Hi everyone,

05 TL with 145k miles. Leaving work tonight, the car wouldn't start. The battery had plenty of juice as the lights and NAV all lit up just fine and didn't fade when cranking. When I turn the key, it made no noise. Tried jumping just in case, but still no luck. Battery was reading 12.4 and then up to 12.85 so I don't think that was it.

So I think it's the starter. I banged around on it with a wrench and after 5 minutes of doing so it finally started. Do I need to replace the entire starter or could it be just part of it? How can I test the starter to see what I need to do (replace certain parts or the entire thing)?

Thanks!

 

It may not even be the starter itself. It could just be the solenoid.

 

Banging on the starter may get your car to finally turn over and start, but over time it damages the internal parts of the starter and you'll eventually have to get a new one.

If you know how to, you can take it off the car open it up and run tests on it with a DMM to see what's bad in it. Or you can take it to autozone and they will hook it up and test it for you to see if it's bad or not.

 

sounds like the starter. replace asap. its GOING out. once its out, its done. and that will be at an inconvience time, I guarantee it. You can only tap it so any times before it just goes out all together.

replace the whole starter. fyi, id stay away from auto zone or advance for starters. Napa or carquest is my recomendation. U can test it at home, with jumper cables. ground it anywhere, I use one of the ears. Positive to starter, and I just use a insulated screwdriver and jump the positive to the solenoid. just hold it tight and use common sense.

OR autozone will test it, but I wouldnt let them put wipers on my car. Ive seen them test batterys, alternators, and starters that were good, and they said it was bad. They cant even use the scanner most of the time..they dont know how. Its not on purpose, most of the time, the person doesnt know WTF they are doing or talking about.

 

Mine started going around 85k mi. Sometimes it would start sometimes it wouldn't. No worries with a Manual, I just started parking on hills and popping the clutch until I got a new starter ($239 - easy to install).

Good luck!

 

Found this replacement starter on Amazon - seems like a good deal. Anyone see any issues with it?


Also, is it worth testing mine somehow or should I just assume it's on its last legs and get a new one?

Thanks!

 

I'd make certain it was not my battery or batt. cable connections before buying a starter, if it is the starter
take the starter to a rebuild shop, OEM starters are better than after market ones.