On average, you can expect to get 100,000 miles or more out of your car’s factory starter. There is one thing, however, that can damage the starter motor prematurely and cause it to die. JTR Repair advises that this thing is motor oil. If you end up with a leaking cylinder block and engine gasket, motor oil can saturate the starter and kill it prematurely. We are going to list the signs that your starter motor is going bad below, whether killed by leaking motor oil or age.
Pre-Ignition Sounds
You really shouldn’t hear anything before your vehicle ignites. When you press the start button or turn the ignition key, your engine may crank once or twice and then fire up. If you hear an odd sound, such as clicking or whirring, the starter motor is going bad. We recommend that you drive straight to our auto service shop in Crawfordsville so we can replace the starter before you end up with the next problem.
Difficult/No Starts
The next problem is being unable to start your automobile. As the starter motor continues to malfunction, your engine becomes more and more unable to draw air and fuel into the combustion chamber for ignition. Consequently, it will be difficult to get your vehicle started. Eventually, you won’t be able to start the automobile at all. This is a sign that the starter motor is dead.
Working Lights
One way to confirm this is to check your automobile’s lights to see if they are working. If they are, the battery and alternator are producing and sending power to them. This means you don’t have a dead battery. Rather, your engine will not start because the starter motor is not functioning. Again, a dead starter motor will prevent the engine from being able to draw air and fuel into the combustion chamber.
Hot Odors/Smoke
Finally, hot odors coming from the engine and visible smoke suggest that you have overheated the starter motor in your efforts to get the vehicle started. This, too, points to the starter motor as being the reason why you have a dead engine. At this point, it’s best that you give up and call for a tow truck. No matter how hard you try, you will not be able to ignite the engine if the starter is dead.
Call JTR Repair in Crawfordsville, IL, today to schedule an appointment if you suspect that your starter motor is going bad. We will inspect the starter, test it, and replace it if needed.
