Car Wouldn't Start

[tee]

So I just got the 2015 Toyota Corolla LE Plus 4 days ago. The first two days drove just fine, and then on the third day I drove to an event that was an hour away from me (apps. 34 mi away) and had about 50 miles on my car. Once it was time to leave, I started my car, but it wouldn't start. No sound came out, but everything else worked fine (horn, radio, lights, etc). Multiple lights were on as well: the electric power steering warning light, low engine oil pressure warning light, and SRS warning light. I followed the steps that the manual states what to do if the engine doesn't start, but no luck. Tried jump cables, and my car engine wasn't starting during. I ended up calling roadside assistance to try their jump cables. About 40 minutes later, they told me to start my car and it worked! The man helping me hadn't even done anything yet. What happened? I took it to the dealer and they ran tests, but nothing came up.

Also, any tips on breaking in the car would be great. I drive the highway a lot, but it says to avoid driving at high speeds... I just don't know how to go about breaking in the car.

 

[Black64]

Drive normal, don't redline. That's basically it.

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

Might have been a fluke. Were you pressing hard enough on the brakes when starting the car?

 

[DTG]

Might have been a fluke. Were you pressing hard enough on the brakes when starting the car?

I never press the brake when starting my 2014 Corolla. I know the manual says to, but I figured that was a safety thing, not a mechanical thing.

 

[DTG]

tips on breaking in the car would be great. I drive the highway a lot, but it says to avoid driving at high speeds... I just don't know how to go about breaking in the car.

The manual covers it....no redlining, no "long" trips at one speed, no hard braking. I went the extra mile (pun intended) and would vary my driving for the first couple of thousand miles. If driving 50 or so miles on the highway, I'd get off on an exit and take side roads to the next exit or two, driving and braking slowly. Old school I know, but if you have the time then there's no harm done.

I also changed the oil after about the first 4,000 miles. My car had been delivered 2 days before I bought it, had 4 miles on it. You might want to change the oil earlier if it was on the lot for months and had taken a lot of short test drives.

 

[CorollaKid]

So I just got the 2015 Toyota Corolla LE Plus 4 days ago. The first two days drove just fine, and then on the third day I drove to an event that was an hour away from me (apps. 34 mi away) and had about 50 miles on my car. Once it was time to leave, I started my car, but it wouldn't start. No sound came out, but everything else worked fine (horn, radio, lights, etc). Multiple lights were on as well: the electric power steering warning light, low engine oil pressure warning light, and SRS warning light. I followed the steps that the manual states what to do if the engine doesn't start, but no luck. Tried jump cables, and my car engine wasn't starting during. I ended up calling roadside assistance to try their jump cables. About 40 minutes later, they told me to start my car and it worked! The man helping me hadn't even done anything yet. What happened? I took it to the dealer and they ran tests, but nothing came up.

Also, any tips on breaking in the car would be great. I drive the highway a lot, but it says to avoid driving at high speeds... I just don't know how to go about breaking in the car.

Was the transmission fully in Park? That's happened to me before where the gear shifter was just slightly out somehow and the car would not start. Never on the Corolla, this happened to me in an older Buick many years ago.

 

[rtankersley]

The manual indicates that the brake must be pushed on either the automatic or the cvt in order to start the car. I know on the keyless system that has to be true. I am not sure on the automatic. I just know that when I first went to pick up mine (S+) at the dealer, I was frustrated until I realized I had to press the brake first.

 

[Matthew]

The manual covers it....no redlining, no "long" trips at one speed, no hard braking. I went the extra mile (pun intended) and would vary my driving for the first couple of thousand miles. If driving 50 or so miles on the highway, I'd get off on an exit and take side roads to the next exit or two, driving and braking slowly. Old school I know, but if you have the time then there's no harm done.

I also changed the oil after about the first 4,000 miles. My car had been delivered 2 days before I bought it, had 4 miles on it. You might want to change the oil earlier if it was on the lot for months and had taken a lot of short test drives.

Oops. I had 1,000 miles on it 2 days later after driving back from Columbus, GA to Austin, TX, lol. I was definitely at one speed for a very long time and I'm still trucking along!

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

I never press the brake when starting my 2014 Corolla. I know the manual says to, but I figured that was a safety thing, not a mechanical thing.

If you have a smartkey, you need to be on the brake (automatic) or the clutch (manual) to start the car, or the car will just turn on without starting.

I know on some newer cars you need to be on the brake and in Park / Neutral to start the engine, but most will start without your foot being on the brake with an old-school ignition switch. If you aren't keeping your foot on the brake and it started up before, then the problem lies somewhere else.

Again, it could be a fluke. I've had my EPS light come on when I start the car immediately after stalling - two separate times - but it always shut itself off after two minutes.

 

[DTG]

Oops. I had 1,000 miles on it 2 days later after driving back from Columbus, GA to Austin, TX, lol. I was definitely at one speed for a very long time and I'm still trucking along!

You'll be fine. Like I said, I was just doing an "old-school" break-in because I had the time. It's more emotional that technical with cars these days.