Hi

I did search on this and couldn't find a thread with the same symptoms.

How long it's been happening
1) Once last night where I couldn't start the car with the 1st 3 key-turns
2) This morning the car wouldn't start with 1st 2 key-turns

What the car does
1) with the key in the ignition and foot on the brake, I will turn the key to start the car
2) With the failed key-turns, the car makes ZERO noise (no cranking, whining at all)
3) When the key-turn works, it sounds completely fine and runs normally

Other details
1) I cleaned the MAF sensor last week
2) I applied some battery terminal grease last week to the battery
3) The car doesn't throw any codes / has no warning lights on
4) Battery is only a year old

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance

 

Have you checked the battery connections? They may be loose.

 

jump start?

 

The car eventually starts (so far) and the battery is pretty new

 

check the alternator and the starter as well.

 

Okay could be your starter, or it could be that your neutral stafety switch is going it's not the battery or it wouldn't start after you turn the key a few times unless you heard it struggling to bump over. So the next time that it doesn't turn over when you attempt to start it, try it shift you gear selected in park again and them see if it starts right up.

 

To be clear, if the car doesn't start...
1) shift out of park to drive
2) shift back to park from drive
3) retry?

thanks

 

Yea def sounds like a starter issue. If when you turn the key and it clicks once then its your starter.

 

You don't have to even shift it just tap it over more ( in the direction that it would be in when you just slide it into park ) if you have a starter problem it will make a click and not start, or it won't turn over at all in this case you could ( tap ) * not bang on the starter however from what you discribed it's not the starter.

 

It sounds like the problem I had with my starter. Turn the key, nothing. Turn the key again, cranks and starts fine. The starter is in the valley between the cylinder heads(assuming its a v8), so I dont think there's a way to tap on it, like we'd do on an old american v8. I had the lexus dealer change the starter, and I'd never let them touch the car again. The first replacement starter was bad and they gave it back to me anyway. Plus they broke several other parts and didnt tell me. Left it all up to me to discover. Next time, I'd use my local lexus mechanic who rebuilds starters, normally just need brushes, instead of replacing the whole starter.

 

Did this happen before you clean your MAF sensor? If so maybe somthing may of went wrong? If so try going back for another spray and let it sit for a bit before trying to start up. GL

 

I had about 3-4 click before starting for couple months ... and then one night before you see the picture ... 75 clicks until it started .. I was like omg..

then I did the gs400 starter...




clear your schedule ...

 

similar thing happened to me. replaced the starter contacts/brushes and it worked like charm. you may or may not need to replace the entire starter.

 

supz... i have this issue but mine is a gs300, if its clicks.. it can be more then just a starter... it can be teh cables also..yea i check the starter first, if thats bad, then u know what to do.. if its check out good, then i go with the cables... what year is your car...n how many miles? what state u from? why im asking is that if u live in snow area or beach... cables goes bad like dirty or corroded and so quicker then other....cables are cheaper then replacing starter or sensor first unless for sure u know which is bad....hope this help...

 

Hi all

Thanks for all the feedback.

So far
1) I've replaced the starter relay so I know that's good (goodbye 80 bucks)
2) The starter actually spins free when I turn the key (slight noise, no cranking/catching sounds)

The problem is the starter (near certain now) but how do I get the car to start so I can get it from its garaged spot to the garage now? We're talking at least 10 miles.

Price quotes I've gotten so far
1) 625 from independent (325 parts + 300 labour for 5 hrs)
2) 1300 from a Toyota dealer
3) 1500 from the Lexus dealer

I live in SoCal and the car here been for its entire life so I am guessing the cable is OK.