a car from starting?

It might seem simple, but if your battery, spark plug, and alternator are in good shape, you should check to see if your automobile has adequate fuel.

What can you do about it?

Before you start driving, check that your gas tank has enough fuel, and make an effort to keep it filled up.

During the winter, a fuel line in your car could even freeze. Keep in mind that the more space there is for water vapor to condense and freeze inside your car’s gasoline line, the more empty a gas tank or fuel tank there is.

Finally, have your gasoline reading gauge checked if it frequently runs out to the point that your car won’t start. The gauge can be defective and unable to provide you with the appropriate reading at the appropriate moment. Any other underlying problems with the fuel system will also be found by a mechanic.

Why would my car suddenly stop starting?

A fading or dead battery, frayed or corroded connecting cables, a defective alternator, or a problem with the starter are the common culprits when a vehicle won’t start. It can be challenging to tell whether a battery or alternator issue is at hand. Here’s how to determine who the culprit is.

Bad Battery Symptoms

Consider a failing battery, a loose or corroded connection, or an electrical draw if your car cranks slowly, starts inconsistently, is harder to start on chilly mornings, or doesn’t make any sound or light up the interior when you try to start it. A low battery with terminal corrosion that is obvious is likely damaged.

If a jumpstart is successful, a battery issue is present. However, you must also determine whether it is just nearing the end of its life or whether there are more serious problems. A malfunctioning alternator may be the cause of a dead or depleted battery. The additional pull from auxiliary lights, fuses, sound systems, alarms, and other devices may also be the cause.

Why won’t my car start even though the battery is not dead?

Damaged or Broken Ignition If your headlights work but your car won’t start, your battery is charged but the starter or ignition isn’t working properly. A starting engine can be jumped using a charged battery if the starter or ignition is the issue.

When your car won’t start but the battery is still functional, what does it mean?

The car may not start even when it clicks when attempting to start due to a weak battery, filthy battery terminals, a damaged starter motor, or a blocked solenoid. There are a few things to try before using jumper cables or an electric jump starter even though it could just need a jump start.

Try Cycling the Key

Turn on the dome light and keep an eye on it while attempting to start the engine if your car would not start after turning on. If the light goes out, the battery is seriously depleted or close to death. Try the key cycling approach to warm up the starter, battery, and connections. The secret is to continually turn the key to the start position—about 10 times straight. Wait five minutes and then stop. then attempt to start the car. However, if the dome light was still on when you turned the key and your car still wouldn’t start, try the next trick.

Try Tapping on the Battery Terminals

When you’re stranded without tools, there is no way to clean corroded battery contacts. However, you can attempt to shake or at least rattle the terminals slightly to improve contact. If the car won’t start, tap each battery terminal with the heel of a shoe to rotate it a little bit around the battery post. Afterward, try starting the car.

Try Tapping the Starter

Try hammering the starter motor with the tire iron from your car jack if you have access to it. The electrical contacts can occasionally become trapped and be released by tapping on them.

How can I determine whether the starter fuse is blown?

Some starter relay fuse failure indicators are obvious, while others are less obvious. There are a number of tools required to adequately test for defects if you think your starter relay may be malfunctioning, including a voltmeter, wires, wrenches, and sockets.

To better understand whether the fuse is operating properly, you can use the multimeter to measure the voltage that is traveling through it. The sockets and wrenches are required to remove any vehicle parts in order to reach the fuse, and the wire serves as a jumper.

Check Voltage

Connect the red probe of your multimeter to the battery’s red terminal and the other to the circuit for the ignition switch when the multimeter is set to 20V DC. Have a helper turn the key and start the engine while they are seated in the driver’s seat.

Be sure to keep an eye on your multimeter while the engine starts. You have an electrical conductivity issue and require a new starter relay fuse if the voltage lowers by more than 0.2 volts.

Check Electrical Resistance

Put the probes of your multimeter on the ignition circuit terminal and ground lead to test the electrical resistance. The starting relay fuse needs to be replaced if the multimeter value is greater than 5 Ohms.

If you don’t have a multimeter, you can measure electrical resistance using a wire. The wire should have one end on the battery lead and the other on the ignition circuit. The starting relay does not need to be replaced if you hear a loud click. However, a weak click is a good indication that the fuse is bad if there is one.

Why won’t my Toyota start?

Typically, all you need to do to solve an issue is jump start a dead battery (ideally using a jump box or portable battery charger) and let the alternator to recharge the battery for around 30 minutes.

How can you figure out why a car won’t start?

Why Won’t My Car Start? Diagnosis

  • 1) Does the engine turn over?
  • 2) Examine the RAM for error codes.
  • Crankshaft/camshaft sensors should be examined.
  • Four) Verify the fuel pressure.
  • 5) Inspect the ignition coil’s spark.
  • 6) Verify that the injectors are activating.
  • 7) Verify the timing of the crankshaft and camshaft.
  • 8) Verify the compression and leakdown test.

Can’t start, but lights are functional?

If the lights and radio in your car are working, the battery is supplying at least some electricity. The headlights consume a lot less energy than the starter motor.

If the battery is not the problem and the engine won’t start, either the starter solenoid, starter motor, or ignition switch is most likely to be at issue.

For the majority of electrical repairs, have your automobile serviced by a reliable neighborhood mechanic or auto electrician. In light of this, don’t be reluctant to conduct your own research. Your suggestions are always valued by the technician.

In conclusion, try not to worry too much. You might need to have your car towed or call a call-out mechanic if you are unable to jump start it. The problem is probably not going to be too pricey or serious, though. Within a few hours, at most, you ought should be able to resume your travels.

Why do the radio and lights work in my car but not the engine?

The worst emotions are those you experience when your car won’t start. If you’ve ever experienced this, you undoubtedly figured the battery was to blame. But what does it imply if your lights and radio are functional but your car won’t start? To assist you in determining what might be wrong, we conducted considerable research.

Your automobile won’t start for a number of reasons, even while the radio and lights are on. They consist of:

  • faulty spark plugs
  • The starter isn’t working properly
  • rusted or filthy battery terminals
  • faulty ignition switch
  • Burst fuses
  • full gas tank
  • faulty fuel pump
  • an old battery

To learn more about each of these reasons and solutions, keep reading. Some issues, like a filthy or dead battery, are simpler to fix than others, like a malfunctioning fuel pump or starter. We’ll make an effort to clarify what’s going on with your car so you can work with your mechanic to resolve the problem.

As always, the only goals of our posts are enjoyment and knowledge. We want to dissuade you from attempting to identify or repair auto issues on your own. Make careful to speak with a certified mechanic if your car is having issues.

We hope the links provided are helpful to you before you continue reading. We may receive a commission if you buy something after clicking on one of the links on this page, so thank you!

How can you identify if the problem is with your starter or battery?

Let’s start by diagnosing this problem since it is the least expensive and easiest to replace. Does the car make a clicking noise when you try to start it, but it won’t turn over? That might be encouraging. A dead battery is likely the culprit if a jump starts the car but it won’t start once it is turned off.