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Below is a collection of Jim Grant's Tech Tips sorted by Vehicle Make. These Tech Tips were answers to questions submitted to Jim by ALLDATAdiy.com users over the course of many years.
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  Jim Grant's Tech Tips

'94 Toyota Corolla, Starting Problem

Q: I have a ‘94 Toyota Corolla DX. During the last few days I’ve experienced a start-up problem. I have to turn the key 7-8 times then the starter works. I demonstrated this to a mechanic and he told me that this is a starter problem and needs to be replaced but suddenly everything is fine. My car has been starting for the 1st try. I cannot come to a conclusion-what should I do? ...Dipak

A: I tend to agree with your mechanic. But before you replace the starter, you may want to check the connections on the starter for looseness or corrosion. Your Toyota, like most vehicle’s today, has 2 wires to the starter. One is a large cable that comes from the battery. This cable has to be large to carry all the electricity needed by the starter to crank the engine. The other is a smaller wire that is the signal or command wire. This wire carries the signal from the ignition switch which tells the starter to crank the engine. It is not uncommon for the signal wire, which has a plug type connection, to loosen up or be affected by corrosion. The simple act of wiggling the wiring to the starter may be enough to makes things work (no starter problems) for a while if there is a connection issue. If the connection issues have been addressed and your starter still goes into untimely fits then have the starter replaced. After all, it has been working nearly 10 years, it may be time to retire the starter for a fresh rebuilt.

 
     
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