Intermittent starting issue

234,000 MILES • 3.2L • V6 • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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WILDFIRE554
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Will work fine most of time, but at times, normally after a long drive, you turn the key to start and nothing. Dash lights stay on so I feel there is no battery issue. Wait about thirty to forty five minutes and cranks like there was no problem. Will be fine awhile and it shows its ugly head again.
May 30, 2019 at 12:34 AM
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CARADIODOC
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 34,414 POSTS
There's two common causes, depending on the symptoms. The first is arced contacts inside the starter solenoid. You should have run into that dozens of times already. The clue is you'll hear a single, rather loud clunk from the starter each time you turn the ignition switch to "crank". The first photo shows those contacts that can be replaced fairly easily, but most people just replace the entire starter. The same "battery" terminal is used in all versions of this Nippendenso starter used on all Chryslers and Toyotas. You use the "solenoid" terminal that matches the one that's removed.

You said, "nothing", which I assume means you're not hearing that clunk. The next suspect would be the transmission range sensor. Try cranking the engine with the transmission in "neutral". If that works, suspect the range sensor.
May 30, 2019 at 6:07 AM
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