Electrical Trouble Shooting

[Cheese]

I was out of town for a week. The truck was driving fine before I left.

I got back and took a trip today. It started fine, drove to where I was, started again and then would not run.

After jumping it, it ran fine, volt meter read fine in the cab, no worries. Then I stopped and it would not start again.

Jumped it again. No worries. Drove fine, volt meter read fine, no worries.

Obviously it is a starter, alternator, or battery issue. Which one?

I have no reason believe the starter or alternator suddenly quit after sitting for a week, especially because it started this morning twice. Not sure what else to do.

[slosurfer]

What's the voltage across the terminals on the battery?

[Good Times]

check terminals at all points as it could be a bad contact somewhere. could be that when it works the lines are connected but after a few shake rattle and roll the line gets disconnected? just some food for thought.

[AxleIke]

bump for you

[MTL_4runner]

Adrian, when you say it won't run does that mean it won't turn over? or just that the engine won't fire?
Need more info to help you diagnose it properly.

[Cheese]

Back to actually working on it instead of speculating.

It neither clicks at the starter nor shows any interior power after I turn the key to off and back on after driving around. No power locks or lights at all.

Going down the road when it is running is fine. Everything works, lights, gauges, etc.

Thanks.

[BruceTS]

Are you running a Optima battery by chance? if so those things go bad instantly, no warning.....

[MTL_4runner]

Ok then it's not the alternator or the starter for sure. It could also be a bad ignition cylinder but the way it miraculously works after being jumped tells me the battery is the likely culprit. You probably have a bad cell in the battery and the voltage may be dropping due to an internal cell short. I'd replace the battery first (or at the very least take it to a place to get it properly load tested), then see how you make out.

[gpcollen]

Are you running a Optima battery by chance? if so those things go bad instantly, no warning.....


I had heard that about the Optimas. If the battery is dead then this all makes sense. Get the battery tested or throw a charger on it and see if it holds a charge.

[Cheese]

Optima Red Top.

When the key is in the ignition, the door buzzer rings.

When I turn it to start, everything goes dead.

No apparent wiring issues, everything is intact. Did find my steering box is leaking more than I remember.

Yeah toast!

[MTL_4runner]

When the key is in the ignition, the door buzzer rings.

When I turn it to start, everything goes dead.



Yep, I'd bet money the battery is toast.

[NC994Run]

I had something similar to that happen to me recently. Door buzzer would ding, but turn the key and I would get nothing. Ended up being that the battery was completely dead. So X2 on a toastes battery

[Cheese]

New battery did it.

Dang these things got expensive since I bought them last.

[BruceTS]

When my yellow top went dead, I switched to two red tops...... yep they did get expensive......

[MTL_4runner]

How long do those red/yellow top optimas usually last?

[Cheese]

This was a little Red Top that I had been using since 1999.

That is pretty good considering winching, pretty big stereo, etc.

[BruceTS]

Yellow tops have a 1 year warranty and the red tops have a 3 years, my yellow top lasted just under 3 years, so this time around I went with the reds.... figuring that both won't die at the same time, I shouldn't get stranded out in the middle of nowhere and have ample warning after one does, to replace them both....

[Bighead]

Mine is going on 5 years and is still running strong. After this one dies I will check out the Odysseys as a replacement.

[AxleIke]

Father runs an Odyssey in his 97. Been running it for 4 or 5 years now, hasn't had a single issue. Not a lot of winching, but a fair amount. It works very well. A little big though.