Would you like to know the reason why your automobile won’t start? Drivers sometimes mix problems with the starting system with other types of automotive problems, despite the fact that these problems are more common than you may believe.
Read up on the signs of terrible starters and educate yourself on how to differentiate them from other types of difficulties.
WHAT IS A STARTER?
There is a little motor that is powered by the battery that is the starter. Your vehicle’s engine will start up as a result of this.
Transmission of electricity is accomplished by a starting relay, which is located between the battery and the beginning motor.
If you do not have a starter relay and motor that are in good operating order, you will not be able to start your car and the vehicle may require towing.
WHAT ARE COMMON BAD STARTER SYMPTOMS?
1. SOMETHING SOUNDS OFF.
When you turn the key or press the start button, you may hear a clicking sound. This is one of the signs that the starter is not functioning properly.
On the other hand, a starter may pass away without producing any noise at all, or it may herald its imminent demise with a whirring and grinding sounds; therefore, it is important to pay attention.
2. YOU’VE GOT LIGHTS BUT NO ACTION.
If you attempt to start the engine but discover that the dashboard lights up but the engine does not power up, it is possible that there is an issue with the starter.
3. Your engine is not going to start.
Are you unable to get your engine to rev up, even after you have attempted to kickstart it? At this point, it is very necessary to contact roadside assistance and bring your vehicle to the Firestone Complete Auto Care location that is closest to you.
If you are unable to get your engine to start using a jumpstart, the only thing that will do it is a qualified technician!
4. There is smoke emanating from your vehicle.
In addition to being susceptible to blown fuses and short circuits, the starter is a component of the electrical system of your vehicle.
It is possible for the starter to overheat when you have been frantically trying to start your vehicle, which increases the likelihood of electrical problems and the smoke that is associated with them.
In the event that you smell or see smoke, you should contact for assistance rather than turning the key more forcefully.
5. The starter has been penetrated by oil.
The starter of your vehicle is often located on the passenger side of the engine, right below the exhaust manifold, if the vehicle has rear-wheel drive.
Check the driver’s side of the vehicle, either above the gearbox or beneath the exhaust manifold, if it is a front-wheel-drive vehicle. It is also possible to find them in the area just beneath the intake manifold on certain automobiles.
In the event that you open the hood and discover that your starter is drenched in engine oil, it is possible that your faulty starter is an indication of another issue, which includes an oil leak.
It is unfortunate that what begins as a few droplets of oil may gradually and often unnoticeably evolve into a costly problem.
Therefore, it is important to keep an eye out for oil leaks in order to avoid beginning problems of this sort.
WHAT CAUSES PROBLEMS WITH THE STARTER?
A terrible start can be caused by a number of different issues, including the following:
As a result of loose wiring to and from the starter, your engine may not be able to start. This is because loose wire can break the connection that the starter has with the electrical supply.
connections at the starter that are rusted or filled with dirt – Increased resistance between circuits is caused by built-up dirt or corrosion, which also affects the flow of electricity during the process. As a result, the crank may become very weak or it may not even turn at all.
The corrosion of a battery can lead to electrical issues if it is left untreated for an extended period of time. This can occur as a result of the battery overheating, being damaged by leaking, or just getting older.
Components of the starting system that have become damaged or worn out Over the course of time, components of the starter system that are responsible for conducting and distributing electrical power, such as the starter to battery cable and the starter relay, may get worn out and then require repair.
If there are components in your starting system that are malfunctioning, a specialist can assist you in repairing and replacing those components.
Leaking oil is an issue that often affects older automobiles. Oil can leak out of an engine after years of wear and tear, and this is a problem that can occur.
In the event that a sufficient amount of engine oil seeps onto the starting, it may become inoperable, and you will require both repair for the engine oil leak and a replacement starter.
Poor relay: If your starting relay is not functioning properly, you may end up with either an engine that is unable to turn over or a starter that continues to crank after the engine has been started.
HOW DO YOU DIAGNOSE AND TROUBLESHOOT STARTER PROBLEMS?
In the event that you have previously attempted to start and jumpstart your vehicle, you should implement one of the following troubleshooting strategies.
1. LOOK UNDER THE HOOD.
Examine the battery as well as the wires that connect the battery to determine whether or not everything is healthy.
It is possible that the difficulties with your vehicle are not caused by the starter but rather by a battery that is either weak or dead, or even by bad battery connections.
2. Press the Start button.
Instead of pounding the starter, you might try softly tapping it a few times with a firm instrument. Be careful not to pound it.
Due to the fact that you will be tapping the electrical components back into touch with each other, this gentle tapping may be able to assist in rebooting the device in some circumstances.
Is it familiar with the fact that you can occasionally bring the picture back into focus by banging on the side of an old television? In a way, it is similar to that.
However, much like your television that isn’t working properly, it’s possible that this remedy will only have a temporary effect on your vehicle—just long enough to get you to the local service centre.
3. CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION
Imagine that the automatic gearbox of your vehicle is set to the “park” position, but the vehicle still refuses to start.
In that situation, you should attempt starting the vehicle in the “neutral” position. In the case that it begins in “neutral,” there may be a technical malfunction that is preventing the vehicle from starting in “park,” such as a neutral safety switch that is not functioning properly.
4. CHECK THE FUEL GAUGE
We understand that this may seem ridiculous, but… is your petrol tank empty? The fact that your automobile is unable to start is unquestionably to blame!
There are several instances in which tapping it is the quick treatment for a poor starting. There is a possibility that you may get your vehicle back on the road, at least temporarily, by jumpstarting it; but, after that, you will need to get the issue evaluated by a trained professional.
Should a jumpstart or tap fail to solve the problem, it is quite probable that you will be required to have the vehicle towed and the starter either serviced or replaced. We are able to assist you with that.
You should contact your neighbourhood Firestone Complete Auto Care if you have any suspicions about a problem with the starter.
We will do a free inspection for you, and there will be no obligations connected. In the event that your starter is malfunctioning, our skilled mechanics are able to repair your vehicle precisely, at the appropriate cost, and in a timely manner.
HOW TO START A CAR WITH A BAD STARTER
The process of starting a car that has a faulty starter might be difficult, but there are a few measures that you can attempt as a temporary solution to the problem.
When the automobile starter is not functioning properly, the following is how to get a car started:
1. FIRST, SAFELY PARK YOUR CAR.
Make certain that your vehicle is parked off the road and away from the flow of traffic. Before you use the parking brake, make sure that your car is in the park position or in neutral if it is a manual gearbox. This will ensure your safety.
2. LOOK FOR THE MOTOR THAT STARTS THE ENGINE.
Under the hood of your car, you should search for the starting motor located there. In most cases, it will have the appearance of a giant metal cylinder that is piled on top of a smaller similar cylinder.
Depending on the make and model of your car, the position of the starting motor could be varied from one particular model to another.
It is important to exercise caution since certain components of the exhaust system may be extremely hot, and the electrical terminals on the starter may be connected directly to the battery, which might cause a short circuit or spark.
3. START WITH THE TRY THE TAPPING METHOD.
Percussive maintenance is beneficial in a few situations, one of which is when it is necessary to assist in the activation of a starting motor.
After you have located the starting motor, you should give it a little tap with a hammer or another apparatus of a similar kind. You are attempting to assist in the unsticking of starter brushes by tapping on the starter.
This will allow the brushes to engage and set the system into motion. It is recommended that you visit the Firestone Complete Auto Care location that is closest to you in order to have a starter repair that is more complete if your car starts after you have used the tapping approach.
Take care not to tap too hard on the button! It’s possible that the starting housing has magnets that are easily broken.
4. BE PREPARED TO JUMP-START YOUR CAR IN THE EVENT THAT THE TAPPING FAILS.
In the event that tapping does not work, you also have the option of kickstarting your vehicle. Instead, you should get a set of jumper wires and call a buddy who has a vehicle battery that is functioning well.
It is recommended that you follow the conventional approach for jumping a car battery. In order to obtain the exact instructions for your car, you should always consult the owner’s handbook.
In order to connect the batteries using jumper cables, it is necessary to examine the positive and negative terminals on the batteries in each car. Ensure that these connections are not loose and that they are free of any corrosion.
There is a colour coding system for jumper wires, with red being used for positive and black being used for negative.
The positive terminal of the dead battery should be connected to a positive clamp first, and then the other end of the positive wire should be connected to the positive terminal of the live battery.
The next step is to connect the negative clamp to the negative terminal of the dead battery, and the other end of the negative cable should be connected to the negative terminal of the live battery.
5. When charging the battery, make sure you use a vehicle that is operational.
The battery has to be charged at this point. When the battery in the inactive car is dead, have someone start the functional vehicle and let it run for a few minutes so that the dead battery may be charged.
6. ATTEMPT TO START YOUR CAR.
After you have given the battery some time to charge, you may then make an effort to start your vehicle. Your car’s ignition should be turned on while the jumper wires are still attached to the vehicle.
You ought to have sufficient energy to start the engine and steer clear of the dead battery if you take use of the additional power that is flowing from the live battery.