DEAR CAR TALK: A basketball goal fell on the hood of my 2018 Toyota Yaris and it completely shut off. The accessories worked, but the car wouldn't crank. I replaced the battery and fuse box, but still no luck.

Do you have any idea what could have caused this?

-- Kholita

DEAR KHOLITA: What caused it? I'm guessing it was some enormous dude hanging off the rim after a dunk.

Oh, you mean what caused your car not to start? Hard to know. I'm guessing the basketball pole and backboard fell right on your hood. And perhaps a visual inspection revealed that the fuse box was smashed or broken, and that's why it was replaced.

But it's possible that something else got damaged directly from the impact or that the smashed fuse box fried something else down the line. There are other fuses and relays in the car (like the starter relay, for instance), and if one of those got fried, that could also prevent the car from starting.

Another possibility is that the impact activated the car's immobilizer. Many cars have factory-installed alarm systems that immobilize the vehicle -- and prevent it from starting -- when it's tampered with.

Usually, locking and unlocking the car with the key fob and then using the authorized key to start the car disables the immobilizer. But maybe the impact to the hood caused the system to malfunction.

So, a dealer might be your best bet here. They'll know how the immobilizer works and how to reset it. And if that's not the problem, they can do some detective work, and test the current from the battery all the way through the starter and ignition system, and see where it's getting stopped.

And honestly, this is a job for your insurance company, Kholita. Even if you didn't buy the optional basketball coverage, your comprehensive policy should cover this kind of accident. So call your insurance company and get their help in getting your car fixed and running again.

Ray Magliozzi dispenses advice about cars in Car Talk every Saturday. Email him by visiting

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