What Does a Bad Starter Sound Like? – Bad Starter Symptoms
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The starter relay is located between the starter motor and the battery.
When the motor and the starter relay are not working properly, you may hear a bad starter sound, it would be impossible for you to back out of your garage or parking lot without a tow or
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What Does a Bad Starter Sound Like?
There are different types of bad starter sound. It could be a whirring noise or successive clicks.
Learning what a bad starter sounds like will help you fix the problem as soon as possible.
Common Bad Starter Symptoms
Whirring Sound When Starting Car
When you hear a whirring sound when starting your car, it’s a sign that there is something wrong with the starter. It might be due to a malfunctioning kicker solenoid.
You can use a hammer to tap on the solenoid to fix the problem. However, it is best that you replace the solenoid right away to prevent further damage to the starter. A jumpstart can’t fix this problem. You should get your car serviced as soon as possible.
Single Loud Click
Does the car power go off with a single loud click whenever you turn your ignition key? The culprit is not the starter. It’s possible that it is a battery problem.
The minimum voltage required to get the ignition started is 7 volts. Loose, corroded or grimy battery terminals might be causing the glitch. You should check the battery terminals under the car hood, and wash them to fix the problem.
Grinding Sounds
A tiny ring gear that juts out of the starter engages the flywheel teeth and pops out when you start your car. If the teeth or the ring has deteriorated, the gear won’t be able to start the car engine and turn the flywheel.
You will hear grinding noises when you start your car. It's important to fix the problem as soon as possible to prevent bigger damage to the starter and your vehicle.
Rapid Clicks
When you hear successive rapid clicks and your car won’t start at all, you should check the battery because it might be drained. Perhaps you unintentionally kept the headlights on overnight.
The rapid clicks that you
However, you can’t fix this glitch by simply using the best battery. You have to check the battery cable or the starter to determine the best course of action.
Smoke
Smelling or seeing smoke escaping from the hood when you start the car is a sign of a bad starter. If the starter is faulty, it will consume an excessive amount of power when you switch the ignition on.
The starter motor will have a short circuit and smoke will come out of the hood. The smoke could also be due to a burnt-out starter, which may occur if the engine is cranked over and over again.
This is a serious problem. Starting the car repeatedly will cause further damage to the starter as well as the vehicle. You should tow your car to a service shop or call a mechanic to fix your vehicle as soon as possible.
Dimming Dashboard Lights
Do you notice that the starter motor seems sluggish when the engine starts? If the dashboard lights turn
Another culprit is a bad battery. If the battery is in perfect condition, but the starter motor still seems sluggish, then the problem is definitely with the starter.
Causes of Starter Problems
Some of the most common causes of a broken starter sound include dirty connections, loose wiring from and to the starter, oil leaks, worn-out or damaged components within the starter system, and battery corrosion.
How can you fix a bad starter noise problem? Here are some troubleshooting tips that you can try.
Tap the Starter Gently
Do you remember hitting the side of your old television to fix it? You can do the same thing with your starter.
Tapping the starter gently helps its electrical components come in contact with one another and power it up. Don’t pound it. Use a hard object to tap the starter lightly.
However, this is only a temporary solution. You still need to take your car to a service center to get it fixed properly.
Check Under the Car Hood
If you hear some noise when you start your car, you should check the battery cables and the battery to see if everything is working properly. The problem may not be with the starter. It could be due to broken battery cables or a dead or weak battery.
Checking the fuel gauge does not seem to be a bad idea either. If your gas tank is empty, your car certainly won’t start!
Change Your Car’s Transmission
What if your car refuses to start even if it's in the "park" mode? Try to start it in “neutral”. If it works, there is most likely a technical problem that is preventing your vehicle from starting. One of these is a broken neutral safety switch.
Oil Soak
Since the starter is usually placed underneath the engine, it is susceptible to soaking from engine oil leaks or fluids from the Drivetrain. A starter that is soaked in oil will not last for a long time. Thus, you should fix the leak problem and replace the starter before it malfunctions.
Jumpstart Your Car
Jumpstarting the car is a quick fix for a faulty starter. This way, you can get your car on the road for the time being, and take it to the service center. If jumpstarting the car doesn’t work at all, you have to tow your vehicle and repair or replace the starter.
A skilled mechanic can determine what’s causing the starter problem sound and fix it right away. This is a better and more permanent solution to the problem.
About the Author JamesL Davis
James is a certified auto technician specializing in commercial vehicles. With 30 years of experience under his belt, James has encountered almost every type of automotive issue there is! Besides his day job at the repair shop, he is also an amateur race car driver.
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