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After weeks of planning I was ready for trip to the Wyandra ANZAC Day event. Had the van and car serviced, even the starting battery had the decency to give up the ghost the day prior and got replaced. So I thought my scheduled departure was a sure thing...until I tried to start the car after hooking up the van to test the tail lights. The distintive screach of something wrong with the starter motor sends a chill down your spine.
I thought it must have been a one off. So I hit the road to South Western QLD out past Cunnamulla. Not a problem the whole way there.
It does it again the day after I arrive. So a quick call to to my local Toyota dealer in Nerang to have a look at it the day after I get back.
I go to head home and it then takes 4 attempts to start the car...not good. So a 1.5 day drive back to the Gold Coast becomes a 13 hour mercy dash as I didn't trust to turn it off in case it wouldn't restart.
Fingers crossed she starts up first turn of the key and get it down to the mechanic. Seems the starter motor was just worn out and the new battery with more CCA pushed it over the edge. So the old one was reconditioned and back in the same day. Got to love Toyota at Nerang.
So if your heading out to the back of beyond then a starter motor service/check might be worth considering or life could be a touch difficult unless you can do a rolling start. If nothing else it could save you some grief further down the track.
The car is a 6 YO manual with around 145000 km at the time.
I thought it must have been a one off. So I hit the road to South Western QLD out past Cunnamulla. Not a problem the whole way there.
It does it again the day after I arrive. So a quick call to to my local Toyota dealer in Nerang to have a look at it the day after I get back.
I go to head home and it then takes 4 attempts to start the car...not good. So a 1.5 day drive back to the Gold Coast becomes a 13 hour mercy dash as I didn't trust to turn it off in case it wouldn't restart.
Fingers crossed she starts up first turn of the key and get it down to the mechanic. Seems the starter motor was just worn out and the new battery with more CCA pushed it over the edge. So the old one was reconditioned and back in the same day. Got to love Toyota at Nerang.
So if your heading out to the back of beyond then a starter motor service/check might be worth considering or life could be a touch difficult unless you can do a rolling start. If nothing else it could save you some grief further down the track.
The car is a 6 YO manual with around 145000 km at the time.
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