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How do I know if my car starter has gone bad?
My car won't start, and I thought it was the battery. But after getting the battery tested, I found it was fine. I think it might be my starter instead. How do you know if your car starter is bad?
Eric Schad · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
If your car battery is fairly new and
jumpstarting the battery
didn’t work, your starter is a likely culprit. Look out for these telltale signs that your car starter is malfunctioning.Since a car starter is actually a small motor that gets your engine running, it can suffer from a variety of mechanical issues. Even if you’re not a mechanic, you can use your eyes and ears to diagnose the issue.
Some of the most common signs of a bad starter include:
- Whirring or grinding noises when you start the car
- Your accessories work but the car won’t start
- Smoke is coming from under the hood
- The starter is soaked in oil
- The engine doesn’t crank at all
You did the right thing by checking your battery, but it sounds like the starter might be to blame. For your reference, a car starter can cost between $100 and $350 to repair, not including labor.
In the future, you may want to add towing and labor coverage to your insurance, which functions exactly like roadside assistance. Call your insurance company to add it or search quotes on the
Jerry
app to see if you can find a better rate.View full answer
- Gregory R.
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