What are the signs of a bad starter motor?
2 Answers
The precursors of a starter motor failure are as follows: 1. No response from the vehicle when starting, indicating that the starter is not working, which means there is an open or short circuit in the starter's power supply or internal components. 2. The engine makes a dull sound and rotates at a low speed when starting. This issue is caused by an internal short circuit in the starter motor itself, where some coils are short-circuited and cannot generate sufficient rotational magnetic force to provide the required torque for starting. 3. The sound of the motor working can be heard when starting, but the engine speed remains zero: This situation occurs when the starter's solenoid fails. The solenoid, a smaller cylindrical part on the starter, is responsible for pushing the starter gear into the position where it meshes with the flywheel. In this case, the starter keeps rotating but fails to engage the flywheel to start the vehicle. 4. Loud noise or a "grinding" sound when starting: This is caused by damage to the starter's bearings, carbon brushes, or the surface of the starter gear, leading to operational issues. 5. A burning smell from the vehicle's chassis when starting: This is due to an internal short circuit in the starter motor, causing the starter wires or coils to overheat.
After driving a taxi for fifteen years, I've learned the warning signs when the starter motor is about to fail: The most obvious is hearing a 'clanking' metal grinding noise when turning the key to start, like gears spinning idly and slipping; sometimes starting becomes particularly laborious, with the dashboard lights noticeably dimming; occasionally, there's a delayed start, where you have to wait two or three seconds after turning the key before getting any response. Older cars are more prone to these issues in cold weather. Last week, my car exhibited a strange phenomenon where the starter kept running continuously after starting, continuing to turn even after releasing the key. The mechanic said the electromagnetic switch inside the motor was stuck. These symptoms gradually worsen, from occurring once or twice a month to happening daily. When encountering these signs, it's best to replace the motor parts early—after all, breaking down at a highway service area is no fun.
