Starting a car with a bad starter can be really difficult because of many reasons. One of them is the fact that it takes more time to start a car with a bad starter. The starting process can take even several minutes, which can cause irritation for both you and other drivers on the road.
How to start a car with a bad starter?
1. If you just can’t start the car, try to get out of it and open the hood. Then locate the starter on your engine. It is an electric motor that engages when you turn your key in your ignition switch and turn over the engine.
2. See if you see any loose wires or cables around it, especially the black cable, which is typically connected to your battery. If you see it hanging loose or if the insulation has worn away, there’s a chance that this issue could be what’s preventing your car from starting.
3. At this point, try to use jumper cables to jump-start the car. Get another car close by and turn off both cars.
4. Attach the cables in this order:
-Attach one negative cable to your car’s chassis. Attach the other end of this same cable to the negative post of the live battery.
-Attach one positive cable to your car’s positive terminal and attach it to a good grounding point on the other car, such as the engine block.
-Attach another positive cable to your car’s starter and attach it to the other good grounding point on the other car, such as its engine block.
5. Turn both cars on and you should hear them start. However, if they don’t, which is probably the case after all that trying, then there’s a problem with your car’s starter that can be diagnosed and fixed.
6. Turn off both cars and remove the cables in the reverse order they were attached: Step 1 & 2 – Unclip one negative cable from your car’s chassis, then unclip it from the live battery’s negative terminal. Clip this cable to its black cable. – Unclip one positive cable from your car’s starter, then unclip it from the other good grounding point. Clip this cable to its black cable. – Unclip another positive cable from your car’s engine block and clip it to its good grounding point. – Unclip the last positive cable from the battery of the other car and clip it to its positive terminal.
7. Enter your car and try to start it up again. If that doesn’t work, then you need professional help.
8. Follow the same steps as before but instead of attaching the black cable to the battery, use a screwdriver or any metal object so you can jump-start your car by connecting it with a metal part on your engine block.
9. Repeat step 4 but replace positive with negative cables and vice versa.
10. Enter your car again and try to start it. If this also fails, then there is a problem with your ignition that can be diagnosed and fixed by a professional mechanic.
Conclusion
By now, you should have been able to start your car with a bad starter. If this also fails, then the problem is more serious and it’s best that it be diagnosed by a professional mechanic.
