Well listening to everyone input when I posted before, I began to believe my car starting problems resulted from a bad starter. I jumpstarted it so I could take it to the shop, won't know whats wrong with it till Mon, and it turned on. Could it still be the starter, if the car turns on with a jumpstart? ( I already have a new battery, and new battery terminals). I have a automatic transmission, Mazda 626 1998.
2007-05-05 07:37:25 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
When I got the car back from the shop, turns out the starter and alternator are both good, the battery was defective (that sucks since I brought a month ago from pepboys) and the battery cables needed to be replaced and grounded. Not too bad, but such an inconvience.
2007-05-08 02:09:42 · update #1
Possible? Yes.
Probable? No.
Alternator is more probable.
2007-05-05 07:59:52 · answer #1 · answered by Mr. KnowItAll 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Generally a bad starter will click a few times before it will start the car (sign of it starting to go). IF you have a mallet and leverage to get to it, a couple of wacks will sometimes allow it to engage to start the car. IF your alteranator is bad the little charge icon on your dash will come on and off. ON when the car is a idle and when you give it gas it goes out. When you get it tested at your local parts store, they will be able to tell you if your alternator is shot. Like the other post, I believe its your starter. Most shops like Pep boys or Autozone are open 7 days a week and the test takes about 5 minutes and free of charge. Sorry you took shop first. Others will tell you, that replacing a starter is an easy DIY job that will take about a hour. Good Luck
2007-05-05 08:38:55 · answer #2 · answered by onefinesacaman 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jumping wouldn't help if it was a bad starter. You can tell what's wrong in two minutes with a voltmeter. It could be as simple as the battery cables not being tight.
You should definitely not take it to the place that replaced the battery. They should have checked everything out.
2007-05-05 10:18:47 · answer #3 · answered by Nomadd 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes a car will start when jumping it off and you have a bad starter - but probably not. It is most likely the alternator. If the starter is bad and it did start when jumping it off, it would have had a hard time starting (cranked slower than normal until it started) and if the alternator is bad it will start normally when you jump it off.
2007-05-05 07:49:42 · answer #4 · answered by boogie2510 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
well if the starter is bad a sure way to tell is the battery cable will get smoking hot and the starter will sound like its dragging
also if you put your hand on the starter and its hot as a firecracker ,thats a sign the starter is going out.
2007-05-05 08:00:33 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
it could be the starter solenoid which will still get the car going with a jump start but i am thinking sounds like a bad alternator
2007-05-05 07:50:35 · answer #6 · answered by cabman67 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. It's certainly possible. If the starter's brushes are bad, or the stator contacts are corroded, then it may take a little extra oomph to get things going.
2007-05-05 07:41:23 · answer #7 · answered by v_2tbrow 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Maybe the battery cables are corroded. Check the starter, the starter solenoid or it's just the alternator.
2016-05-21 02:26:21 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I highly doubt it's your starter,your car won't start period with a bad starter even if you jump it.sounds like your altenator went bad.
2007-05-05 07:41:55 · answer #9 · answered by Marsh 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
what it could be is the altonator
2007-05-05 07:41:44 · answer #10 · answered by Ted H 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋