How Often Do Starters Need To Be Replaced?
If you’ve owned a vehicle for very long, more than likely you have experienced starting problems at some time or another. There may have been warning signs, such as a grinding sound when turning the key, or there may have been no indication at all. One day your car started right up, and the next day, you were stranded in your driveway. This brings us to the question, “How often do starters need to be replaced?” The truth is, your starting problem may not be the starter at all. Many times failing alternators and weak batteries are the culprit of starting problems.
Because starters are designed to last for at least 100,000 miles (and even the lifetime of a vehicle), have the condition of your alternator and battery checked out before replacing the starter. However, extreme driving conditions and poor maintenance combined with high mileage can cause problems in the starter, such as:
- The brushes, gears, and coil windings within the starter wear out,
- The solenoid has gone bad, or
- Loose bolts are preventing the starter from engaging when the key is turned in the ignition, damaging the flywheel.
A word of advice: If your car is getting hard to start, don’t keep forcing it as this will cause further damage to all the components, including the alternator and battery, to work extra hard.
Need to know more about how often do starters need to be replaced? Contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Clausen Automotive, The Hybrid Shop, for more information about batteries, starters, and alternators and to schedule an appointment. Since 1975, our family-owned auto shop has proudly served vehicle owners in Madison, WI, and the surrounding communities.
If you’ve owned a vehicle for very long, more than likely you have experienced starting problems at some time or another. There may have been warning signs, such as a grinding sound when turning the key, or there may have been no indication at all. One day your car started right up, and the next day, you were stranded in your driveway. This brings us to the question, “How often do starters need to be replaced?” The truth is, your starting problem may not be the starter at all. Many times failing alternators and weak batteries are the culprit of starting problems.
Because starters are designed to last for at least 100,000 miles (and even the lifetime of a vehicle), have the condition of your alternator and battery checked out before replacing the starter. However, extreme driving conditions and poor maintenance combined with high mileage can cause problems in the starter, such as:
- The brushes, gears, and coil windings within the starter wear out,
- The solenoid has gone bad, or
- Loose bolts are preventing the starter from engaging when the key is turned in the ignition, damaging the flywheel.
A word of advice: If your car is getting hard to start, don’t keep forcing it as this will cause further damage to all the components, including the alternator and battery, to work extra hard.
Need to know more about how often do starters need to be replaced? Contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Clausen Automotive, The Hybrid Shop, for more information about batteries, starters, and alternators and to schedule an appointment. Since 1975, our family-owned auto shop has proudly served vehicle owners in Madison, WI, and the surrounding communities.
