07/16/2024
CAR WON’T START? HERE ARE 5 SIGNS OF A BAD STARTER.
WHAT IS A STARTER?
The starter is a small motor, powered by the battery. It gets the engine of your car running. A starter relay sits between the battery and the starter motor, transmitting power. Without a properly working starter relay and motor, you won’t be able to start your vehicle and may need to call a tow.
COMMON SYMPTOMS OF A BAD STARTER:
1. SOMETHING SOUNDS OFF
One of the symptoms of a bad starter is a clicking noise when you turn the key or push the start button. However, a starter can die without making any sound at all, or it may announce its impending death with a whirring or grinding noise—so listen up!
2. YOU’VE GOT LIGHTS BUT NO ACTION
If you try to start the engine only to find that the dashboard lights up, but the engine doesn’t power up, you might have a problem with the starter.
3. YOUR ENGINE WON’T CRANK.
Is your engine not revving up? Even after attempting a jumpstart? At this point, it’s time to call roadside assistance and get your car to the nearest tire shop! If a jumpstart won’t fire up your engine, nothing other than a certified technician will!
4. SMOKE IS COMING FROM YOUR CAR
The starter is part of your car’s electrical system and subject to blown fuses and short circuits. When you’ve been desperately attempting to start your car, the starter can overheat making electrical issues—and the accompanying smoke—more likely. If you see or smell smoke, call for help rather than turning the key again!
5. OIL HAS SOAKED THE CAR
your starter can usually be found on the passenger’s side (if RWD) of the engine, just below the exhaust manifold. Or if it is FWD, check out the driver’s side above the transmission or under the exhaust manifold. They can also be located under the intake manifold on some vehicles. If you pop the hood only to find that your starter is drenched in oil, your bad starter might be a symptom of another problem—an oil leak.
Unfortunately what starts out as a few drops of oil can slowly and sometimes unnoticeably turn into an expensive problem, so keep an eye out for oil leaks to avoid starter issues of this nature.
