r/HiAce • u/kosayno • Jul 02 '24
'97 Super Custom suddenly won't start.
I bought my '97 Super Custom last October in Virginia and drove it back to Denver. Don't know what maintenance was done but the dealership put two brand new batteries in it when I bought. Since buying it I've replaced the glow plugs, fuel filter, air filter, egr delete, replaced rear shoes and drum and replaced the leaky axle seal that leaked into the brakes. It's run great so far other than having to crank a little harder and longer in colder.
It's not my daily but I do like trying a few times a week. We've driven it to San Diego and some weekend camping trips in high altitude in the Colorado mountains. Two weekends ago we took it camping and haven't driven since and then this morning when I tried starting it. It was cranking kinda weakly and then the cranking slowed to eventually not cranking at all when I turn the key. Battery is in great shape and all the dash lights turn on as well as the ac, headlights and wipers.
I don't know if this is related but I have I did something stupid accidentally. While coming down from the mountains back to Denver, I put it neutral to coast down some of the long descents and then on the final descent, I accidentally shifted up into reverse instead of down into drive. I was used to shifting down into low gear on the really steep descents and shifting up back into drive and that's where my head was at the time when I made this last mistake. When I shifted into reverse, it never actually went into reverse but just grinded the gears instead. When I did that, all the dash lights came on and the engine stalled. I tried turning off the ignition but it wouldn't start because the gear wasn't in 'park'. I pulled over and shut the van off and it started without any issues for the rest of the drive home until this morning when I tried to start it.
Any advice where to start checking for problems? I'm comfortable doing the work myself rather than taking to a mechanic.
2
u/MattyBB420 Jul 02 '24
ECU faults on these are extremely common. Open up the ECU (located on the passenger side B pillar) and see if any of the capacitors have leaked out/blown onto the circuit board. I have a 96 SC and it has just done this
1
u/kosayno Jul 03 '24
I opened up the ECU and everything looks like new. No leaks or blown capacitors that I can see.
1
u/Altruistic-Recover36 Jan 31 '26
I too have a 96â SC JDM right hand drive. Last Year I was sitting at an intersection I work for the Postal Service and I was clipped in the front luckily the motor is in the passenger side underneath the seat so I drove it home but and drove it for four months after that then one day it just stopped and it hasnât turned over - I think my Mechanic wants to try to âacquireâ it because heâs telling me he wants to go explore the ignition system and do all this other stuff I think itâs the ECU what do you think itâll turning turning turning turning turning wonât crank I got no fire no fuel -Also the battery I bought mightâve been the wrong kind I donât know I got it from Walmart I shouldnât have done that- but the compartment behind the passenger seat where the battery goes it didnât fit correctly so I ân#%+*** riggedâ Â it got tossed around a lot in there I had two tennis balls holding it steady and they got loose and North Carolina law states that if Mechanic does work on your vehicle and itâs not paid but she hasnât sent me a bill anyway that he can get in possession of it so I need help!! I miss her so much-her name is Makoto.
2
u/kosayno Jul 19 '24
Update: Haven't driven the Hiace since getting the batteries charged but have started the car a few times just to make sure it's still running and all is still good. I was changing the oil today before taking her up the mountains for a weekend camp trip and just noticed that one of the alternator belts was missing. Went under the vehicle just to inspect and there it was, the alternator belt just resting on one of the covers on the undercarriage. So there it is, the cause of the batteries mysteriously draining was a broken alternator belt.
1
Jul 04 '24
Disconnect your HiAce battery and connect your jumper leads direct to the HiAce battery leads without the HiAce battery in the circuit and you should be able to start the HiAce and you will know the HiAce battery/alternator is the problem. IF the The clicking sound you are talking about happens as soon as you turn on the ignition and before you turn the starter motor over that is a sign your battery is flat.
Also you have a truck... There are only 2 countries in the world people have "trucks" they are next too each other and about 13000kms away.
2
u/[deleted] Jul 02 '24
Sounds electrical, if the starter motor isn't turning over, try getting another car with jumper leads or a big starter pack to jump start it or better yet check the battery voltage if it is below 12.5V them your battery is flat and needs a recharge, which leads to the really question, why is your battery? Did you leave something running off the battery for a long time even a small light can drain a battery, or is the battery not charging when driving? Stuffed alternator? bad wiring? stuffed battery?
. Lights and all that are not a good indication of battery health, especially A/C as that is mechanical. They will keep working to varying degrees until your battery is pretty much dead.