Toyota Camry Won’t Start Sometimes

I’ve got a 1993 Toyota Camry 2200 cc engine. I’ve been having vexing electrical problems to do with starting the car. 9 times out of 10 it starts up fine. But that one time out of 10, you turn the key and nothing happens, no click, no starter turning, nothing. For a while I thought it was the starter and I used to hit the starter with a hammer but finally I replaced the starter and the problem keeps recurring. The alternator is new, as is the distributor, not just the cap, but the whole shebang, coil, rotor, etc. .

Battery is new. Timing belt recently replaced. One point hat could be related is that not long ago I went to jet wash the engine to degrease it, and didn’t cover the alternator and that precipitated blowing the alternator and needing to replace that. Perhaps something else got wet? It’s as if sounds like something is sticking, maybe a relay, or something in the ignition switch? I’d be grateful for any ideas.

Thanks
John

Hey there John

I would triple check the battery connections and make darn sure there is no corrosion build up on the cables and connections and that they are good and tight. These vehicles have a problem with loose battery connections and corrosion build up around them.

Next time this no start issue happens. Turn on the headlights then try and start the engine. If the headlights go OUT, you have a connection problem at the battery or a bad cell inside the battery and it should be replaced.

If the headlights DIM but do not go out, you most likely have a starter problem or a loose connection at the starter, or a loose ground strap at the starter or chassis ground. You should have a starter relay on this model if I remember correctly, but rarely do they fail, but might be worth a replacement just to rule it out.

If the headlights stay good and bright then you probably have a neutral safety switch problem at the transmission, a security or alarm problem if you have one, or an ignition switch or some sort of power source problem or ground problem like an engine to chassis ground.

This is NOT , an alternator, timing belt, spark plug etc. etc. type of problem. This is either a battery with a bad cell, a loose connection or a main power supply to the starter like an ignition switch or a safety switch like the transmission neutral safety switch. You might also try starting in neutral instead of park when this happens, that might help rule out a neutral safety issue. Moving the gear shift through all positions while holding the key in the start position might also determine a neutral safety switch problem.

 source :  http://www.trustmymechanic.com/auto-repair/2839/toyota-camry-wont-start-sometimes/