2009 Toyota Camry delayed start in -13 degrees C or colder, whats wrong?
Hi everyone, I have 2009 Toyota Camry, 2.4L 4-cyl and whenever it gets
below -12 degrees C and the car has been sitting for 4 or more hours it
develops a weird starting problem.
Normally, to start this car you turn the key on, press the RF anti-theft fob
button, then crank the engine, but when the above conditions are met (-12
degrees C, and more then off for 4 hours), when I try to crank the car, I get
nothing, no tick-tick-tick or anything, almost as if the RF anti-theft fob signal
didn't register (and I know its transmitting, because the blue "I'm being
pressed right now" light on the RF anti-theft fob is on, full brightness, when
the anti-theft fob button is pressed).
Normally in a situation like this, I'd suspect a battery, but after about 5-min of
turning off the key, turning on the key, pressing the RF anti-theft fob button,
the car actually turns over (with decent turn-over ability), the engine fires and
we are good to go, so I'm not suspecting a battery, but has anybody else
ever experienced this type of behaviour from their car?
Thanks!
-Nate
It is possible your battery is just starting to go. Cranking a car in the temperatures that you described typically requires around 350% of the starting power normally required at average temperatures. That puts a severe drain on your battery. I would still test it first before moving on and troubleshooting other areas. It could be that simple.
Is this anti theft system original Factory...or...After Market?
Thanks guys! yeah the thing for me was the fact I didnt get anything in a form of a cranking engine, but then after 5 min of trying it just fires up as it suppose to (while working through the RF anti-theft fob procedure). As far as I know its OEM, the car is second hand though. Looking online it looks like this anti-theft Fob is OEM.
On....did you try the extra ...second key set? Maybe the battery in the Fob is weak. Any warning lights on or flashing when the engine is running?
Btw...is your vehicle use a regular Key...or....is your vehicle a SMART KEY sysrem?
Thanks last_change_garage, I have not tried the second set, though the fob batteries got replaced about a month ago. This car has the SMART key I believe that looks like the attached photo. It also has a rf anti-theft fob (grey device with a single button with blue led, that lights when the button is pressed) which enables the ignition switch to allow the engine to crank. I'm starting to think this grey anti-theft fob is not an OEM piece of equipment. I cant seem to find any photos of it online.
Nate...have you resolved the issue with this vehicle?
Not exactly, but I figured out what is going on.... My girlfriend picked this up at a used car place. They had installed a 3rd party interlock on the ignition switch connected to this RF fob thing I described above (which is not factory OEM). It seems to have a temperature sensitivity issue with its antenna range, because if I hold the RF button down and move it around underneath the dash for awhile it works...I literally have to hold the RF fob down for 3 minutes continuously for it to unlock the ignition.
Well...this is interesting. The only suggestion i have at this time is to return the vehicle to the ...used car place....and hopefully they may have some idea of whats happening. Add on after market equipment can be a real PIA to repair without the tech literature for same. Keep us up to date on this interesting issue.
