11 Nov 11 Car Starter
Repair Outline: Car Starter
Problem: Car Won’t Start
If you turn your ignition key to the start position and your car won’t start, the problem could be your starter.
The starter turns the engine, so if your engine turns over, the starter is not bad.
If the engine won’t turn over, first eliminate other problems, such as
(a) A dead battery or corroded battery terminals. Turn on your headlights and interior lights, and then try to start your car. Have an assistant tell you if the headlights dim a lot, while you also watch the interior lights. If they do, and the engine won’t turn over, suspect a bad battery or corroded battery terminals. You might also hear your starter’s solenoid click or chatter, as the light dim, if the battery is weak or it’s terminals are corroded.
(b) A bad starter solenoid (if it is separate from your starter). If your battery and battery terminals are in good shape, you should hear the starter solenoid click once each time you turn the ignition to the start position. If not, suspect the solenoid. But before the final verdict, make sure there are not defective interlock switches, such as a park switch (with automatic transmissions) or a clutch switch (with manual transmissions) that prevent you from starting your car with gears engaged.
If, after performing the above tests, you’re still not sure what the problem is, and your starter has over 50,000 miles on it, consider replacing it (as well as the starter solenoid), as preventive maintenance, or, quite possibly, to solve the problem. And if your battery is more than four years old, replace it too.
