94 4Runner, no start, no lights, no click

[anot...@ucsd.edu]

Hi All,

I have a 1994 4Runner SR5, manual transmissions, 3VZE 6cyl. I also have power locks, power windows and A/C.

After normal operation and being parked for about 10 hours the vehicle will not start. I have no dash lights, no solenoid clicking and no power locks or windows. The battery is about 1 year old and there is no alarm system.

I have not yet measured battery voltage. However, assuming the battery is OK where should I look next?

I am guessing the most likely candidate here is a blown fuse, i.e. AM1, AM2 and/or ALT fuses.

Prior to this issue I was driving in rough off-road, sandy conditions with very hot weather. The 15 A DOME fuse has burned out on two previous occasions, the most recent was the day before not being able to start the car.

Thanks in advance,

Anders

[nm...@wt.net]

You need to verify the battery #1. And the connections
too. You can have a good battery, and still not get power
to the car if the connections are bad or corroded.

After that, it's using the voltmeter and moving down the
chain. I don't see a dome fuse causing this. If a wire was
grounding out on the dome line, it should blow that fuse,
but everything else should still get power.

But unless you are plugging something into that line
that draws a lot of current, a dome light that kept blowing
fuses would indicate a problem that should be looked into.
No way a simple dome light should blow fuses..

[Jeff Strickland]

<anot...@ucsd.edu> wrote in message
news:745c99f6-3b01-462f...@googlegroups.com...

You should start with the assumption that the battery is not good, then let
your diagnostic efforts flow outward from there.

[anot...@ucsd.edu]

Good point, and problem solved. + battery terminal came loose during off-road, and was also heavily corroded. Cleaned and reattached both terminals and the car starts right up.

Glad it was an easy, cheap fix. Now I'm off to investigate the DOME circuit problem.

Thanks again,

Anders

[Mike S.]

Related question [battery issues].

Two nights ago I raced in my own car to jump-start my wife's 2 year old
RAV4 which suddenly refused to show any evidence of having a battery after
a brief stop at the drug store. Looking under the hood I saw nothing
amiss, but the jump-start was very difficult.

After driving it home, the dash lights were still flickering in rhythm to
the engine's rev speed. It seemed the electrical system was running off
the alternator alone. After shutting the engine down, the battery was
still dead. An external charger supplied current for 2 seconds and shut
down.

The next morning we jumped it again and took it to the dealer, who
instantly replied that a battery plate must have come loose and caused an
internal short. They replaced the battery under warranty without incident.

Looking online at some Toyota owners' forums, I saw a lot of complaints
about OEM RAV4 batteries failing suddenly at _exactly_ 24 months too.
Repeatedly (i.e. the replacement battery failed as well).

Manufacturing defect? Should I even _Trust_ the replacement battery and
put in another brand empirically?

[Hachiroku ハチロク]

If it was a Toyota battery, it was made by either Exide in the US or
Yuasa in Japan. They are good batteries, and the last one I had went 12
years. However, the one in my Scion, replaced in 2006 went bad. I did not
check the warranty...I had another year.... :(

If it was a Panasonic, and they have been known to use them, don't get
it. The Panasonic batteries do short plates for no apparent good reason.
I really like Panasonic stuff, but will NEVER buy a Panasonic battery.
The only reason I had one in the first place was it came in the car from
Japan.

[Mike S.]

In article <5189d870$0$63614$c3e8da3$14a0...@news.astraweb.com>,

Thanks, that is very helpful.

The original battery seemed to be unmarked (the caps on top were just
discs with slits in them to insert a coin or screwdriver in order to
unscrew).

The replacement battery has a prominent toyota brand sticker on it, so I
guess we're good.