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My Car Died...

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Started 3 years ago by AmyArt21
Latest reply from AmyArt21

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AmyArt21
Short North
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My poor little '99 Corolla.
It was having trouble starting today and yesterday, so this afternoon I called to have it serviced and made the appointment for next Thurs.
Then I went out to try and do some errands. And it wouldn't start at all.
Thinking it was probably the battery, I called AAA and they sent their battery dude.
It was NOT the battery. It wouldn't even start with jumper cables! Craaaaaaaaap.
Would it be the starter, or something more major?
I have to get it towed to the shop tomorrow. I don't really know how they would tow a car that's parallel-parked on the street with cars in front and in back. I can't even start the damn thing to maneuver it out of the parking space.
Has this happened to anyone else before? :cry:

Posted 3 years ago #
lisathewaitress
SoHud
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it sounds like your starter. Especially since you have a toyota, a notoriously reliable car for 100s of 1000s of miles. IF i remember correctly, if it is your starter, you will hear a click but no revs or anything. Just dead nothingness. Is it a stick shift or automatic? IF it is a stick, an easy way to tell would be to pop the clutch, which would be a little hard if it is blocked in with cars. Do the other cars ever leave?
A starter costs about $400 (well, it was for my '95 Jetta when it died).
I hope it's an easy fix! If you need clutch-popping advice, let me know. I had a VW rabbit in college which I started by popping the clutch for months until my dad visited, and realized that my starter had become unplugged from the battery. That's pretty much the story of my life...

Posted 3 years ago #
AmyD
Columbus, Ohio
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oh amy that stinks! i have nothing to add except that.

Posted 3 years ago #
atomikswingkittn
Columbus/Hilltop/Westgate
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My '95 Honda Civic did that two summers ago (I now drive an '04 Mazda 3). I vaguely remember it being the starter, but I don't have the paperwork to confirm it.

Posted 3 years ago #
AmyArt21
Short North
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lisathewaitress wrote If you need clutch-popping advice, let me know. I had a VW rabbit in college which I started by popping the clutch for months until my dad visited, and realized that my starter had become unplugged from the battery. That's pretty much the story of my life...
That sounds really dirty, Lisa!! :lol: Hahaha.
The AAA guy looked under my hood for a while, and I assume if something was simply detached, he would have re-attached it.
I admittedly have no clue what "popping the clutch" is. Can you do that on a car with automatic transmission?

Posted 3 years ago #
michaelcoyote
!seabus
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AmyArt21 wrote
lisathewaitress wrote If you need clutch-popping advice, let me know. I had a VW rabbit in college which I started by popping the clutch for months until my dad visited, and realized that my starter had become unplugged from the battery. That's pretty much the story of my life...
That sounds really dirty, Lisa!! :lol: Hahaha.
The AAA guy looked under my hood for a while, and I assume if something was simply detached, he would have re-attached it.
not always, the starter is often at the back or underneath the engine.. He may not be able to see the cable to it.
I had a 90' Civic where the whole starter came lose and was just sitting there.. You couldn't see it ws unattached, but you could her it just sit there and whirr...
Just wondering, did it make any sort of clicking sound? If you turn the lights on, are they dim?
AmyArt21 wrote
I admittedly have no clue what "popping the clutch" is. Can you do that on a car with automatic transmission?
Nope, Manual transmission only.

Posted 3 years ago #
artbomb112
The Heights
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I'm not a car expert... but I know enough to get by.
I do know the starter in a Corolla is pretty easy to get to. I used to have one that was just a bit older than yours.
I think it sounds like the starter too. But it may be the alternator.
A starter isn't that much. (Jetta's are notorious for high price fixes... not so much for Corollas)
An alternator isn't that bad either.
I would recommend taking it to a Toyota dealership though. Many shops that run into these problems use junked parts from other vehicles. A dealership will have factory parts.
I don't think it will be that hard to fix it. Dead is often better than noise.
Call me if you want to ask about it. I can tell you what I know.
:)

Posted 3 years ago #
CaD
Dublin'ish
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Yeah it sounds like its going to be your starter.
Not bad to fix actually. If you dont have someone to do it for you, hopefully the shop doesnt charge you an arm and a leg.

Posted 3 years ago #
AmyArt21
Short North
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artbomb112 wrote I would recommend taking it to a Toyota dealership though. Many shops that run into these problems use junked parts from other vehicles. A dealership will have factory parts.
Yep, I'm calling Toyota Direct right now...
I hope it's not too bad. Although I secretly want a new car even though I *really* can't afford one.

Posted 3 years ago #
Coremodels
Really close to Explorer's Club.
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Alternator or starter should probably run you around 150 bucks, maybe a little.
EDIT: that's for the part, as they're really not a hard fix at all.

Posted 3 years ago #
thefightinglibrarian
Running after the 'Bus
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AmyArt21 wrote
artbomb112 wrote I would recommend taking it to a Toyota dealership though. Many shops that run into these problems use junked parts from other vehicles. A dealership will have factory parts.
Yep, I'm calling Toyota Direct right now...
I hope it's not too bad. Although I secretly want a new car even though I *really* can't afford one.
I go to Toyota Direct and have had excellent service from them-- hope it doesn't cost you a fortune!

Posted 3 years ago #
michaelcoyote
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Replacing starters generally are pretty easy and don't require tools beyond a good socket set.. I've done it a bunch of times for myself and friends.
If you have a friend that's handy with tools they could probably do this in about an hour, and for much less than a shop.

Posted 3 years ago #
lifeliberty
Here
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What's the news?

Posted 3 years ago #
AmyArt21
Short North
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thefightinglibrarian wrote
AmyArt21 wrote
artbomb112 wrote I would recommend taking it to a Toyota dealership though. Many shops that run into these problems use junked parts from other vehicles. A dealership will have factory parts.
Yep, I'm calling Toyota Direct right now...
I hope it's not too bad. Although I secretly want a new car even though I *really* can't afford one.
I go to Toyota Direct and have had excellent service from them-- hope it doesn't cost you a fortune!
Well, they found some more stuff that was wrong...so it will only be a *small* fortune. Labor costs so much!!! I should have gone in to the auto maintenance profession.
So, everyone come to the North Market on Sunday and buy some of my jewelry! (Not only is it awesome, but it will help me pay for car stuff! Yaaaay!) I know you want a bracelet with charms that look like 8 different varieties of Pop-Tarts. :wink:

Posted 3 years ago #
KSquared
Literally Hell
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If you need service on a Toyota in the future, Larry at Tong Da is awesome and charges fair prices. I have taken my car in for noises that turned out to be able to be fixed easily by tightening something or other, and he did not charge me.
The other plus is that Yeah Me Too is right down the street, and Wildflower Cafe is right across the street. :)

Posted 3 years ago #
michaelcoyote
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AmyArt21 wrote
Well, they found some more stuff that was wrong...so it will only be a *small* fortune. Labor costs so much!!! I should have gone in to the auto maintenance profession.
so what was wrong?
also, this is why i do anything that doesn't require pulling an engine myself. or did when i owned a car.

Posted 3 years ago #
AmyArt21
Short North
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michaelcoyote wrote
AmyArt21 wrote
Well, they found some more stuff that was wrong...so it will only be a *small* fortune. Labor costs so much!!! I should have gone in to the auto maintenance profession.
so what was wrong?
also, this is why i do anything that doesn't require pulling an engine myself. or did when i owned a car.
It needed a new starter.
And the front cover was leaking so it had to be resealed and the valve cover gasket had to be replaced. The labor really cost me on that one. According to my little itemized print-out, that took 5 hours to do.
So now, instead of enjoying my night, I have to do all the work I couldn't get done on Thurs. and Fri. because of car drama. So sad!

Posted 3 years ago #