get a long pipe or handle and hit the starter or top solenoid body of the starter...not really hard,, but couple of wacks...and if it starts...its the starter...get a autozone or napa lifetime starter... or ebay used toyot denso starters.... but if it still doesn't start...then time to do some wire tracing and troubleshooting...

but most probably its the starter....when was the last time it was replaced...

I used to keep a long pry bar and hammer and tapped the starter everytime it did that for 1 -2 weeks till I had time to change the starter...got a napa and good for life... no problems.

 

I tried wacking the starter a few times but it still just clunked when I turned the key. Replacing the starter does seem like a pretty simple job. It's practically on top. But, what else could it be besides that? If the engine stoped when I was driving, is that a clue to it being something else?

 

Oh.. I didn't know your car stopped or died while driving.. Then its not the starter that i can think off.. Might be something more invloved. I would suggest call a mechanic or shop.. Don't really know.. Maybe others.. You need to find out what cause the engine to shutdown while driving..

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It should have thrown some DTCs.

Get a diagnostic scanner and see what’s up instead of guessing what it could be now. You need a starting point to diagnose. Some freeze frame data pids would help see what happened when it threw those codes



Quite a few things can stop an engine while on the move..

Some common possibles but not limited to;…

Fuel pump - bad or clogged
Bad fuel - faulty fuel, faulty fuel gauge and is empty
Low fuel pressure
Crankshaft position sensor
Camshaft position sensor
No spark
Blown Fuse(s)/fuseable link(s)
Bad relays
ECU
Other failed sensors that royally messed up the AF
Severe vacuum leaks
Faulty Alternator and it’s main cable
Main Ground and Power cable
Bad engine to chassis grounds
Faulty ignition switch


Severely low oil pressure. Some modern cars will shut down engine for safety reason. Not sure if it applies to Sienna…

Worst case scenario;
Broken timing chain/belt
Siezed engine due to oil starvation
Overheated




(╭☞ ಠ ͜つ ಠ )╭☞ r=1+sinθ

 

I had it towed to a repair place. They said it was hard to turn the engine and it was probably some bearings in the bottom but it was too expensive to diagnose and a replacement engine was $5000. I thought about taking it to another place for a second opinion but maybe I'll just let the salvage place have it. This car was a money pit to begin with and now I'm in the market for another money pit. :-(

 

had it towed to a repair place. They said it was hard to turn the engine

Not difficult to use a wrench and turn the crank pulley. If you can rotate it it's probably not seized. Maybe drain a little oil to inspect it. If it looks like a chocolate milk shake they might be right.

 

I've got a spare starter you can borrow for test purposes so if your in Wisconsin come over.

 

Unless someone comes over and performs a miracle, I think I'm done with this thing. Two repair shops have told me the problems that are left after I paid thousands to fix lots of problems are too expensive to diagnose. Firestone has a $99 diagnosis and they gave up while saying that but still charged me for not finding the problem. I'm in Fargo if anyone wants a project. Make me an offer.

 

After not driving since my last post, I finally went and got another car. It, too, is crummy. One of those "we buy garbagey cars" places offered $237 for my Sienna. Is that a good price for someone to come take away a car you don't want anymore? I thought it'd be higher.

 

offered $237 for my Sienna. Is that a good price for someone to come take away a car you don't want anymore? I thought it'd be higher.

Value of a non running car is anyone's guess. Getting $237 for a vehicle normally worth $20,000 would be painful. A vehicle normally worth $1000 getting $237 not so painful.
That's the reason my van is worthless. A major break down a thousand miles from home won't bankrupt me. Plan is to junk it and move on. Plan not needed so far.