Accurate Auto Center advises that the average lifespan of the factory-installed starter in your automobile is about 100,000 miles. Once the odometer turns past this coveted mileage milestone, you may start to have problems with the starter. Unfortunately, these problems will be short-lived. Once the starter starts to go bad, it won’t be long before you won’t be able to start your automobile at all.
Clicking Before Ignition
This is why we recommend that you drive straight to our shop if the engine starts if you hear clicking before the ignition. The fact that you got your engine started is a miracle because this is a sign that the starter is dying. The same is true if you hear whirring noises coming from the engine before it ignites. Don’t get stranded with the dead engine. Drive to our shop so we can replace the starter.
An Engine That Won’t Start
The reason why your engine needs the starter to ignite is that the starter helps the engine to take air and fuel into the combustion chamber for ignition. The starter also provides power to the spark plug wires so that the spark plugs can ignite the air and fuel using sparks. All of these things are required for your engine to start. This is why a dead starter will prevent your engine from starting.
Vehicle Lights That Work
If you are stuck with a dead engine, you can check to see if the problem is the starter or another issue such as a dead battery. Check your interior lights to see if they are working. Next, check the exterior lights to confirm that they are working, as well. If all of your vehicle’s lights are illuminated, the problem is not the battery. Rather, your engine is refusing to start because you need to replace the starter.
Overheated Starter Motor
It’s understandable that you will try continuously to get your engine to start, especially if you need to get somewhere. The problem is that turning over the engine again and again overheats the starter motor. Unfortunately, you will end up with a dead engine that is releasing smoke and burning odors.
Oil Saturating the Starter
Finally, we mentioned above that the starter usually dies once your vehicle has clocked 100,000 miles or more on the odometer. This being said, if your engine starts to leak oil onto the starter, it will cause the starter to malfunction and die prematurely.
Accurate Auto Center in Tomball, TX, is here to help, so call us today to set up an appointment for a starter test.