2009 Outback starter motor problems: Maybe a bad relay?

[Ravenwoods]

At first the starter would engage and turn the engine over a couple times and then quit. After trying a few times it was only silent, not even a click. I replaced the starter motor but the solenoid does not appear to be receiving power from the signal wire.

I looked at the owner's manual list of fuses and for the fuse and relays in the engine compartment and it says something like "except starter motor.". The passenger compartment fuse list in the owner's manual says fuse 21 is the starter relay but the fuse is still good. Somewhere I think I read that the blue boxes to the right of the small fuses are relays and one of them might be for the starter. Can someone tell me where to look?

My battery is good and the voltage at the positive connection on the starter motor is the same voltage as the battery.

[el_freddo]

Can’t tell you where the relay is that you’re chasing - I wanted to share with you a common mod on the Gen1s in the early 90’s.

Often with an issue like this ppl would add a horn relay to the system. This would hive direct power from the battery to the starter solenoid by using the start wire as the rely trigger reference. 

Worked a treat and might be something that will work for you. 

Just ensure there’s no rodent damage to the start wire to the starter solenoid. 

[forester2002s]

All these 3 must be satisfied, to energize the starter solenoid:

- Ignition switch to 'Start';

- Starter-relay energized;

- If MT: clutch-pedal depressed to close clutch safety-switch; or if AT: in park (or neutral) to close start-inhibitor safety-switch.

These 3 are all in a 'series' circuit/logic; this requires that all 3 work, before the starter is energized.

On my 2002, these devices are all in challenging locations to reach. May be easier on your 2009.

Edited Sunday at 10:47 AM by forester2002s

[Ravenwoods]

Another issue I have noticed is that the radiator fans come on when you turn on the ignition. I believe the fans should not come on if the engine is cold. So I thought maybe a bad coolant temperature sensor. I swapped it out but no change. Maybe this is related to the starter problem?

[Ravenwoods]

I haven't resolved the starter motor not cranking when I turn the key, so I put a female connector on a wire and hooked it to the spade connector on the solenoid so that I can crank the engine by touching it to the positive terminal of the battery. It cranks beautifully but the engine doesn't start. As far as I know this should start the engine when the key is on, correct? It seems like the problem is greater than just the starter.

[forester2002s]

Yes, that temporary wire should work to crank the engine.

Just a note of caution: If doing this on a Manual Transmission (MT), make 100% certain that the gear-shift is in Neutral (otherwise the car might leap forward)

 

[Ravenwoods]

9 hours ago, forester2002s said:

Yes, that temporary wire should work to crank the engine.

Just a note of caution: If doing this on a Manual Transmission (MT), make 100% certain that the gear-shift is in Neutral (otherwise the car might leap forward)

 

Definitely an automatic transmission.

[el_freddo]

22 hours ago, forester2002s said:

Yes, that temporary wire should work to crank the engine.

Just a note of caution: If doing this on a Manual Transmission (MT), make 100% certain that the gear-shift is in Neutral (otherwise the car might leap forward)

 

 

13 hours ago, Ravenwoods said:

Definitely an automatic transmission.

And can still happen in an automatic too when bypassing the starter switches involved with an auto. 

Dad used to have a bad habit of leaving our old ‘71 Torana in drive when he got home after work. One weekend he asked me to move it out of the old wooden farm shed. I didn’t know he bypassed the starter switch when it wasn’t in anything but P and N. 

Being an old carb fed engine it needed some pumping and revs to keep it going which I was accustomed to - and in this case I almost drove it through the back wall of the shed! Gave me the fright of my life. 

When I told Dad he shrugged it off and made it out to be my issue because I didn’t check to see if it was in Park or Neutral before stating the engine. My comeback was “who does that unless it doesn’t start?!”

So yes, an auto can still be bypassed and start in gear unless there is another part of the system in play - so you need your foot on the brake for it to start?