Pay attention to what happens if you notice your car’s starter motor making any unusual noises. You’ll want to fix the problem so you don’t get stranded on a busy day.
Slow cranking can be caused by the battery, the battery cables, or the starter motor. You can usually get your battery checked for free anywhere that sells batteries. If the battery is good, you should check all the connections to make sure they are clean and tight. It’s a good idea to check the voltage at the starter end of the large cable running from the battery to the solenoid to make sure you’re getting full voltage to the starter.
If you hear a click but the starter doesn’t fire the engine, there’s a good chance the problem is caused by the solenoid switch not connecting battery power to the starter when it engages. Again, make sure the battery and cables are not the problem. You can now try connecting the two large lugs on your starter solenoid with a screwdriver to see if the starter will work without activating the solenoid. Be sure to park the car and set the parking brake first. If the motor cranks and sounds fine, your problem is with the solenoid and it needs to be replaced.
Another problem that can arise is the starter motor not disengaging from the flywheel. This usually makes a lot of noise and wears out the starter gear and starter bushings a lot when turning the starter motor at high speeds. Sometimes the starter motor does not disengage even after the engine stops. If you have a manual transmission, you can try leaving the car in gear and rocking it back and forth to loosen the starter from the flywheel. This is usually caused by a broken or weak spring that helps the starter retract when power to the starter is cut.
