Vehicle Starter Replacement Service in Junction City, KS
You go out to the garage, driveway, or parking lot to start your vehicle, and nothing happens when you turn the ignition. Often, when a car doesn’t start the reason is mistakenly blamed on issues like the battery or alternator. Starter problems happen more often than people realize, however. If you live around Wamego, Ogden, or Herington, you can bring your vehicle into D.E.L. Motors to have our technicians check your vehicle out and diagnose the starting problem whether related to the battery, alternator, ignition switch, starter or some other component of your ignition system.
What Is a Starter?
Your starter is a small motor powered by your battery. It gets your vehicle’s engine running when you turn the key or press a starter button. A starter relay sits between your battery and starter motor. If it is malfunctioning, you will not be able to get your vehicle started.
How to Know If You Have Starter Trouble
There are some symptoms that can help narrow down the reasons your vehicle isn’t starting if it is related to starter troubles.
- Something sounds wrong: If you hear a “clicking” sound when you try to start your vehicle, or if you hear a “whirring” or “grinding” noise, you may have a starter issue. It’s also possible the starter may die without making a sound.
- Lights are on but no power: If you try to start your vehicle and all the dashboard lights fire up, but there is no power being delivered to the engine, you may have a problem with your starter.
- Not cranking up: If you try a jumpstart and your engine doesn’t rev up, you’ll need to get it to D.E.L Motors so a certified technician can check things out for you.
- It’s smoking: Your starter is an electrical system and it’s subject to short circuits and blown fuses. If you have been trying desperately to get your car started, your starter can overheat and cause electrical issues which are accompanied by smoke. If you see or smell smoke, call for help.
You may find oil on the starter, which could keep it from functioning. You can find your starter on the passenger side of your engine compartment just below the exhaust manifold in a rear-wheel drive vehicle. If you have a front-wheel drive vehicle, you can look for it on the driver’s side above the transmission or beneath the exhaust manifold.
In some vehicles, you may find it beneath the intake manifold. If you look and find your starter covered in oil, you have another problem that is interfering with the proper function of your starter. An oil leak may start out small and get bigger over time so be sure if you see oil anywhere other than the dipstick, get it taken care of at D.E.L. Motors.
If you believe you are having a starter issue, contact us at D.E.L. Motors and set up an appointment with our Service Center or schedule service for your vehicle online.