Why is there abnormal noise from the starter when starting the vehicle?
3 Answers
When starting the vehicle, the abnormal noise from the starter may be caused by premature engagement of the main contacts of the solenoid switch, poor contact of the solenoid switch, or failure of the drive gear to disengage. Premature engagement of the main contacts of the solenoid switch: The starter makes abnormal noise when the drive gear of the starter has not yet engaged with the flywheel ring gear. Poor contact of the solenoid switch: The rotor collides with the magnetic poles, the brushes are excessively worn, or the solenoid switch has poor contact. Failure of the drive gear to disengage: The drive gear fails to disengage and continues to operate. After turning off the ignition switch and cutting off the power, the starter still runs. A screeching sound occurs immediately after the engine starts. The starter is dragged backward at high speed and cannot stop, or it takes a long time to stop, causing the starter to scrape and burn out.
There's a strange noise when starting this car, and I have to say it might be a starter issue, similar to my old car last time. The gears inside the starter motor are worn out, causing rough rotation and clunking sounds; additionally, if the flywheel's ring gear has missing or worn teeth, it can produce noise due to poor engagement during startup. On the electrical side, a faulty starter relay or aged/short-circuited wiring can also cause such abnormal sounds. Insufficient battery power may lead to sluggish starts accompanied by noise. I recommend immediately stopping attempts to start the car to avoid secondary damage and worsening the problem. Have a professional mechanic inspect and diagnose it—they can pinpoint the issue with tools and fix it by replacing a small part or making adjustments. Delaying repairs might result in complete starter failure, and replacing the entire unit would be much more expensive.
I've been driving for twenty years and have seen quite a few cases of abnormal noises during startup. Most of the time, it's due to a mismatch between the starter motor and the flywheel gears. Once, my car had a worn-out ring gear that caused a rattling sound. If the bearings inside the starter motor lack lubrication, they can produce a screeching noise when turning. A faulty relay can also lead to unstable starts accompanied by strange noises. During routine maintenance, check if the screws are loose and try tightening them yourself. However, if you hear abnormal noises, don't force another startup—you might end up damaging more components, which would be a bigger headache. Quickly take it to a trusted repair shop for a check-up; spending a little money on repairs now can save you a lot of trouble later. My years of experience tell me that addressing small issues promptly can extend your car's lifespan.
