Midwest Auto Care is your one-stop shop for all of your automotive service and repair needs. If you drive an automobile that has over 100,000 miles on it, you may end up with a dead starter sooner rather than later. The starter helps the engine draw air and fuel into the combustion chamber so it can fire up. A dying starter can cause the problems listed below. Don’t worry. We can replace the starter in your car, truck, or utility vehicle if it needs it.
Clicking Noise Before Ignition
One of the most common signs of a malfunctioning starter is a clicking noise before the engine ignites. You may also hear a humming sound or a whirring noise. These noises should stop once the engine starts, but if they don’t, this is a sign that the starter is not disengaging. All of this equals a malfunctioning starter that needs to be replaced as soon as possible.
A Completely Dead Engine
If you fail to replace the starter at the first sign of trouble, you may end up with a dead engine. As we mentioned above, the starter helps the engine obtain the air and fuel that the spark plugs need to ignite. This ignition is what starts the engine’s combustion to keep your engine running. If your starter motor has gone bad, the engine may not have any air or fuel in it.
The Vehicle Lights Still Work
It’s only natural to assume that the reason why your vehicle won’t start is that the battery is dead. To check this, turn on all of the vehicle’s lights to see if they are working. If they are, your engine isn’t dead because of the battery. The battery has power to send to the lights. Rather, it is likely that your engine is not starting because you need to replace the starter motor.
Hot Engine Odors and Smoke
Even if giving up is not in your makeup, don’t keep trying to start your engine. Doing so will only cause hot odors and smoke to come from the engine because you have overheated the starter motor. The adage about trying again if you don’t succeed does not apply here. If the starter is dead, no amount of effort will get your engine ignited and running.
Call Midwest Auto Care in Lake Station, IN, today if you are concerned that your starter is going bad. We will test the starter motor and replace it if necessary.
