My 2021 CH-R wouldn’t start this morning. I’m thinking it might be the starter, but I’m not sure. Any ideas?
Have you checked the 12v battery? Mine did the same thing recently, and it was just a dead battery.
Jean said:
Have you checked the 12v battery? Mine did the same thing recently, and it was just a dead battery.
I tried a jump box, but it didn’t work. The car was serviced two weeks ago and the battery seemed fine then.
@Penny
Does your climate control display numbers when you try to start it? If it’s in accessory mode, it’s likely the 12v battery. A volt meter would help check the battery voltage. If it’s not the battery, you may want to check your warranty to see if it’s covered.
@Jean
I’ll check the voltage at home with my meter. Thanks for the advice! Also, the temperature dropped from the 70s to the 40s, so I’ll check if the weather had an impact.
Penny said:
@Jean
I’ll check the voltage at home with my meter. Thanks for the advice! Also, the temperature dropped from the 70s to the 40s, so I’ll check if the weather had an impact.
No problem! By the way, if the 12v is too low, some jump packs need an override button to work. They don’t always detect a very low voltage, like around 3v, so the packs won’t kick in.
Jean said:
Have you checked the 12v battery? Mine did the same thing recently, and it was just a dead battery.
This sounds like a 12v battery issue. If I do too many short trips, my CH-R acts the same way. Everything turns on, but the ready light doesn’t. If I let it sit for a bit, it starts after a few tries, probably because the battery warms up. After running the car for 30-60 minutes, it’s fine again. The dealer said my battery was fine, but it’s just one of those things that happens with these cars.
@Nate
I had the same issue and found that using a solar trickle charger helped keep the battery topped off. It’s been a good solution so far.
Jean said:
@Nate
I had the same issue and found that using a solar trickle charger helped keep the battery topped off. It’s been a good solution so far.
Interesting! I’ve heard about those but wasn’t sure if they really worked. Do you plug it into the diagnostic port? Do you unplug it before driving?
@Nate
Yeah, I plug it into the diagnostic port under the steering wheel. Definitely unplug it before driving, or it could blow some fuses. It only keeps the battery charged, though. If the battery’s already low or dead, you’ll need something else to get it back up to 12v before using a solar charger.
I had the same problem with mine. It was just the battery. I still had the original one that came with the car, and it turns out those have a 4-5 year warranty.
GARAGETOY said:
I had the same problem with mine. It was just the battery. I still had the original one that came with the car, and it turns out those have a 4-5 year warranty.
Thanks! Mine’s still on the original battery too, so hopefully that’s all it is.
Definitely sounds like the battery.
Wilkie said:
Definitely sounds like the battery.
You were right! It was the battery.
You probably still have a warranty, right? Maybe not 10 years like in Europe, but at least a few years?
Cody said:
You probably still have a warranty, right? Maybe not 10 years like in Europe, but at least a few years?
I called Toyota, and they said it’s out of warranty now.
Cody said:
You probably still have a warranty, right? Maybe not 10 years like in Europe, but at least a few years?
I called Toyota, and they said it’s out of warranty now.
Did you have an extended warranty? Or did it just expire?
@GaryRoberts
It just expired at 45,000 miles. It’s a certified used car, and I bought it with 40 miles on it. The powertrain warranty is good until 100,000 miles or 7 years, though.
Cody said:
You probably still have a warranty, right? Maybe not 10 years like in Europe, but at least a few years?
I called Toyota, and they said it’s out of warranty now.
What a pain. I have a 2018 CH-R hybrid with a warranty until 2028 or 200,000 km. I love Toyota, but I don’t feel comfortable driving one without a warranty. Their parts and labor are so expensive.
@Cody
Yeah, the warranty situation here in the US is pretty bad. Thankfully, I have a relative who’s a mechanic and will take a look at it for me.