Is Secondary Ignition Harmful to the Car?

[LeCaden]

Secondary ignition after the car has started can cause significant harm to the vehicle, potentially damaging the starter gear or burning out the starter. Below are specific details regarding secondary ignition in cars: 1. Symptoms: The most obvious sign of secondary ignition is hearing an abnormal "grinding" noise from the engine area. This noise is produced by the starter gear clashing with the flywheel. The flywheel rotates at a much higher speed when the engine is running, far exceeding the starter's speed. Due to this significant speed difference, the starter's drive gear does not re-engage with the flywheel teeth during secondary ignition, thus preventing the starter from being damaged. 2. Hazards: Issues such as starter slippage, severe wear of the starter drive gear, and burnout of the starter coil are directly related to secondary ignition. Additionally, secondary ignition can also cause some wear to the teeth on the flywheel.