When Your Car Won’t Start: Symptoms and Solutions for a Bad Chassis Ground

Poor starting often implicates the battery or starter. But some unusual symptoms in a 2010 Toyota Corolla point toward a different problem. One by one, the pretenders are eliminated on the way to the final, simple solution.

[@dittilio]

This is a fantastic overview of diagnostic process for ground faults. Beautifully executed.

[@pilgrimhere652]

Im learning mechanic the, U-Tube way. Thanks to you guys.

[@llhpark]

2009 Corolla dead in driveway- changed the battery with a recharged one, actually saw the two chasis bolts you highlighted- rusty so hit them with shot of cleaning vinegar - I think you've put me on to something ! News @11

[@scyntaxx]

I like how you actually pointed out where some of the grounds were. Also, Good job with showing us to check for paint and rusty screws. I'm almost certain i might have a similar problem with my truck

[@brettchampagne4440]

Thanks, my '04 Corolla had the same problem. Now it starts.

[@rightwinggunslinger1]

Yea -Haw. Found your excellent video. 100 bucks says this fixes my new 07 vibe that stranded my wife and i had to go jumpstart with my 3 year old. Just got the battery in it. It died on me pulling in my garage after a bunch of dash lights came on after i spun on ice at the driveway end. Hasnt restarted yet. Your a noble gentleman! Thanks from minnesota. I snapped a shot of your hdwr Text. Thx in advance of my repair!

[@rightwinggunslinger1]

Yep. It worked. Thanks!

[@flowrob6861]

Seriously GLAD watched ur video & others b4 wasting time effort finding the problem . we tested battery + to ground & got nothing . Cleaned both terminal Works great now . No S$$hop rates .

[@kevinl.295]

Great tutorial video and repair. Thanks for posting this one 👍

[@mufuliramark]

Brilliant, virtually same issue as my 2007 Renault Clio. Will get this done tomorrow.

[@johnswilley6764]

Good Job, but you might also want to replace that battery cable which had obvious corrosion showing; that green stuff just keeps on creeping. Thanks for the video Sir!

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

I usually just brush it with a mix of baking soda and water to neutralize the acid.

[@XXXX-dr8on]

I agree with you John, it will travel up the battery cable under the insulation.

[@burmesebeef]

i wish i had seen this before replacing my starter. Thanks for the great content!

[@legendasure6623]

What kind of car u have?

[@christiancravens7768]

Thank you! Great video. This helps a lot.

[@WCTubeful]

Good work. You know what you are doing.

[@canoeshoe]

This literally just happened to my GF except there was no power to anything. I purchased a newer harness for a newer corolla and it worked like a charm

[@golddiggerxxxxx]

Very helpful video thanks for sharing. 🤗

[@BigJuicy328]

I need a good car guy like you here in Michigan

[@travisvossler]

Little creepy on that thanks for watching at the end haha really good video👌🏼

[@sammygerros5566]

Just had this problem with my 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe...starter would just click...watched the video, ended-up replacing the negative battery cable and the post...fired right up! Great video...thanks!

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

You're welcome. I'm so glad the video helped!

[@maungmaung4037]

That why I interest to big 3 upgrade even I don't use after market stero sys .

[@Roald80irs]

Very good video! Thanks for sharing!

[@aandmservices2518]

Awesome video, I enjoyed watching it.

[@GevXander]

solid work.

[@ssplintergirl]

This is an exceptionally good video. Really informative.

[@usa-thienuongtrenat8292]

Thanks for your share! God bless!

[@anthonycanty3755]

Great video.

[@IntheBlood67]

Outstanding!

[@augienajera642]

Nice troubleshooting!!!

[@americanpatriot5836]

Great video!!!

[@CORZER0]

Good job.

[@jessikapiche6097]

This was an AMAZING, JUST AMAZING piece of work finding this! I have a mazda 3 2006 and my car won't even start. I will check the fuse box but my expertise is not going further than that, sadly. Watching you finding this problem was very inspiring and educational, I would have never imagine it would be a simple 'ground contact' problem.

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

I appreciate the feedback. I have a three part series on ways to troubleshoot and fix starting problems. Part three is the most popular: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqjCmqiun8ytr7s

[@neilpirelli9240]

LOL i have the same car, same problem, same day, thats how i ended up here. the ground on 2006 mazda 3 sucks and wears out

[@jessikapiche6097]

I now recommend all my friends before even bringing their car to anyplace, to first sand their battery connector, re-install and try to start their car again. My battery connectors look fine from outside but when i deconnected the negative side (-) i realize it had greenstuff all around the inside! I sand it, then re-install, and bang! Start without ANY DARN PROBLEM! It seems that green stuff is really good at isolation! I mean, even when i play around the connector, i sometimes get 'sparks', so it was the last thing i would have thought was the problem!

[@br00talhonesty]

@@jessikapiche6097 lmao I can't believe I read your entire comment

[@kencoulter8175]

great video thanks

[@cotelo]

I have issues starting my car when it's hot. Sometimes it just starts right away even while warm, sometimes has issues starting while cold, but mostly while warm (it sounds like a slow cranking) which is a pain in the ass as I gotta wait for it to cold down (around 45 minutes). I already cleaned injectors, replaced fuel filter and serviced the starter motor, all of that is good now, but still have the same issue. Gotta try this chassis ground thing now, hope I can find where the ground connections for everything is 😅

[@garyshaffer68]

Yep bad grounds can drive u nuts. Lights flicker is a good sign. Clean your cables and what I do even on the battery post clean and put a little grease on them. And same on the motor. Where the other end goes .

[@Simon-xi8tb]

The moral of the story: Always check for bad ground first :)

[@jesuschavez9110]

Thanks to ths video I’m replacing all my wires lol every time it rains or if is too humid my car won’t start 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@Alohathebua1]

Thanks for this informative video! Now when I take my car to the shop for this exact problem, I can speak with confidence when discussing solutions. I don't know what I would do without KZbin!! Mahalo & Aloha from Hawaii

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

You're welcome and good luck with the repair.

[@patriciabrown4809]

my 2002 highlander has similar problem....guess i will follow your lead...thanks

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

You're welcome and good luck with your job. Look for rusty or loose ground bolts or lugs.

[@fozialshiekhi6723]

great video

[@alastairmackay4861]

I would advise using a volt drop check rather than resistance. From the earth bolt to the earth eyelet a good reading would be 0v. Also, with the starter in place if connected a jump cable from the starter body to the negative terminal on the battery and it starts, you know you havean earth issue

[@emsea7279]

Thank you

[@enniolopez1367]

you amazing thank you so much

[@lestruites2851]

who the heck design those car ,, starter relay behind the radio go figure ,,

[@web5271]

Cars are designed for ease of assembly, not ease of maintenance.

[@christophertoliver4781]

I’ll be checking my grounds asap. I suspect I have a bad ground that’s keeping my rolla stuck

[@jamesbender2794]

I've had problems with starting my 2010 Toyota Corolla LE. Try to start the car, hear a sputtering sound, weak lights on the dash. I get out, disconnect the battery clamps, then reconnect them then boom, car starts up with bright lights on the dash. Bad ground connection builds resistance that jams juice trying to flow through many possible electrical hookups. Beautiful video is a sight giver.

[@camillatucker9802]

How did u fix this I’m having same problem

[@jamesbender2794]

@@camillatucker9802 I haven't fixed my problem. Did you try what was shown in the video? Disconnect the ground wires to the chassis of the car, then reconnect them after cleaning them?

[@francoisnormandin8289]

Thank for this video, Now I suspect ground issues with new sound system producing noise, also my starter wire just cut itself in two. Many car have ground issues, my last car litteraly eat the ground wire.

[@megancrager4397]

You sure a rat didn't eat it?

[@kalanirobb54]

Grind all paint and the contacts ,,replace hardware with stainless , coat contacts with copper based dielectric grease .now treat all grounds on vehicle same procedure

[@user-wo7uw8ll8k]

What parts did you buy, and their sizes?

[@JorgeDiaz-mt3tb]

Hi my name is Jorge I have a couple of questions to ask your guys I have a 2006 Toyota corolla having issues Lights blinking down how many ground the car have on the motor and transmission

[@pauljefferies9087]

I always stand in front of the car, shake my fist at it, and yell, I AM THE BOSS HERE, CAR! This does not actually work, though. What about draining the gunk out of the Oil Pan, then looking at the crank shaft bearings? Cause, those crank bearings are likely to be stuck.

[@Marstruth]

Hoping this is what's wrong with my 02 ford explorer, replaced the starter yesterday no dice, security light isn't flashing so no security issue, this is the only thing left that I can think of... Fingers crossed

[@congbui1]

I like the scrapping off paint to get bare metal to metal contact but isn’t that going to create the same problem you’re trying to fix with the corroded ground bolts? Wouldn’t replacing with new ground bolt be the better solution? The thread to thread contact should be enough for the ground path.

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

It made sense to me at the time but I think you have a valid point. I still have the car three years later and thankfully the problem has not recurred.

[@mringram]

Nice

[@maungmaung4037]

Glad to know all major ground. Just want to know more where can I find ECU ground ? Btw good video. Thank in advance. Wait I want to know ignition coil secondary ground too. I know where fuel injector ground are. It on engine easy to find.

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

You would have to find the wiring for each component and then probe it for the ground. Remember all grounds in a circuit go to the same place.

[@maungmaung4037]

@@TheOriginalMechanic good idea I got low quality probe cam can't use in cyclinder. I might use it

[@scottmcintosh2988]

after cleaning the grounds use copper neverseize .

[@bhaveshchouhan2965]

Ok good start

[@littletonybekind]

If u read this. I had the same thing. With the sfarter installed. Touches the starter i got 1.2 voltes. As i gave it ground my horn sounded off

[@HM-ke1qm]

If you read this. Good job learning English 👍

[@percyflores7517]

mine only does one click but i see a kind of corrotion too and i have been having alternador problems ( got a new one ) the head lights flicks and the car kind of surging on parking or it was now its completed dead for 2 days i was thinking about ignition switch but we the history of 2 bad alternadors ? only does one click not exactly the same as the video i wish is the same problem is cheaper ( battery is giving 12.6 v ) some one told me bad cells? is a new one but its a AAA road assitance battery i see theres a lot complains ) any ideas? thank you note : the car did this to me like a mounth ago but started next day but no this time i kind felt it low star in the morning and it died in the afternoon ..so a bad iginition swicth could it give me a slow star ? or this is meaby a ground strap problem ?

[@gabeespinosa9834]

Hey Percy! I know this post was like from 2 yrs ago. But I been having the same exact issues u described in ur comment, with my Infiniti. And I was curious if u ever fixed ur problem with ur vehicle and what needed to be done to fix it? Thank u

[@kack7130]

sweet

[@aleax2961]

Bout to check for the signs, but what causes the check engine light not to display on the dash when the key is in the on position .

[@Stunna83]

Check your ignition relay in the fuse box under the hood. Just had that problem, but replacing that relay got my dash lights bacc on

[@audunjemtland8287]

Awesome video. I think I have the same problem only the washer area on the pluss+ pole is messy(corroded, filthy) It starts though, but it can sporadically stop, also sporadically not start. But the pluss pole is not ground. I also see that the negative pole doesn't have it's electronic box on top of it. It's gone.

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

Make sure that battery terminals are clean and corrosion free. That's a good place to start. Also, corrosion can be a sign of an aging battery.

[@audunjemtland8287]

Thanks man. The battery is at 95% efficieny. Cleaned the nuts and bolts area. It was really diry/corroded. Put some battery pole grease on everything(assume this is dielectric grease) Need to find the grounding point under the car. Saw the red one. Gonna clean that as well. It's puzzling why these don't have a weather shield of some kind. Maybe electrical tape isn't such a bad idea.

[@originalimmigration]

Can you show the next video

[@MrWolfSnack]

The methods are good but the diagnosis is bad. You start with the simplest solutions first that involve NOT dismantling the entire interior. Then you travel ahead through the symptoms until you get to the more complicated troubleshooting that involves removing the starter, parts of the interior, half the dashboard, etc. If you're running a shop with high labor by the hour rates though I'm sure this is a method of choice to make tons of $$$$$$$$. First thing first would be making sure terminal posts are clean and tight and check it. Then source a new battery and check again. Many people are too ignorant to know their battery is dead. COPART yard monkeys even does this. They will say a car doesn't run/drive when it just has a dead battery. If that doesn't fix it then start poking around with fuses, wiring, etc, all that stuff.

[@dereckc9469]

it necessary to scrape paint if you dremmel lug and bolt? wouldnt that carry the current if you get the rust off the bolt and washer

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

Yes that would be enough.

[@rubbermallet3873]

🤔👌🕵incredible🤗👍😁

[@omaromar-lg3yu]

I had a same issue on my Toyota Yaris 2012 I lost the accessories current and It was a nightmare to find the grounding issue ...bad diagnosis results of spending money for no things ...I lost around 600 Euro for nothing....till we found the real issue...man I wish have seen this video before :( ....thanks anyway.

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

You're welcome. We've all thrown too much money into car repairs.

[@lfc214]

brilliant sir. but in my case, car starts ok but needs longer cranks mostly when warmed up. scenario:- 1) morning cold start, or whenever climate is cold = one crank ("hek") starts right up 2) after shutting engine off and restarted within 5 minutes = one crank ("hek") starts right up 3) after shutting engine off and restarted ANY DURATION AFTER 5 minutes, = 1st crank ("hek hek hek hek hek hek"), 2nd crank ("hek hek hek") then starts. I don't think the starter or ground is the issue here because of no.(2). Two different workshops mechanics told me it could be the distributor (w/out detailed checking). Battery/alternator both are fine. Been having this problem for four years now. on a side note (not sure if this is related) my car runs fine but idling is very slightly rough. Do you have any video on this that I could refer to? many thanks in advance.

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

This doesn't sound electrical at all. Since it occurs when the engine warms up I would wonder about the engine itself. I once had a car that would always start great but when hot it would randomly die and not want to start again. It was a broken head bolt. This could be a lot of things, many of them hard to find. I would have the compression checked first and see if that turns up anything.

[@lfc214]

@@TheOriginalMechanic my car would not die randomly, in fact never before been in that situation. ok sir will do that during my next service. thanks anyway for responding to my looong query sir 😅 have a nice day

[@SDDixon912]

Hey, question.. How did you have the starter wired up at 0:32? Just positive end or just negative end? Occasionally my starter plunger will come out with a single click and not spin, just like at 0:32. This rarely happens but is always fixed when I hook the starter up directly to the battery.. then it starts right up. I've had the starter bench tested and tried a different starter but get the same result. Ive checked all wiring and cleaned all connections multiple times, all seams fine..have you ever heard of this happening? Any ideas?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

I had both positive and negative wired up with the positive directly to the battery plus and a jumper cable on the negative. That's a toughie. i would definitely use a meter (set to measure resistance-ohms). Check resistance from battery negative to various solid metal points on the engine and chassis. If you get anything but very low readings on the order a few ohms or less you still have a bad ground. It sure sounds like a poor ground connection since it starts directly from the battery.

[@SDDixon912]

Awesome ill take another look around the ground connections and pull out the meter. appreciate it@@TheOriginalMechanic

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

I should add that at 0:32 I simply extended the car start wire to the solenoid with a wire to reach the the removed starter under test.

[@alexanderlandaverde5617]

For the ground did you have to disconnect the battery first or just remove ground ?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

The ground strap being removed is about the same as disconnecting the battery.

[@killingitkustoms6832]

Is that with the key on in the on pos when testing for resistance

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

No, power doesn't need to be on for resistance checks.

[@savio1172]

My '10 Corolla LE has a slow cranking issue and never starts. Had not driven the car in about six days. Decided to start the car but would crank but not start. The tow company thought my battery was bad and possibly the alternator. So, I went and replaced the 2.5-year-old battery with a new one thinking a good battery might solve the cranking/start issue. It did not solve the issue. When I was installing the new battery I did notice that the ground bolt was very rusted. Do you think this is the issue? I have never had starting problems with the car before..

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

I too changed a good battery when this problem came up my Corolla. Definitely make sure your grounds are good!

[@savio1172]

@ginalMechanic The car is at my mechanic and advised to him to look at the grounds and check to see if they are good. Hopefully, that's the problem and nothing major. also, during those six days the car was not started, the key fob battery was dead so I replaced that battery. After changing the battery. the key fob seems to unlock and lock the car. However, does the key fob have to be re-programmed for the car? Maybe it might be causing some issues with the start? Just trying to rule things out.

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

No, the key fob would not need to be reprogrammed. You can rule that out. @@savio1172

[@wildbillo68]

gezzz.... good way for the manufacturer to hide parts in the strangest places for us huh.... a stinkin relay hidden like that drives me nuts... The grounding system baffles me too... no thought put into it... maybe that's what they want.... they want ya to have to bring the car back to the dealer at some point to adress stuff like that. I can see someone junking a car because they couldn't find a "Electrical Issue" on a car when it was just a ground all along.

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

I found that disappointing too. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@alphaomega8373]

Now to get a new fan belt.

[@davidthomas6949]

No mention of how you set up he multimeter. Negative battery terminal removed but not positive? And, was the negative on the multimeter somewhere in particular?

[@davidthomas6949]

Also next time I suggest adding some dielectric grease to the fttings to ensure continuity in the harshest conditions.

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

I had the meter in the ohms (resistance) mode. I thought I pointed that out. Since we are dealing with a ground issue I did not disconnect battery plus. The meter measured resistance between the battery ground connection and the chassis t near the suspect lug connection. I hope this helps. I strive to be clear but occasionally fall short.

[@davidthomas6949]

@@TheOriginalMechanic Thanks for the reply! Great video of course, you went ALL OUT. Still though where is the negative on the multi-meter placed? I just watched another video where buddy left the battery completely connected but place the multi-meter's '-' in the negative terminal..?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

@@davidthomas6949 When measuring resistance the polarity of the meter probes isn't important. But to answer your question, I had the the negative on the clamp end of the battery ground cable and the positive on the lug bolting that cable to the chassis. A good connection would have been .2 ohms or less. I got 52 ohms which revealed a poor ground connection.

[@lorenamc-jn6wr]

My 1984 Toyota battery is fully charged. It won't start l. New battery terminal clamps and smoke started coming out heating up and ground melted. Why?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

Sounds like a short to ground or the battery terminals are reversed.

[@jhnginsu5601]

can any nut & bolt be used? or is it only stainless steel?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

I would suggest using automotive-grade fasteners

[@andrewmaclean6144]

Just prior too 4:18 I was feeling dumb and everything was over my head for sure, .... till I noticed you have a flux capacitor and 2100 giggawatts, I noticed that doc.

[@5jjt]

Watch for corrosion, even at those freshly sanded/scrapped surfaces. Don't ask me how I would know.

[@davidthomas6949]

yearly Dielectric grease applied to these areas should do the trick.

[@jamessmith5613]

Do this work for 2006 Nissan Altima as well buddy

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

Any vehicle can develop this problem.

[@RAVETOR]

What do I do if the car cranks but won't start? The lights works but not the stereo. I changed to a new battery to but it's not working. Will this fix my problem?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

Possibly. A quick way to find out is to check resistance between the battery negative and the engine block. It needs to be a few ohms or less. If not clean up the ground connections.

[@RAVETOR]

@@TheOriginalMechanic I try it out. Thanks for the tip!

[@marvinvasquez3616]

Good day. Before you repair that. Does the car crank when you started it? Because my car sometimes have that problem. Sometimes it doesn't start nor crank. Thanks will wait for your answer before i subscribe and share your videos. Thanks

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

The car never cranked until the ground was repaired. If your car cranks the problem is likely to elsewhere. A meter comes in handy here to determine if power and ground circuits are proper.

[@marvinvasquez3616]

That means i need to find where is that knots to clean up. May it is also dirty. So that i will not pay high price in the shop. Because they do not know why my car sometime do not crank and start

[@marvinvasquez3616]

Mybcar sometimes do not start nor crank in the morning, but if it started, all day there will be no problem. Do you think i need to clean that knots??

[@fritzj6803]

Great tutorial, but I wouldn't suggest connecting the black cable to the negative (-) terminal on your dead battery. If the battery is leaking hydrogen gas, it could result in an explosion.

[@kasperkyd]

is car batteries negative sides considered ground?

[@learjet1246]

Yes.

[@user-cn2mg1fy7k]

Лайк! Молорик и привет из России:)

[@touristguy87]

why don't you jus replace the bolt instead of the unnecessary paint-removal which is there to keep the body from rusting under the lug

[@J-MONEYKING23]

Where you @ bro 😂

[@chrisdemarcus4577]

If i have a bad ground connection an call a mobile mechanic come out how much should I expect to pay for him to fix it

[@kristyc1046]

Way too much! You'll get a new battery & starter & who knows what else he will throw in. Just fix the ground yourself. I am a woman & I can do it.

[@megancrager4397]

Do I disconnect my battery 1st?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

You need it connected to test it and disconnected for the repair.

[@leumamk5259]

Is it necessary to dismantle the dash?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

No it isn't.

[@leumamk5259]

@@TheOriginalMechanic Ok. I have a problem with a Grand Vitara. When I switch the starter, the car doesn't start and the dash lights start flickering erratically. It also makes weird noises inside the dash, specifically around the radio and AC controls. What can it be?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

@@leumamk5259 I would start looking for a bad ground. These are the types of symptoms that show up when there is a poor ground.

[@dakariwashington8286]

Hey i wonna no i got a gbodyvan it doing the same thang as ur 🚗 would it be the same

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

Not the same.

[@WellWisdom.]

wow

[@j7sportvideo24]

My car is full of rust and all I here when I try to start it is a click coming from the starter 😢

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

That click is likely the solenoid and a sign that there is either not enough power from the battery to the starter windings or open windings.

[@j7sportvideo24]

@@TheOriginalMechanicwhat are windings?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

@@j7sportvideo24 The electrical part of the starter. I'm basically saying that the starter itself may be bad.

[@Ayixlia]

Can this cause your starter to keep turning over?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

No, that sounds like a bad switch or relay.

[@Ayixlia]

@@TheOriginalMechanic Starter rely or what switch?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

@@AyixliaEither the ignition switch or the switch built into the starter. I have never actually seen or heard of either of these causing your problem though. That's a weird problem.

[@Ayixlia]

@@TheOriginalMechanic My starter is new so it may be my ignition clyinder swtich or it may be a positive cable grounded so where or a weak, worn cable?

[@TheOriginalMechanic]

@@Ayixlia A grounded positive cable would blow a fuse. You might want to swap out the starter relay (often nearby relays are identical so just switch them). Also make sure your B+ cable and S cable on the starter are not crossing (touching) somewhere.

[@12vLife]

My 2018 Promaster City Van won't start unless I chassis ground my battery. Battery shows 12.8v. Nothing turns on and has actually locked on to my key and won't let go. I am then able to drive it until remove the key, at which time displays Hill Stop Warning and incorrectly that I am low on Gasoline. I too suspect a bad Chassis ground somewhere

[@erdemir5641]

Lol spends an hour scraping paint off with a knife then gets out a dremel

[@resilient8613]

great video

[@ellaiahpusa]

wow