Car Won't Start - Please help!

[Toyarzee]

eff wiring diagrams. I would just start pulling every fuse lol... Any updates yet?

When you turn on the ECU and try to turn over the motor, is there any voltage drop?

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Toyarzee

eff wiring diagrams. I would just start pulling every fuse lol... Any updates yet?

When you turn on the ECU and try to turn over the motor, is there any voltage drop?

+1

turn on a dome light. What happens when you try cranking it. I'll guess nothing.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I do that to my wife's auto car all the time. It doesn't like it much though and starts beeping and buzzing like it is R2D2.

She lets YOU driver HER car .......


humfrz

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by humfrz

She lets YOU driver HER car .......


humfrz

I have too. Other wise we would never get anywhere. She drives like a granny.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I have too. Other wise we would never get anywhere. She drives like a granny.

Well, you might want to keep her around ...... to drive at night .......


humfrz

[SkiRideDrive]

Thanks again for the help guys. And sorry for the delay. I had to work this morning.

Ok... here is a video trying to help explain what is going on and show you guys exactlly what is going on when I try to start the car. Sorry volume is a bit low, headphones help. The gopro case seemed to have muted some of the talking a bit.

Overview:

When I attempt to start the car nothing changes at all inside car except the stereo and clock turn off. Otherwise every light on the dash remains exactly the same.

Checked battery voltage again: 12.65 volts as it sits.

Tried starting with dome light on: dome light did not dim at all when I turned the key.

Fuses: I checked all the traditional normal small fuses (small 2 prongers) with the multi meter in continuity mode. All are good. How do I go about checking the bigger ones?

Clutch switch: operated fine just before issue began. I looked under there and cycled clutch, it is moving fine, but I'm not sure how to check it. Would i unplug and check for continuity with the switch pressed and depressed and see if there is a difference? I am assuming this is the switch at the top of the clutch travel. It is squished in when the clutch is in the neutral position and extends outwards when you push the pedal to the floor.

Alarm: it seems there is some sort of alarm installed at the factory or dealer under the kick panel. It is outlined in the video. It does not appear factory, but was in the car when I purchased it new from the dealer. There is a box zip tied behind the kick panel, it has a lot of wires coming out of it. 3 wires go down to a port/dongle receiver unit which is attached at the bottom of the kick panel. When I bought the car new, the salesman asked me if I wanted an alarm. I said no. He then plugged a plug into that port, a dummy plug if you will which I assumed turned the alarm off. Not sure if that may have something to do with this.

Immobilizer: I assumed if the car was immoblized by some sort of security, it would flash on the dash when you try to start the car. At least that is what my mechanic friends have told me.

Thanks again! any thoughts are appreciated.

[Tcoat]

May be time to throw in the towel and take it in.

[SkiRideDrive]

If I can't figure it out plan is to roadside assistance tow it to dealer real close to my place.

Also the big "fuses" people are referring to under the hood. I pulled the one labeled ST. Figured... starter? It has 4 prongs. similar to plugs youd put in a 120v socket in your house. The plugs would be oriented perpendicular to each other... so one plug left to right, one up and down. If that makes sense. Seems more like a relay to me but I am not electrically inclined.

[ntron1]

My money is on a bad battery. I finally changed mine when I had to call roadside assistance every time I wanted to start my car.

[ToySub1946]

Once you've chilled, rethink, don't overthink all you've done.

Ask yourself again...at what moment, last thing done, caused car to not crank ?

That Beatsonic thing or the OBD2 thing ? ...or simply that you had your hands in that area of under dash ?

Is there a way that the OBD2 thing can put a car's engine computer into a non-run or non-start condition and needs to be reset ?

Sounds like no fuses are bad, and no dead battery...and surely you're depressing the clutch pedal in crank position of key in most recent attempts to start.

I've watched your video. From that, seems the factory (anti-theft) key thing is working fine, radio should go on with key on, but cut out in crank position of key, as you show it's doing, and lock light should work as you've shown it does). So seems all o.k. from what you've shown in video, except a no crank condition exists.

And I don't think having dimmer or trunk unlock button disconnected (with battery still connected) would affect, result in a no crank condition.

NEXT JUST A GUESS, BUT NO HARM BLAMING THIS THING FIRST...LOL :

And I suspect the Dealership installed device is a simple device, simply and quickly installed by a tech in their shop...(these things are cheap for a Dealership to buy, and the tech gets paid about 0.3 tenths of an hour...actually just a money maker for the finance department).
I'd say that device is the most likely cause of the no crank condition. Try unplugging and replugging it's non-op feature, which the salesman installed. Other option is to see where the wires go, most likely simply under dash and/or under hood going to starter solenoid (small, not large wire). If they are spliced into any factory wires, under dash or under hood, easy to put factory wires back to their original places (may require resplicing of factory wires).

I've looked under hood of my own car now. The wire to starter solenoid is on top of the starter...easy to see...rear of engine near firewall. It's a somewhat thin wire covered with black plastic, under plastic, that wire is >>white with a red tracer<<. Most likely a Stealership tech has spliced into that wire...for the dealer installed device under dash. If that's the case, just get that white wire/red tracer back into it's original condition....therefore bypassing what dealership tech did. Possible also that they spliced instead, into the solenoid wire under dash...from ignition key. Sorry I don't know color code for that wire.
Very possible that Subaru uses same color code wire for solenoid near ignition key as they do at starter solenoid....makes sense.

Assuming this is simply a no crank problem, and that ignition and fuel supply systems are operable with key in run position...and you don't want it towed...there's always...push it and pop the clutch...the old standard for car (engine) starting.

My motto: Edit till you die.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

May be time to throw in the towel and take it in.

I agree with @Tcoat ....... I reckon this problem is above our collective pay grades ....

Is it still under warranty .. ??

Let the dealership sort it out ...... meanwhile, ride your motorcycle ……


humfrz

[Bergen23]

There's not a whole lot I won't attempt to fix on my own when it comes to my car (and most anything else really... Imagine my parents faces when they came home to find 15 year old me had torn apart the pool pump because it stopped working and managed to fix it) but fuck chasing electrical issues. I barely have the patience to deal with it as a profession and don't need to be screwing around with a voltmeter on my car.

I applaud your perseverance in trying to track this issue down yourself.

[Beastronix]

Originally Posted by ToySub1946

Once you've chilled, rethink, don't overthink all you've done.

Ask yourself again...at what moment, last thing done, caused car to not crank ?

That Beatsonic thing or the OBD2 thing ? ...or simply that you had your hands in that area of under dash ?

Is there a way that the OBD2 thing can put a car's engine computer into a non-run or non-start condition and needs to be reset ?

Sounds like no fuses are bad, and no dead battery...and surely you're depressing the clutch pedal in crank position of key in most recent attempts to start.

I've watched your video. From that, seems the factory (anti-theft) key thing is working fine, radio should go on with key on, but cut out in crank position of key, as you show it's doing, and lock light should work as you've shown it does). So seems all o.k. from what you've shown in video, except a no crank condition exists.

And I don't think having dimmer or trunk unlock button disconnected (with battery still connected) would affect, result in a no crank condition.

NEXT JUST A GUESS, BUT NO HARM BLAMING THIS THING FIRST...LOL :

And I suspect the Dealership installed device is a simple device, simply and quickly installed by a tech in their shop...(these things are cheap for a Dealership to buy, and the tech gets paid about 0.3 tenths of an hour...actually just a money maker for the finance department).
I'd say that device is the most likely cause of the no crank condition. Try unplugging and replugging it's non-op feature, which the salesman installed. Other option is to see where the wires go, most likely simply under dash and/or under hood going to starter solenoid (small, not large wire). If they are spliced into any factory wires, under dash or under hood, easy to put factory wires back to their original places (may require resplicing of factory wires).

I've looked under hood of my own car now. The wire to starter solenoid is on top of the starter...easy to see...rear of engine near firewall. It's a somewhat thin wire covered with black plastic, under plastic, that wire is >>white with a red tracer<<. Most likely a Stealership tech has spliced into that wire...for the dealer installed device under dash. If that's the case, just get that white wire/red tracer back into it's original condition....therefore bypassing what dealership tech did. Possible also that they spliced instead, into the solenoid wire under dash...from ignition key. Sorry I don't know color code for that wire.
Very possible that Subaru uses same color code wire for solenoid near ignition key as they do at starter solenoid....makes sense.

Assuming this is simply a no crank problem, and that ignition and fuel supply systems are operable with key in run position...and you don't want it towed...there's always...push it and pop the clutch...the old standard for car (engine) starting.

My motto: Edit till you die.

@ToySub1946 you get an A+ for taking the time to put that much thought into this for a stranger

I can rule out the 86Nanny for certain on the ECU side. It's impossible for the device to alter the ECU. It simply joins the vehicles network and talks to 1 of the many ECUs, no writing or flashing of any sort. It talks to the car just like the rest of the toyota electronics do.

Your final assumption with the security system is where I'm leaning. The wire taps definitely didn't look factory and something probably shorted out on a circuit after things got moved around.

For a test I went out and pulled my AM1 fuse and I get to exact result. AM1 is the circuit from the ignition switch --> ACC --> starter. Placed the fuse back in and solved, car starts.

I sent Kevin an email just now asking to swap that fuse and test even though his meter is testing good. I'm beginning to wonder if the meter is lying to him...

[SkiRideDrive]

Thanks for the info guys. I tried replacing am1 fuse with soare... no luck. I can't say I am comfo r able messing or replica g the wiring as it came new before trying a warranty claim but I do appreciate that input @ToySub1946

Should I try clutch pop starting it? I don't really have anyone to push it atm... only other thing I could try is hooking up my truck battery with jumpers to rule out battery completely. I guess I can try that tomorrow. Otherwise dealership feels like o ly option left since that wacky box was installed when I bought it.