The starter is what gets the engine in your European automobile running. Two key parts in the starter, the relay and the motor, are what get everything going. One way to describe the starter is that it’s like a little motor inside your motor. The battery powers the starter, so if you have a dead battery, you won’t get anywhere. This does not mean, however, that you’re starting problems are not being caused by starter failure. Euro Autoworks lists signs below that indicate the starter is what is malfunctioning.
Clicking Noises
The most common indication that your starter is going bad is clicking noises when you try to start your automobile. Unfortunately, this indication doesn’t always happen. Your starter can die without any sound at all, but if you do hear clicking sounds when you turn the ignition key, you’ve got a problem with the starter.
Dead Engine
As we said above, if the starter is dead, you won’t be able to start your engine. One way to figure out whether the problem is the starter is to look at your dashboard while you turn the key in the ignition. If the dashboard lights up, yet your car doesn’t start, you have battery power but not starter power.
Jumpstarts Don’t Work
A jumpstart is designed to get a dead battery going; it does not resolve problems with the alternator or the starter. If you find that you can’t get your automobile started even with a jumpstart, chances are the problem is in the starter and not the battery. In this case, you won’t even be able to get the engine to crank and get going.
Your Car Is Smoking
If you keep trying to start your car with a dead starter, you will overheat this component of the electrical system. If it gets too hot, you will smell burning smells and might even see smoke coming out from underneath your hood. It’s important to stop trying to start your engine when you’ve overheated the starter.
Oil Saturation
Finally, problems with your starter might not be problems with the starter at all. Because of where the starter is located, underneath the cylinders on the driver’s side, if you have an oil leak, oil can saturate the starter and cause it to malfunction. This might not only require a new starter to fix the problem but also extensive engine repairs.
If you can’t get your European automobile started, have it towed to Euro Autoworks in Woodbury, MN, today. We can replace the starter if that’s the problem.