emily_jones1

Matrix no start

My 2002 Toyota Matrix with a gasoline engine won't start. It has about 94k km on it. The engine cranks, but no start. I checked the battery connections, and they seemed a bit loose and corroded. Could that be the issue? Engine light is on.

A 2002 Toyota Matrix with a gasoline engine wouldn't start, despite the engine cranking. The initial suspicion was loose and corroded battery connections, which were cleaned and tightened but didn't resolve the issue. The persistent check engine light suggested a more serious problem, potentially involving the fuel pump or ECU. Ultimately, a mechanic identified and replaced an internally corroded battery cable, resolving the starting issue.

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4 comment(s)

Sounds familiar. I had a similar problem with my Toyota Corolla a while back. Check all your cable connections to the battery again. If they're not making good contact, the ECU might not be getting enough juice, causing the engine to not start. Does the 'check engine' light come on immediately when you try to start, or does it appear after a few tries?

The check engine light comes on right away. I cleaned the battery terminals and tightened the connections, but still nothing. Could it be something more serious, like a fuel pump or even ECU failure?

Hmm, the immediate check engine light after cleaning the terminals suggests it could be more than just the battery connections. While a fuel pump issue is possible, ECU failures, especially in older cars, aren't unheard of. Given that cleaning the terminals didn't fix it, and the light is still on, it might be time to take it to a workshop to get it properly diagnosed.

Thanks for the advice! I took it to a local mechanic, and you were right; it was the battery cable connections. Even though I cleaned them, one was internally corroded. They replaced the cable and it cost me 155€. Runs like a charm now!

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TOYOTA

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MATRIX