Everything You Need To Know About Replacing Your Car's Starter

If you have issues turning on your car, you might require a new starter. One of the issues with car repairs is the possibility of having more than one part in need of repair. We offer a free quote below to help get you started in helping your car needs. It is as simple as filling out information regarding your vehicle and self. Usually, a faulty car starter sign is the engine light on the dashboard. If you are sure the cause is the starter, why not indulge in the convenience of having a mobile mechanic come to your home, office, or nearby area that fits with you.

Below are some signs to look out for if you are suspicious of having a damaged starter, but be aware that there could be something else that is damaged, and having a diagnostic made on your car can help ensure your safety when out on the road. For more information on our mission to bring mobile mechanics to your area, check out our Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Should I Replace My Starter?

Let's start with addressing what a car's starter is, a small motor that gets your engine running. This use to be done by literally cranking the engine with a metal crank back in the day. Could you imagine that today? Luckily, with the improvement of technology, most vehicles only need keys, while some can even start by the push to start or even via your phone. The starter and battery job is to transfer electrical energy into mechanical energy when a car is turned on via the ignition switch. The starter is usually next to the flywheel, which allows the crankshaft to start moving and starts the combustion cycle to start the engine. Once the engine is running, the starter motor disconnects, some more modern vehicles have a more advanced setting that allows cars to automatically shut off. Knowing when a starter is starting to breakdown can be tricky to know since symptoms of a bad starter can also be similar to faulty batteries or ignition coils. When starting your car, if you notice your headlights dim, that could be issues relating to your battery. Either way it's important to get your car looked at before more damages spread to other parts. Below are some signs to look out for in regard to a damaged starter.

Freewheeling:
This happens when the starter can't engage with the flywheel. Usually, you can tell by the noise being made by the starter but without the engine cranking. If this is the case, you'll probably need to replace your starter.

Starter Solenoid:
The job for this part is to transmit an electrical current from the battery to the starter motor to get your vehicle running. It's pretty common for starters to be corroded or loose, so make sure yours are regularly inspected every 30,000 miles.

Oil Damage:
Since the starter is going to be found near the bottom of the engine and is at risk from oil and other fluids leaking inside, it can speed up the need for a replacement. The leak will have to be addressed; otherwise, malfunctions could increase; luckily, our mechanics are here to help.

Smoke:
If too much power is being sent to the starter, it could cause an overcharge. Luckily this can be seen by the smoke appearing right after attempting to start your car. Unfortunately, you may need to replace your starter and possibly neighboring parts now.

Manual Starter:
The simpler the two, these starters are operated manually and are pretty simple to use. Either push to start, or rotary knob allows the driver to turn the car on or off. One of the few benefits these guys offer is that they aren't too expensive, are reliable and safe, and come in various enclosures. They are also pretty compact, allowing them to be accessible for inspection and replacement.

Magnetic Motor Starter:
A little more complicated than a manually operated starter, it functions electromagnetically. It offers lower and safer voltage when starting and stopping the motor load connected to the motor starter, having an electrical contactor and overload relay to prevent overheating or overcharging.

Summary

One of the reasons your check engine light could be on is faulty spark plugs or ignition coils. Most cars require replacing spark plugs after a certain amount of miles, usually around 30,000 to 50,000 miles, but some new model cars can go without doing this. If left alone, they'll eventually start being less reliable, like inconsistent engine power or possibly not turning on your engine. Cars rely on us upkeeping them and taking them to regularly scheduled maintenance to function correctly. Wrench requires our mobile technicians to be ASE certified because they ensure dedicated professionals are fixing your vehicle. By getting a free quote below, you can see the benefit of having a mechanic come to you. You just need to fill out some information about yourself so we know what kind of vehicle needs repair and also find a safe location for our mobile mechanics to repair your vehicle.