You won’t be able to get your SUV started when the starter goes bad. Righter’s Auto Repair advises that the reason why is that the engine relies on the starter to turn it over. This turning-over action allows the engine to pull air and fuel into the combustion chamber. The starter also sends electricity through the spark plug wires so the spark plugs generate a spark to ignite the air and fuel. Without any of this happening, i.e., a dead starter, your engine will not fire up. Let’s talk more about this below.
Pre-Ignition Sounds
The starter may decide to be nice and give you a warning that it is going bad. If it does this, it will make clicking or whirring sounds before your engine ignites. These noises are a sign that the starter is struggling to turn the engine over. The noises should stop after the engine starts. If they do not, the starter is not disengaging as it should as well as having problems turning over the engine.
A Dead Engine…
As we mentioned above, a dead starter is going to equal a dead engine because the engine cannot produce combustion. Unfortunately, your starter may not give you any warning that it is going bad. You may simply get into your automobile, turn the key or press the button, and have nothing happen.
… With Working Lights
If you are stranded with a dead engine, take a moment to look at all of your vehicle’s lights. If they are working and they are as bright as they normally are, the engine will not start because the starter is dead. If the problem were a dead battery or a malfunctioning alternator, your automobile’s lights would not work. The fact that they do points to the starter as being the issue.
Burning Odors and Smoke
Another thing that will point to the starter is if you see smoke and smell burning odors coming from the engine after you have tried to start your engine several times. This is an indication that the starter motor is dead and you have just overheated it.
Oil Saturating the Starter
Generally, you can plan to get about 100,000 miles out of the factory starter unless it gets saturated by oil from a cylinder block leak. If this happens, the starter is going to die prematurely.
Righter’s Auto Repair in Grand Ledge or Lansing, MI, is here to help, so call the shop closest to you today if your vehicle is having problems with the starter.
