Help! with 1996 Toyota Corolla

When I turn the ignition switch to start the vehicle, all there is is a single 'click'. However, periodicaly when I turn the ignition switch to start the vehicle, it has a tendancy to get stuck in the crank mode and wants to try and start the vehicle over and over again even after I take the key out of the ignition... it is still trying to start the car.

One of the battery cables (positive) had a fair amount of corrosion buildup and I replaced the end of the cable (the piece that slips over the battery post). I thought that fixed the problem because the car was starting fine after that.

Now its back to the single click. The battery seems fine and I'm at my wits end trying to guess between the ignition switch/starter/alternator.

Can anyone help who has had the same experience?

Thank you.

Similar symptoms are seen for my 96 corolla. It used to work fine till a couple of weeks. Now, the first few attempts to start the car, I hear "click" instead of standard starting ignition noise. But, to add to this, today, I noticed that the car started with 1st attempt and I could hear a strange noise, probably, the radiator going out loud. I turned off the ignition, still I could feel the radiator going out so loud that I felt the car itself was running. It happend a couple of times before starting normally.

gsmithriv, How did you get it resolved?

Anyone, any ideas? I am inclined towards the starter problem too.

Thanks a ton.

Sounds like with gsmithriv the starter is breaking down and staying engaged. On my 95, if the battery connection isn't perfect it won't start i had to take off the cables sand the terminals and clean it then reattach the cables solidly (TIGHTLY) then it started no problem. But i also turned the key once and it wouldn't start, when i pulled the key the starter stayed engaged until the batt finally died. ( I should have knocked the starter with a hammer or disconnected the batt, but i had no tools with me) I found out the solenoid died when it engaged and left it engaged.
Good Luck

Not sure if I am happy or sad to find more people with similar problems to mine.

My 96 toyota with 141K miles started having problems about 5 weeks ago. At first it would not start on the first try. Just hear a click. If i turn the key to off (where the radio is on), and try again it would not start. I had to turn the key to lock position before I could start it again.

It does not happen all the time. Sometimes, it starts up on the first try and some times it takes 3 times. Just last week I had a noise come up when I started the engine on the first try, In addition to the regular car engine noise. The engine would not turn off. I even tried the remote starter(after-market one). finally after about .5 mile, it stopped. I looked under the hood to figure out where the noise was coming from. It was coming from behind the engine where the hood meets the windsheild.

Any way its still has the same problem even now. the auto mech wanted me to drop it off overnight so they can see the problem first hand as it does not have the problem for about >6 hours after the last starting time.

Also, I had a little corrosion on my battery which i cleaned (only a little bit) when I had to change the headlight. I could have taken the air hose out instead of the battery... me dummy .. could'nt find the manual i time.

My battery is about 3 years old Champion (Sams Club).

Will have to taken it in pretty soon as it my only car...

My 95 did that a few years back, Dealer said it was the starter solenoid. they changed it and it works great ever since.

I have a 97 Geo Prizm, and as everyone knows, it is a Toyota Corolla with a Geo badge on it. I first noticed a problem about a year ago when my air bag light stayed on all of the time in my car, so I had my dad look at it. He said that it was due to my starter sticking and he knew because he could hear it trying to restart itself. He went and got some WD 40 and said that it would extend the life of my starter for a couople of months. Well it did and here I am a year later and I go to start my car and it only clicks. After a couple of clicks it will eventually stop. So it sounds like other people are having the same problem, do not worry, it seems to be about an eighty dollar part and an hour of labor. Over all this has been the best car for me it was my first car and I still have it today while I am finishing up college and this is the first repair I have made to it. Just keep it maintained and it is the best car for a single person who does not have to leave town often.

gsmithriv:

PM me with an E-mail and I'll send three PDF's that will show you how to remove rebuild and replace the Starter solenoid.
I am sure that is your problem.

The problem i noted above disappeared for about 2 weeks. Monday morning, the car did not start. In the evening I tried again and about the fourth try it started up. Drove it straight to Pepboys and had the starter replaced for $194 (Bosch remanuf).
Starts up fine now...

Thanks for the PDF's. I did not have the time to use them ...

gsmithriv:

PM me with an E-mail and I'll send three PDF's that will show you how to remove rebuild and replace the Starter solenoid.
I am sure that is your problem.

my 94 corolla was clicking like that every once in a while. sometimes it would start fine and other times it would take 4 or 5 times to start it up because it would just click. in my case it ended up being the starter.

My 96 is doing the same thing. It is getting worse and worse. Sometimes it takes 6 or 7 times to start and all i hear is click. Sometimes it starts on the first try. I am going to take it to the shop. I attempted to remove the starter myself and I can barely see it from the top. I guess there is no way I can take it out without working under the car.