What are the signs of a bad starter motor in the car?

The internal combustion engine generates the mechanical energy required to run a vehicle. However, it needs an external power source to get started. The engine must be turned at a particular speed to suck the mixture of fuel and air into the combustion chamber and compress it to start the internal combustion cycle. The main job of an electric starter motor which is located near the back of an engine is to turn the flywheel which would transmit the power to the crankshaft to start the combustion cycle.

The starter is nothing but an electric motor. A huge amount of electric current is required to run the starter motor. Turning the ignition key would establish an electrical pathway between the battery and the starter. The pinion of the starter motor gets connected with the flywheel which will turn the engine. Once the engine started, the starter disengages and the electromagnet stops. The pinion got disconnected from the flywheel of the engine. The engine then depends on the inertia from each cycle to start the next cycle. Based on the working principle, starters have been differentiated into electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic.

Signs of a bad starter:

Difficult to start an engine:

When a person turns the ignition key and nothing happens, it is a clear indication of starter motor failure. Turning the ignition key establishes an electrical pathway to the starter which generates the crank required to start the engine of a car. However, it loses its ability to do so over time and a deformed starter motor fails to turn the flywheel. Sometimes it makes loud clanking sound. Besides, the failure of battery or other components of the ignition system might be responsible for such problems. Such early symptoms of a starter motor failure should not be ignored. Mechanical errors need to be identified and repaired immediately.

Starter fails to spin the motor:

Sometimes the problem is mechanical in nature. If the pinion of the starter fails to establish a connection with the flywheel, it could not turn the engine efficiently and thus fails to start the engine. When a person turns the ignition key and could not hear the engine crank sound, then it is a clear indication of starter problems in the car. Such problems should be repaired in its early stage to keep the car in working order.

The appearance of grinding noise:

A deformed starter motor will generate grinding noise while turning the ignition key. Such a detectable early warning sign should never be ignored as it could bring down the vehicle to a halt in the middle of nowhere. Such noise appears when the pinion and other parts of the starter connect with the flywheel are worn out. Besides, deformities inside the starter might also responsible for the generation of grinding noise.

The emergence of unusual smell and smoke:

The emergence of smoke and unnatural smell from underneath the engine is an alarming situation and should not be overlooked. Short circuits, blown fuse and errors in other components of the ignition system are solely responsible for the appearance of unusual smell and smoke. Sometimes, the starter motor overheats due to the continuous power supply or it fails to disconnect from the flywheel after the car’s engine has started. Such kinds of issues might be responsible for the appearance of abnormal smell or smoke.

Oil soaks:

Generally, the starter motor is located near the bottom of the engine. Such close proximity to the oil pan allows it to get in contact with the engine oil. An oil-soaked starter fails to do its job efficiently. Besides, the presence of an excessive amount of lubricant in the starter could trigger several types of mechanical and electrical failure which could bring down the vehicle to a halt in the middle of nowhere. So, efforts should be made to keep it isolated and prevent any major mechanical abnormalities in the ignition system of the car.

Bottom line:

The ignition system of the car is a very complex system. The starter motor is an important part of this system and plays a vital role in the performance of a vehicle. Such a system needs special attention to work efficiently and last longer. Malfunctions or mechanical errors in such an important part of the vehicle could have disastrous consequences. Thus, the emergence of warning signs that shows the starter motor has mechanical or electrical errors should not be ignored. Timely actions should be taken to fix such problems. Besides, a routine visual inspection should be conducted by a certified professional to evaluate the physical condition of a starter motor.