After a period of time, having to fix your vehicle engine and other components is unavoidable. One of the most common problems you might face is starter issues.
If you have a defective starter and want to replace a new one, knowing its location is a prerequisite. So where is the starter located in a car?
You might be curious about the location of an entire starter. No worries!
This article will discuss this interesting question thoroughly and show more facts about starters. Now let’s check it out.
What Is A Starter?
The starter system components include a starting motor, a solenoid, a gear, and a housing, powered by a 12-volt battery.
Because the internal combustion system cannot start by itself, there should be cars using internal combustion engines that are often equipped with an additional starting system.
On an internal combustion engine, the starting system spinning will transmit a torque to the engine’s crankshaft with a specific number of revolutions to start the engine.
For cars with an auto transmission, only when the car is shifted to N or Park gear can the starter motor work.
On the other hand, you need to press the clutch pedal if you are driving a car with a manual transmission.
Now, where is a starter in a car?
Where Is The Starter Located In A Car?
Where is the starter? There are 3 most common locations, which are a little above the transmission on the driver’s side, below the intake manifold, or underneath the exhaust manifold on the passenger’s side.
Not all vehicles’ starters are placed in the same position. Depending on the vehicle structure, you can find the starter either on the driver or passenger side.
For rear wheel drive (RWD), your car’s starter is positioned on the passenger side, near the transmission on the bottom of the engine.
But for front wheel drive (FWD), the starter is on the driver’s side of the engine, underneath the cylinders’ left bank.
There are some bolts that secure and affix it to the mounting plate. Also, you can find two wires that are connected to the starter.
How To Find Car Starter Location?
After reading our answer to the question: Where is the starter motor, you might want to put it into practice. Here are simple steps to find the starter motor location:
Step 1
Open the bonnet of your automobile while still inserting the car key.
Watch and pay attention to any clicking sounds coming from beneath the bonnet. Then you look for a fastened cylindrical item near the engine.
There may be two (or more) hex bolts that hold the starter. That’s where the engine starter motor location is.
Step 2
Spot and follow the positive battery cable. You can see a red wire being attached to the positive terminal. A rubber coating may be applied to it, especially when the car comes with the latest design.
Step 3
You keep tracking the wire till it arrives at the connection pole. This pole is a part of the starter.
It contains several cables that link to other cars’ electrical components and is located near the cylinder’s edge.
The starter will stand out with its cylindrical shape. It is made up of two cylinders that do not have equal size, one wider than the other.
You should remember that one of them is the solenoid, whereas the remaining one is the starter.
Where Is the Starter Located on Various Vehicle Models?
Where Is The Car Starter Located In A Ford Taurus?
You can notice the starter by looking for a metal cylinder with a 3-inch diameter and 5- to 7-inch length. It is bolted to the vehicle and has a little electrical connection from the starter gear.
For the first to the third generation of Ford Taurus, starters are placed near the bulkhead at the back of the engine.
From the fourth version onwards, you can pinpoint the starter in the front, close to the radiator.
The starter on today’s vehicles is disguised beneath a rubber splash cover, so you need to remove the cover to see it.
Where Is The Starter On A Honda Civic?
Inside the bonnet is a big uncovered battery located high in the engine bay. Two terminals will be fed from the battery. The positive terminal is red, and the negative terminal is black.
Under the motor, you can see a strong black cable running. With your fingertips, press and follow the negative terminal wire. At the first stop, it is where the starting motor is sitting.
The negative terminal wire is affixed to the starter motor. It’s a cylinder 6 inches long, connected to the spinning wheel.
You might need to use a flashlight and automobile jacks. Raising the car’s front end provides access to the engine’s underbelly, where the starter is situated.
Where Is The Starter Located On A Chrysler Cirrus?
Regarding a 2.4-L engine Cirrus, the starter is located below the Transmission Control Module (TCM), which is a box on the rear side of your engine.
To replace the starter, you must unscrew the TCM and detach the air intake system. The starter is connected to the transaxle by an extra bolt that must be reached from below the car.
With a 2.5-L engine Cirrus, you can easily spot the starter in the vicinity of the oil filter, and it should be accessible from beneath the car.
It is bolted to the transaxle in three places. To replace it, you must first detach the filter and untighten the bolts that connect the manifold and exhaust pipe.
The battery positive terminal is secured in place for both versions using a screw. There is a cable attached to the solenoid through a push-on connection.
Before uninstalling the starter, these should be unplugged. It’s important to detach the negative terminal for safety precautions.
What Causes A Defective Starter?
There are 2 main reasons for a bad starter in your car.
Faulty Starter Relay
The relay is responsible for sucking and releasing so that the gear ring engages with the engine’s starting gear.
A sign of a relay not working properly is that you will hear a constant clicking sound when pressing the button.
The reason is that the suction coil’s power supply is unstable when passing through the relay, causing continuous suction and release.
This can lead to thread slippage and gear breakage, impairing the quality of the thread.
Battery Corrosion
The connections from the battery outlet and starter input are prone to corrosion and rust due to oxidation, causing poor contact.
The current supplied to the starter is not enough for it to generate large torque to crank up the engine.
Most of the clamps or the screws that catch these connectors are not copper or aluminum, so they quickly become damaged and rusted, deteriorating the quality of the starting current.
These joints should be checked and cleaned regularly to ensure good contact.
Not to mention, a corroded battery can lead to other hazards.
Symptoms of A Bad Starter Motor
Engine Won’t Start
When the car doesn’t start, it is a signal of a bad starter. A faulty battery, defective ignition switch, or engine technical issue can also cause the engine to stop working.
It is a serious problem, so going to an auto repair shop is advisable.
Slow-cranking
If you observe your engine cranking slowly, it may be because the starter has an internal issue. This error can also derive from a weak battery or an internal engine malfunction.
So, seeking the help of an auto repair facility will assist you in determining and correcting the problem.
Grinding Sound
If the gears on the pinion are broken, you may hear a grinding noise when switching on the ignition key.
Once the starter components wear down or fail to engage correctly, a grinding noise is produced, similar to the noise after the engine has turned off.
Smoke
The starter is electrically operated. If you keep trying to crank up your automobile after it refuses to start, the system may overheat due to a continuous power supply.
Now you will see smoke rising from beneath the engine. When you have this problem, you should call a qualified mechanic at once.
How To Install A Car Starter?
Step 1: Disconnect the battery
Loosen the fixed screw on the battery pole connecting the black wire with a suitable-sized hand wrench.
Put the cord far from the battery, so it doesn’t come into contact with the terminal while you are working. Before replacing your vehicle’s electrical system, never forget to detach the battery.
Step 2: Find the starter
Follow the above guidelines to exactly find the starter of your car.
Step 3: Disconnect the wiring
With different designs and purposes, there may be various kinds of connectors transmitting electricity from the electrical system to the starter. Disconnect any connections with the proper hand tools.
Step 4: Remove the bolts then the starter
Most starters are held firmly by two or more hex nuts. First, unscrew the bolts with the socket of a proper size to install the starter.
If you don’t use the right socket size, it will cause broken bolts.
After the bolts have been released, you may need to pull on the starter with some force to separate it from the motor.
Step 5: Slide the new starter into place
Replace the fresh starter into the exact mounting point as the previous one. You have to access the engine from either above or below, depending on the design of your car.
To position it correctly, you may need to drag the new starter down and around other parts.
Step 6: Insert the starter bolts
Thread each bolt by manually turning it in a clockwise direction to tighten the starter. Then, using a proper socket and wrench, screw them down.
If any bolts remain loose, loosen them and try again. This prevents the bolt from wobbling and free-play when the car is in motion.
Step 7: Connect the wiring
Connect the wire (which you have disconnected from the old one) to the terminals of the new starter once the automobile starter motor is in place.
If you’re unsure, consult the handbook and make the proper wiring connections.
Step 8: Reconnect the battery
The final step is to reconnect the battery. Link the black wire to the negative battery terminal.
Then, enter the key into the ignition and attempt to start your vehicle. You know your starting replacement is a success when the engine cranks up smoothly.
Conclusion
Where is the starter located in a car? After reading this post, we hope you can find the answer to this question.
A starter plays a vital role in operating the car. However, the original starter can go bad for many reasons, such as faulty battery cables, malfunctioning relay, or faulty fuse.
Therefore, knowing the location of the starter can help you replace a new one at your home without contacting any experienced mechanic.
Hopefully, with the above information, you have gained more useful knowledge and experience in the automobile industry.
Remember to repair your starter problem as soon as you discover the symptoms.