What are the Symptoms of a Bad Starter?
It’s cold outside and your car won’t start. Is it a problem with the battery, the alternator, or the starter? How do you know which one? You may be wondering, “What are the symptoms of a bad starter?”
The starter system is meant to be durable--designed for repeated use under a variety of weather and road conditions. But the wear and tear of daily use, extreme conditions, and poor maintenance can all create problems.
There are several symptoms that can indicate a bad starter:
- Your vehicle cranks slowly or labors to crank when starting.
- Your vehicle won’t start at all.
- Starting problems are intermittent.
- The interior lights dim when you try to start the car.
- You hear a grinding noise when the car is starting or running.
- A burning smell or smoke is coming from underneath the hood.
- The starter is soaked with oil.
However, your starting problem may not be the starter. It could be that the battery not packing enough juice to start your vehicle, or maybe you left your headlights on all night. Or maybe the battery is just old and needs to be replaced.
Or, the alternator may not be doing its job of keeping the battery charged. If the warning light on your instrument panel is on--the one that typically looks like a car battery--your alternator is not working and your vehicle is probably running strictly off the battery.
Even if you’re only having intermittent starting problems, have your car checked out as soon as possible before the problem gets worse and leaves you stranded out in the cold.
Want to know more about what are the symptoms of a bad starter? Contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Cannon Auto Repair for more information about alternators, starters, and batteries, and to schedule an appointment. Our auto shop serves vehicle owners in Cannon Falls, MN, and the surrounding areas.
It’s cold outside and your car won’t start. Is it a problem with the battery, the alternator, or the starter? How do you know which one? You may be wondering, “What are the symptoms of a bad starter?”
The starter system is meant to be durable--designed for repeated use under a variety of weather and road conditions. But the wear and tear of daily use, extreme conditions, and poor maintenance can all create problems.
There are several symptoms that can indicate a bad starter:
- Your vehicle cranks slowly or labors to crank when starting.
- Your vehicle won’t start at all.
- Starting problems are intermittent.
- The interior lights dim when you try to start the car.
- You hear a grinding noise when the car is starting or running.
- A burning smell or smoke is coming from underneath the hood.
- The starter is soaked with oil.
However, your starting problem may not be the starter. It could be that the battery not packing enough juice to start your vehicle, or maybe you left your headlights on all night. Or maybe the battery is just old and needs to be replaced.
Or, the alternator may not be doing its job of keeping the battery charged. If the warning light on your instrument panel is on--the one that typically looks like a car battery--your alternator is not working and your vehicle is probably running strictly off the battery.
Even if you’re only having intermittent starting problems, have your car checked out as soon as possible before the problem gets worse and leaves you stranded out in the cold.
Want to know more about what are the symptoms of a bad starter? Contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Cannon Auto Repair for more information about alternators, starters, and batteries, and to schedule an appointment. Our auto shop serves vehicle owners in Cannon Falls, MN, and the surrounding areas.
