It’s important to listen when you turn the ignition key or press your car’s start button. Hummel’s Automotive Diagnostics and Repair advises that the starter may send you a warning that it is going bad. This warning is a clicking or whirring sound that may or may not stop once the engine starts. These pre-ignition noises are just one sign that the factory starter is wearing out and needs to be replaced. We are going to list the other signs of a faulty starter below for your information.
An Engine That Won’t Start
The starter helps the engine intake air and fuel into the combustion chamber so it can fire it up to run. If the starter has gone bad, the engine will be starved of the air and fuel that it needs to ignite. Consequently, you won’t be able to get your engine started because it doesn’t have the elements in the combustion chamber that it needs to fire up and generate combustion.
Vehicle Lights That Work
The first thing you should do if your engine won’t start is to check your vehicle’s lights to see if they are illuminated. If they are and aren’t dim, the reason why your car won’t start is not because you have a dead battery. The lights will not work if the battery or alternator is dead. Consequently, it’s a safe bet that your engine is dead because the starter is unable to help start it.
Burning Odors and/or Smoke
No amount of effort is going to get your engine started, so stop trying before you overheat the starter motor. If you do, you will smell burning odors coming from the engine and see smoke. Keep in mind that the starter is already damaged and overheating the motor will damage it more. Play it safe, give up, and call for a tow truck to bring your vehicle to our shop. You aren’t going to get the engine started if the starter is no longer working.
Oil That Has Soaked the Starter
Age is one reason why a starter will stop working. The average lifespan of a starter is around 100,000 miles or seven to 10 years. Another thing that can cause the starter to stop working is if it gets soaked in motor oil. This happens if you have a cracked engine gasket or oil leaking out of the cylinder block.
Call Hummels Automotive Diagnostics and Repair in St. George, UT, today if you believe that you need to replace your car’s starter. We will test the part and replace it if necessary.
