Bring your car, truck, or utility vehicle to Goose Euro right away if you hear the engine click before it ignites. This clicking sound is a sign that the starter is going bad. We will test the starter to confirm that it is malfunctioning and replace it with a new one. The starter generally lasts about 100,000 miles before it needs to be replaced. If you have more than that on the odometer, the clicking noise is a sign that your starter is a goner. The additional four signs below also point to a faulty starter.
1. Pre-Ignition Whirring Sounds
Instead of clicking, you may hear whirring noises before your engine starts. This noise, too, is a sign that the starter is going bad. Another sign that the starter is malfunctioning is if the noise continues after the engine has fired up. This means the starter is still engaged even though it should have disengaged once the engine started. Your starter is definitely malfunctioning and needs to be replaced if it remains engaged after the engine has ignited.
2. An Inability to Start the Engine
If you don’t act quickly, you may end up stranded with an inability to start your engine. Sometimes, the starter will not give you any warning at all or will only give you a warning one time before it dies completely. When this happens, the engine will not turn over because this is what the starter does. Consequently, the engine will be dead because there will be no air or fuel in the combustion chamber. The engine cannot start without this.
3. Vehicle Lights That Are Working
Another thing that the engine cannot start without is functioning spark plugs. Usually, the starter since electricity through the plug wires to get them to generate sparks. The alternator helps with this process. It’s only natural to think that the reason why your engine will start is that you have a dead battery. Take a moment to check all of your vehicle’s lights to see if they turn on at their normal brightness. If they do, the battery is fine and the starter is dead.
4. Excessive Heat and Smoke
Finally, you may also end up with excessive heat and smoke in the engine if you continue in your effort to start your automobile. With a dead starter, the only thing that is going to happen is you are going to overheat the motor inside the starter.
Call Goose Euro in San Antonio, TX, today to set up a service appointment so we can test your starter and replace it if necessary.
