Whenever you purchase a new starter motor or get a vehicle with a pre-installed motor, you feel curious about its lifespan. A general notion about the lifespan of a starter motor is that it can continue to work until your vehicle completes 100,000 miles. Once your odometer reading shows that you are beyond 100,000 miles and have covered this milestone, you should simply go for installing a new starter motor and try your best to prevent yourself from any confusing situation. Here it is worth mentioning that there are examples where starter motors work prematurely and do not perform well even without covering this 100,000 milestone. It usually happens due to the lack of proper care and maintenance, especially if there is a leakage of engine oil.
Let’s know more about when you need to be worried about the replacement of your starter motor and what are some warning signs.
5 Signs Of Dying Starter And Knowing How Long Can Your Starter Last
Clicking Noise: The First Warning Sign
Sometimes, there is a clicking noise even before the engine ignition. It is the situation when your car starts but it shows that it will not be starting the next time. So you need to be very careful about any ticking noise before igniting your car, truck, or vehicle’s engine. This is one of the ways for the starter motor to show its malfunctioning. At this stage, you should go for immediate testing of your electric motor and never ignore that clicking noise.
In most cases, when you ignore this warning sign you end up with a completely dead engine. The engine can also die when there’s no air or fuel in the combustion chamber and the starter motor is unable to perform its work.
Unavoidable warning signal: smoke and odors
Sometimes you continue to try and try again and your engine does not ignite. This is not the scenario where you can trust your starter motor and continue to try igniting the engine. Just stop and immediately call the electrician who can examine your vehicle and check out the potential issues. This is because when your starter motor is unable to perform and you are continuously wanting it to work, the result will be smoke and orders.
Serious issues can arise if you are experiencing strange odors and your engine seems to be dead.
We have discussed some of the major issues that show that you need to replace the starter motor. However there are various warning signals that you need to keep in your mind.
Only lights, no ignition
If you face the situation when your dashboard lights are lit up but the engine shows no sign of working, you should immediately look for the performance of the starter motor. At this stage, it is also worth checking how many miles you have covered with the starter motor.
If you have covered 100,000 miles, it is time to replace it.
Continuous engine oil leakage
The starter is often located beneath the exhaust pipe on the passenger side of the engine (if RWD). If it’s front-wheel drive, you can also check under the exhaust pipe or on the driver’s side above the transmission. They are also located just beneath the intake pipe on certain automobiles.
If you notice that the engine oil is covering your starter when you open the hood, this may indicate that there is another issue, such as an oil leak. Sadly, a few droplets of oil can gradually—and sometimes imperceptibly—develop into a pricey issue, so watch out for leaks to prevent issues with the starter.
Trying to ignite but fails
Sometimes, it seems that the engine is going to ignite soon but it doesn’t. It usually happens when there are damaged or worn out parts in the starter. They try to perform their function but fail. Dust and corrosion are the possible reasons for this situation. You may not need to change the whole starter motor. Simply ask the technician to replace the particular corroded parts and remove the dust and dirt.
Well-maintained and corrosion-free parts of the starter ensure smooth performance.
Final Verdict
When your starter motor is not in good condition, you have to figure it out as soon as possible. This is because you can be left with a dead engine and can face issues while on the road. Moreover, it is also very irritating to see your car not starting when you are already in an emergency. Only a technician can look for the potential issues. You can try tapping the motor but it does not work everytime.
Always remember that when you try to start a car with a bad starter, you are choosing the worst solution. So the best way is to be careful of any warning signs and take help from a technician right away.
