Something for you guys who leave the plastic undercarriage tray off.
I took mine off about two years ago...

Last summer I came out from work to go home and the car did not start.
Turn key, all warning lights come on, no crank. No drain on the head lights. No starter draw.
Keep turning the key finally it cranks and fires right off. Hmmm?
Oh well, wonder what that was...

Next week it happens again at home in the morning, first start of the day. Same symptoms. all warning lights. no crank. turn key, no crank. try a few times and Bam, it starts. Hmm, now I got a problem, but do not know what it is. Battery is one year old.

Two weeks later, same thing at work. Jumped it this time and it fires right off.
This happens three or four times. Sometimes do a jump, sometimes just keep trying the key.
Very sporadic, might not start one time and then be OK for a week or two.

Then late on a Friday after work, same thing. This time no start, jump, no start, jiggle keys, no start. Put a trickle charger on it and take one of the trucks home.

Think about it over the weekend...

Monday morning, fully charged battery (one year old), no start. Try it again middle of the day, no start. Again, all warning lights on, head lights do not dim when turning the key.
It's like the starter is not getting juice.???

KISS, right. (Keep It Simple Stupid)
I decide to jack up the car and take a look at the starter connection. Jack up the car and before I slide under I try it one more time, Bam it starts.... Wow this is weird but now I think I am on to it.

I get under and clean the positive cable connection to the starter. It did not look corroded at all, but shined it up and reassembled. That fixed it. Problem went away for about 16 months.

That was until a few days ago. It came back.

So... with the undercarriage tray off, you will need to clean up the positive cable connection on the starter yearly... At least my beauty requires it...

Tom

 

No need to second guess the engineers, it was there for a reason....

But thank you very much for sharing your experience!

 

When you say you jumped the car I assume you jump started the car by pushing or on an incline?

Is your car a manual only or can an auto/manual box be jumped started without a clutch?