How to Care for Your Vehicle’s Starter from Capitol Chevrolet

March 15th, 2022

The various components of your starter must work in harmony when you turn the key for your vehicle to start. Key-turning starts the combustion cycle to get the engine running. One of the main parts is the starter; this is one of the more common pieces so many people assume is faulty if there's an issue. However, this is not always the case. We've outlined for you below how the starter works, how you can check it yourself, and what else might be the cause of your vehicle not starting.

4. CHECK THE BATTERY

When in doubt take a look at the battery. The battery in your vehicle is made to store a charge large enough to provide power to turn over your engine and consistently start. But like all batteries, eventually your vehicle's battery life will end and require a replacement. However, your battery is conveniently rechargeable. A non-responsive starter could be caused by a dead battery. Having help with a jump start or carrying a trickle charger can help get that battery going again if it's still got some life. If the battery continues dying, you can assume it's time for a replacement. If you aren't sure, or if you need some assistance checking the health of your battery, stop into Capitol Chevy. Our skilled technicians will determine if your battery is due to be replaced, or if there's another underlying issue causing the starter to fail.

3. CHECK THE ALTERNATOR

Your alternator is another key component to check. When running, it provides the mechanical energy that the engine creates and turns it into electricity to recharge your battery. If there's a dilemma with the alternator, your healthy battery will frequently die as it is not being recharged regularly by the alternator. Bad bearings, a bent pulley, faulty wiring, or the belt slipping can all cause damage to the alternator. Checking under the hood can identify these potential issues, and you may want to speak to a trained technician if you believe it's time for a replacement.

2. LISTEN FOR THE STARTER WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY

It might be time to investigate the health of your vehicle's charging components if your starter doesn't make noise when turning the key, including the battery and alternator.  However if you hear your engine "crank" it can mean one of two things: if it cranks like usual then your battery has enough power to for the starter, but if it doesn't start running on it's own power there could be a problem with the engine or the start could be failing to engage properly with the engine itself.

1. GET YOUR STARTER INSPECTED BY THE PROS

When your engine doesn't start, typically the starter on its own isn't to blame. If the starter fails it can be caused by a lack of charge in the battery, clogged air intake, lack of fuel to the engine, incorrect engine timing and a host of other potential issues. With so many possibilities for the underlying issue, getting help from experienced professionals at Capitol Chevrolet in our service center is worthwhile. Our factory-trained technicians can inspect and diagnose the precise cause of the issue and we will get it fixed so you don't have to worry about it again anytime soon. Confidently drive your vehicle and trust our pro care to keep your ride going strong each day. Visit Capitol Chevrolet to discover more.