AUTO·REPARE FR
Ancillaries

Starter motor

Electric motor that cranks the engine. A click is not always “the starter”.

Teaching inline-four schematic. Not a specific car. Starter

What it does

Its pinion hits the flywheel ring gear. Battery, cables and solenoid come first.

Flywheel side, on the block / bellhousing.

Not a diagnosis. Interval and part number: the manufacturer’s schedule.

Common signs

  • Click-click: often battery or solenoid.
  • A grind with no spin: starter or bendix.

Already on the site

No generic starter article. Test the battery before you condemn the motor.