What are the Signs of a Bad Starter?
You head out the door to work and your car won’t start. Is it a problem with the battery, the alternator, or the starter? How do you know which one? You wish you had paid more attention when your mechanic had discussed the signs of a bad starter with you a few weeks ago.
The starter system was designed for repeated use under a variety of weather and road conditions. But the wear and tear of daily use, extreme conditions, and poor maintenance can all create problems.
However, your starting problem may not be the starter. It could be that the battery is not holding the charge needed to start your vehicle, or maybe you left your headlights on all night. Or maybe the battery has reached the end of its life and just needs to be replaced.
Another reason for your car not starting could be a bad alternator that’s not keeping the battery charged. A big sign that your alternator is bad is if the warning light on your instrument panel is on (the one that looks like a car battery). Your vehicle is probably running strictly off the battery which will cause it to go dead in not time.
There are several signs of a bad starter:
- Your vehicle cranks slowly or labors to crank when starting.
- Your vehicle won’t start at all.
- Starting problems are intermittent.
- The interior lights dim when you try to start the car.
- You hear grinding noise when the car is starting or running.
- A burning smell or smoke is coming from underneath the hood.
- The starter is soaked with oil.
Don’t’ take a chance of getting stranded somewhere, but ask your mechanic to inspect your car’s starter, battery and alternator as soon as possible.
Want to know more about what are the signs of a bad starter? 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.
You head out the door to work and your car won’t start. Is it a problem with the battery, the alternator, or the starter? How do you know which one? You wish you had paid more attention when your mechanic had discussed the signs of a bad starter with you a few weeks ago.
The starter system was designed for repeated use under a variety of weather and road conditions. But the wear and tear of daily use, extreme conditions, and poor maintenance can all create problems.
However, your starting problem may not be the starter. It could be that the battery is not holding the charge needed to start your vehicle, or maybe you left your headlights on all night. Or maybe the battery has reached the end of its life and just needs to be replaced.
Another reason for your car not starting could be a bad alternator that’s not keeping the battery charged. A big sign that your alternator is bad is if the warning light on your instrument panel is on (the one that looks like a car battery). Your vehicle is probably running strictly off the battery which will cause it to go dead in not time.
There are several signs of a bad starter:
- Your vehicle cranks slowly or labors to crank when starting.
- Your vehicle won’t start at all.
- Starting problems are intermittent.
- The interior lights dim when you try to start the car.
- You hear grinding noise when the car is starting or running.
- A burning smell or smoke is coming from underneath the hood.
- The starter is soaked with oil.
Don’t’ take a chance of getting stranded somewhere, but ask your mechanic to inspect your car’s starter, battery and alternator as soon as possible.
Want to know more about what are the signs of a bad starter? 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.
