Buzzing or whirring sounds before your engine starts are a sign that the starter is going bad. Primary Care Auto Repair is going to talk more about this below. If you have over 100,000 miles on the odometer, the starter is going to go out eventually. The average lifespan of the factory starter is around this mileage milestone or about 10 years. Bring your vehicle to our shop at the first indication of starter problems. This will help prevent you from getting stranded.
Noises Before Ignition
Aside from buzzing or whirring, your starter may also make a clicking noise before your engine starts if it is having difficulty turning the engine over. This is what the starter does. Sometimes, your vehicle will start and the noise will stop. Other times, the vehicle will not start or the noise will continue after the engine has fired up. If the noise continues, the starter is still engaged. This is definitely a sign that the starter is going bad because it should disengage once the engine fires up.
An Engine That Won’t Start
Unfortunately, you may not receive any audible warning that the starter is going bad before it dies completely. When this happens, you will not be able to get the engine started in your car, truck, or utility vehicle. Once the starter has died, the engine is no longer turned over so it can bring in air and fuel for ignition. In addition, the starter can no longer send electricity through the spark plug wires. These things prevent your engine from starting because it cannot produce combustion.
Lights That Will Work
It’s only natural to suspect the battery if your engine won’t start. This is the most common reason why a person cannot get his or her automobile fired up. There is a way you can determine whether the problem is the battery or the starter motor. Turn on your automobile’s lights to see if they illuminate. If they do, checked to make sure that they are at their normal brightness. If they are, the battery is supplying plenty of power to them, so the problem is your starter.
Smoke and Burning Odors
Finally, one last sign that your starter is going bad is overheating the starter motor. If you see smoke and smell hot odors in the engine, yet your car won’t start, this is an indication that the starter motor is too hot and the starter is not working.
Call Primary Care Auto Repair in Warwick, RI, today to schedule a service appointment for your automobile if you suspect that the starter is going bad.