How do you feel when you turn the ignition key, but the engine doesn’t respond? It could be a starter problem, and dealing with a bad starter can be quite frustrating. You might have the urgency to catch a flight or join a meeting, so you don’t have time to take the car to the garage. So, how to start a car with a bad starter? Well, a malfunctioning starter can be annoying, but a series of simple tricks might be enough to get it back in order.
How to Start a Car with a Bad Starter?
The tips outlined below are the best possible ways to bring a dead starter to life. Try them one by one until you find a solution.
Check the Connections
The starter is an electric motor and is part of an electrical circuit. It sets the vehicle’s engine in motion. Thus, the engine won’t respond if there’s a problem with the battery or connections. Check the junction of all the connecting cables between the battery and the starter. Tighten everything because a loose connection means less current to the starter.
Clean the Corrosion
Corrosion could also be the cause of obstructing the flow of electric current. Dirt and grease can accumulate on the starter and the car battery and corrode the cable clamps and battery terminals.
If this is the case, disconnect the battery and use fine sandpaper to clean the affected areas. It will remove dirt, stains, and rust. If the corrosion seems quite stubborn, apply a mixture of water and caustic soda. Be careful not to damage the connections.
Tap with a Tool
This is another simple trick from the manual on how to start a car with a bad starter. If the starter is dead but the wipers and headlights work, the problem could be a stuck gear. The starter cannot function properly if this happens.
Tap the starter about 4 to 5 times with a tool such as a hammer or wrench. You must carefully locate its position inside the car and distinguish it from other components. Also, the taps should be gentle so that the part is not damaged.
Sometimes this method works even if the starter is actually bad. In that case, tapping will provide a temporary solution, but the car might die soon.
Give the Car a Good Jolt
This is another trick to release a stuck gear. However, you should only do this when you’re a noob and don’t have the expertise to open the hood and locate the starter. Press the vehicle’s handbrake lever while it’s in a higher gear. This will rock the car and may loosen the stuck gear in the process.
