No crank no start help!

Hey sooo..

Walked out to my truck this morning after a very cold night and a whole lot of snow. It won't start. Won't even crank.

I've had to jump it twice in the last month, I only drive about a mile each way to work so not a whole lot of time to charge the battery. It's been cold and I haven't gotten to stretch the truck's legs like I usually try to on the weekends.

Today, when my truck wouldn't start and wouldn't take a jump I figured, hey, must have finally killed the battery. Ran down to Costco and got a new interstate battery. No dice.

I haven't had any symptoms of a failing alternator other than the recent jump starts but other than that no light dimming, no problems while driving.

This leaves me with the starter right? How can I best diagnose this? What are the easy fixes to try first?

The only other thing I can think of is that my gas light came on yesterday on my way to work, but should still have a few gallons in there right?

Is there anything else I should be thinking about? What am I missing?

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

So, to be clear, when you say it won't crank, you mean the engine does not spin, correct? In other words, when you turn the key to the crank position, there is NO noise?

If the headlights will light up bright, but the engine doesn't crank, it's most likely the starter, but not for sure. One simple test for the starter, is have someone twist the key to the start position while you bang on the starter with a hammer, long pipe, or large wrench. If it starts while doing that, the starter is bad. I know banging on the starter sounds bad, but I have seen lots of cases where you get 1 or 2 more starts that way. Just don't bang on the terminals.

This is my prefered starter banging tool.

 

Yup, headlights work. No noise except for a single "click" when I turn the key. Neutral safety switch appears good. I'm parked on a bunch of snow right now so hopefully by tomorrow it will be melted out enough to crawl under and start whacking away.

I don't have a space to work on it so I'll have to tow it to the shop, which always sucks when you know it's a job you could do if you just had the space...

 

And you have good antifreeze in it, right? If the water pump freezes up, that can stop the engine from turning with the starter. That would be a very solid sounding CLUNK, and not just a click.

 

If you get a single click, are you talking about a fairly audible click that’s coming from under the hood? That sounds like the starter.

You can also try rapidly turning the key into and out of the start position. I’ve done that in the past with success.

 

As Rujack said repeatedly attempting to start might get a start out of it, it did for me a few times. But lay down under it and bang the starter should free it up. My GS400 did the same shit about 2 months ago with the single click and I was immediately like welp time for a starter.

 

I'm just a little annoyed because I just bought the truck. It's a 2010 but with only 44,000 on the clock. But I have an inkling that probably means the previous owner took a lot of short trips, now that this is proving to be a problem.

But whatever, this is life right?

 

I would almost agree with above posters on a starter issue but it would seem odd for a starter go out on a Tacoma with only 44k miles. I'm still not convinced that it's not battery related since it sounds like the battery was failing to begin with since you have been jumping it recently. I would highly recommend you make sure the terminals on the new battery are sparkling clean and tightened. Loose and dirty terminals will also give you the exact same issue with click/no start along with headlights powering on okay. Cold weather requires the most starting cranking amps out of a battery.

 

Bad starter. My wife’s ‘08 4Runner just did the same thing. Replaced the starter and everything was good to go

 

I second @Wattapunk on the terminals. Helped a lady get out of our camp spot, RV wouldn’t start. Would take a jump or anything. Cleaned terminals, started right up

 

Good suggestion.

 

Make sure the engine block end of the Negative cable is clean and tight, and check for corrosion at the cable ends especially if you live in area that uses Mag Chloride to pre treat roads for ice. That stuff will ruin anything electrical that it can get in to (had lots of experience with electrical things ruined from the stuff). To check your starter if you have a button, hook clip to + on starter and other to - if not use screw driver to jump starter to see if you get spark or movement.

 

This happened to me at work a few days ago! I had been wheeling and may or may not have jumped the truck like 3 times in 30 seconds. My hold down broken and my battery was just chillin next to my oil filter and wouldn't start, no click no nothin! Had a good laugh when i saw it after walking to go get a jump pack..... terminals got loose and werent exactly clean

 

If all the battery connections are snug..

then the big fat cable at the starter should have 12 volts at all times and the little skinny control wire should have 12 volts with the key in the crank position.

If you have both of those 12 volt signals and no crank then it needs a starter

 

This is the key statement. That is the start relay telling the starter to turn. The plunger contacts are not closing in the solenoid. Rebuild the starter solenoid.

I had the same click and no start on my 2012 at about 33,000 miles.

 

Before you go crawling under it first as suggested make sure battery conectins aare clean and tight. Will it start while jump starting it?

Also the large wire on the starter needs to be tight.

New batteries need a change but they usually will work without it.

The thing with starters is they require a lot of amperage to function. In some cases you can have voltage when you test but not a clean enough connection for the amperage to start.
Electricity is like water in a faucet volts =pressure amps= flow. If you're sink is plugfep almost up you still have full pressure but very low flow.

 

You can rebuild the starter solenoid for about 35 dollars with new parts.

Check this video for rebuilding the solenoid on the starter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwokxzjlYcQ


You can buy the contacts from Nations Starter and Alternator for about 30 bucks.

https://www.nationsstarteralternator.com/Starter-Rebuild-Kits-s/37.htm

 

Gas light on overnight in cold weather is a no no. Some people wont go below half or quarter tank. -40 windchill tonight so im right there with em.

My first gen ignition switch went out at 60k miles. It got worse over time before it quit. Only used for short trips. Was not cold though. Your mileage seems early for a starter.

 

If transmission is automatic, try starting with gear selector in neutral.

 

Agree with Jimmy,but the O.P. stated he has no work space so it dont matter what is wrong,he will be taking it to a repair shop.