Trouble Shooting Tips
Truck wont start
First question : When you turn the key does the engine try to turn over or does nothing at all happen?
Answer: Nothing happens
Answer: The engine tries to turn over but wont start
The engine tries to turn over but wont start
Where to look for a cause:
First thing you need to do to narrow it down is figure out if the engine has spark and is getting fuel.
If you have spark click here.Blown Fuses:
Check your fuses interior under the dash on the driver side and also check your main fuse block in the engine compartment. If the fuses in the main block look ok you should also inspect the wires leading to the underneath of the fuse block. It is very common for the main fuse block wires to corrode and turn to goo. If you find bad wires here clean them up and re-secure them into the fuse block.
Cap and Rotor:
Check your cap and rotor if they are badly worn replace them, this is a nice cheap easy fix so cross your fingers.
Dead Coil:
Get a volt meter and check the voltage on your ignition coil , this is also a common cause of a no spark problem.Also check the ground wire for the coil, a bad ground can also cause the coil to not function properly.
Plug and coil wires:
Inspect your spark plug wires and your coil wire for excessive wear and breaks. To be honest if wires are the problem it's more then likely the coil wire as I know for a fact a kick engine will fire and run on three cylinders. If you find a problem replace the wires.
Timing is off:
this is not a common cause unless you've recently changed your timing belt or basically done something to muck with the timing. Generally the only way the timing will get put off without human intervention is if your timing belt skips a tooth. Seeing as it's a total pain to check for this and it's no common I would leave it till you've exhausted all other possibilities.ECM ( Engine Control Module ):
For more information about the ECM and it's temperamental nature click hereThose are the most common problems , if all of that checks out and your still having problems you might want to start checking grounds , power wires and relays in the ignition system.
If you have spark but no fuel:First figure out if there is fuel getting as far as the engine compartment. The easiest way to do this is to get a friend to turn the key while you hold the soft fuel line in the engine compartment. When the fuel pump primes you should be able to feel the pressure in the fuel line come up. Also if you've been trying to start the engine and it's not firing you should be able to smell the unburned fuel.
If you think the fuel is getting to the engine:
Not enough fuel:
If you smell the fuel and have confirmed you have spark you might have a fuel pressure problem. If this is the case there can be several causes.
Clogged fuel filterClogged fuel pump filter
problem with the fuel pressure regulator valve
problem with the TPS (throttle Position Sensor)
Fuel injector Failure:
You could either have a fuel injector that's no longer working or broken wires. If you have access to another injector swapping the injectors is the easiest way to tell if the injector it's self is the problem. Check the power and ground wires for the injector for wear and breaks. You can also pull the injector out , run power to it and see if it's working.
If you have no fuel getting to the engine compartment:
Clogged fuel filter
Fuel Pump malfunction and issues (Very Common):
There are 2 easy ways to see if you fuel pump is working. First when you turn the key to the on position you should be able to here a kind of buzzy/whistle sound come from the rear of the truck , this is the fuel pump priming. If you have difficulty hearing get a friend to turn the key for you while you stand at the back of the truck so you can take a closer listen. If you hear the noise then you know the pump is priming and getting power to it. If you do not hear the noise your pump is either burned out or is not getting power to it. The most common cause of this problem is rotten wires. In the Sidekick/Tracker/Vitara/Escudo the rear inner portion of the rear wheel well tends to rot out exposing the wiring harness to the elements. To check your wires remove the drivers side tail light, inside the body behind the light you will find a connector/plug in the main wiring harness. Inspect this plug for corrosion and broken wires. The fuel pump wire is pink with a black stripe. If there is a lot of corrosion or the wires are broken I suggest cutting the wire just before the plug on either side of the plug and splicing the wire by-passing the connector all together. Once you've by-passed the connector try staring the truck , see if it works. If it didn't work read on, if it did you should solder the wires and use heat shrink to protect your splice as well as a good anti-corrosion electrical spray.
If you cant hear the fuel pump and the wiring looks ok you can at this point get a volt meter, test the fuel pump connection (pink wire/black stripe) going from the harness to under the dash , you should get 6-12V when the key is turned to the on position and you should get 12V when the key is turned and held as if to start the truck. If you have proper voltage there test the pump by finding the the power wire behind the driver side tail light (the pink one with the black strip) and running power to it. If this works and the pump runs when you run power straight to it then you probably have a wiring problem else where in the truck or a dead fuel pump relay. If you have a broken wire somewhere else in the body it's easier to just run a new wire from under the dash back to the pump then it is to track down a broken wire in the body. If you look under the dash on the driver side you will see the main wiring harness (covered by a rubber boot) coming out of the body on the left. If you pull the boot covering the harness back you can find the pink/black stripe fuel pump wire. This I've found is the best place to splice a new line in from as you can be 99% sure your starting from a clean connection. You can either fish the new wire through the body following the path of the main harness or you can run the new wire through the inside of the truck under the carpet to the rear of the truck. Again always finish any splice job with heat shrink and anticorrosion spray.Dead ECM ( Engine Control Module ):
For more information about the ECM and it's temperamental nature click here
Nothing happens when I turn the key:
Blown Fuses:
Check your fuses interior under the dash on the driver side and also check your main fuse block in the engine compartment. If the fuses in the main block look ok you should also inspect the wires leading to the underneath of the fuse block. It is very common for the main fuse block wires to corrode and turn to goo. If you find bad wires here clean them up and re-secure them into the fuse block.
Dead starter Motor:
If you turn the key and have power ( ie: light, radio , dash lights ect ) chances are you have a problem with your starter motor. Most commonly the starter it's self has a problem. With time the brushes in the starter will wear down and need replacing , or sometimes the the bushings will wear out causing the motor to cease , you can usually buy the parts you need to rebuild a starter motor from your local starter and alternator shop or you can just get them to rebuild the starter motor for you. You should also inspect the wires leading to the starter motor for breaks and wear.
ECM (Engine Control Module):
For more information about the ECM and it's temperamental nature click here
