Starter or Battery going bad?

chrysostom77 · Sep 3, 2005

When I start the vehicle, the engine turns over only with difficulty.

I was about to try a new battery, when the auto part store tested my current one and said it was good. They also tested my alternator and said that was good. I had another part store test my battery and again said it was good.

How do I know if it's my battery or my starter that is going bad? Is there some way to tell?

Koojo · Sep 4, 2005

So let me get this straight. The engine turns over fine, but just won't start? Does it turn over more slowly? Give us some more detail here man. If it turns over but just won't start, usually it means it's the battery. If you starter is dying, usually it just won't even turn over. BEST thing to do, is go to a friends house and hook up his good battery and see if you still have that problem.

AzG20P11 · Sep 4, 2005

if your starter is getting ready to die, its going to act sluggish and start periodically entil it completely goes. you will hear hesitation, and be able to start up a good amount of times between the period when it starts going bad, and completely dies.

chrysostom77 · Sep 4, 2005

When I press the key towards "start" it grinds and works for about a second and then starts up. It seems better when warm as opposed to cold in the morning. It has always started however.

AzG20P11 · Sep 4, 2005

if it makes a grinding noise, and hesitates its the starter.

Koojo · Sep 4, 2005

Just to make sure, do the battery swap from a friend to rule the battery out for sure.

chrysostom77 · Sep 5, 2005

Koojo said:
Just to make sure, do the battery swap from a friend to rule the battery out for sure.

A stupid question: Are all car batteries identical voltage? Will any car battery work? Or must I use jumper cables?

Koojo · Sep 5, 2005

Any 'car' battery will work. They are all suppose to be 12 volts. Some batteries are just bigger in size because they a bigger capacity. Just like an AA battery and a D battery...both are 1.5V, but D battery has more capacity.

GtRider · Sep 5, 2005

is slow staRTING A a CAUSE of a FAiling staRTer or a dieing baTTERY

2000GT20W · Oct 28, 2005

i've notice from like a month ago the pretty much everytime the car sit's for to long it makes abit of a grinding noise on start up but does all nothing else other then the. i remmember bring it over to the dealer for a check to see what they would diagnosise , but to my surprise they didn't find anything wrong with the car other then the grinding noise i had complain about, they said it could possibly be the starter, but they wheren't certain on the ........ it's now close to two months and the car just yesterday started to act up on me i came home from work and i parked and i came out like an hour later i got in i try starting it but just wouldn't go no grinding noise no clicking noise nothing just nothing so i sat around thinking of what to do @ first i thought it was the battery but then i check the power with a tester and power was find . i then look around for the starter but to my surprise the starter was nowhere to be found i started getting really frustated . i didn't really know what the hell to do so proceed it to jump start the car but unfortunally the didn't work it just wouldn't goooo finally after doing all nonesense the car finally started it without hestation , i then turn it off like idiot and then the same shit all over again ..... i honestly wanted to shoot myself i try boosting it with my wife car but it didn't even do anything , after so much fucking around i gave up on it , i try it in the morning and bingo when right on , i brought it over to active green and ross they order a rebuild starter, ones it was install according to them the engine wouldn't turn over it would only make a clicking noise , i found it strange the after the new starter was install on the car it was still not starting, so i say to then let me see thee rebuild starter, to my surprise it look different the housiing was just different which lead me to beilve the they had order the wrong one but any how , i say to then install the old and lets just leave it @ the, and i got charge 130 bucks for labour, sucks but there wasn't much i could really do after they install thee old one back on the car started right on without any problems , its weird am absolutly clueless as to what the problem is , they also said the they bench tested both starters and the two where working find which just leaves me even more confuses . the dealer wants $630 plus taxes to change the starter.... some advise would be greatly apreciated ,............. sorry for the long post but i just had to explain everything from the begining......... thanks in advance folks

p10det · Oct 28, 2005

all are 12 volts but what counts is the cca's. the fact is if it grinds while starting. usually the starter shaft is sligtly bent or the flywheel is bad witch is more rare. Cranking slowly would consiist ov bad cranking voltage to the starter and is a different issue withc is either battery poor grount or poor power suply to the starter.
if it cranks exesivly than their is a different line of things to check

2000GT20W · Oct 28, 2005

I thought off a loose connection somewhere but it never ran my mind the one off the wires in the starter could come loose, is it possible for one off the wires to come lose over time??

p10det said:
all are 12 volts but what counts is the cca's. the fact is if it grinds while starting. usually the starter shaft is sligtly bent or the flywheel is bad witch is more rare. Cranking slowly would consiist ov bad cranking voltage to the starter and is a different issue withc is either battery poor grount or poor power suply to the starter.
if it cranks exesivly than their is a different line of things to check

p10det · Oct 28, 2005

yes. It could allso have corrosion. but you also said it was grinding

2000GT20W · Oct 29, 2005

yes i did, it does this when is really cold out , is now saturday Oct 29 i brought the car over to the dealer on friday which was yesterday , i didn't have any problems starting it yesterday or today it started right up on the first try . any how i brough the car to dealer and they diagnoses the it was a bad ground from the battery i don't how but this what the said they also said the i need it to replace the cable which cost 115 dollars, i only got charge 1/2 hour for labour which wasn't really the bad, unlike active green and ross which charge me 130 dollars for nothing.............. what do you guys think some advise would be very usefull

p10det said:
yes. It could allso have corrosion. but you also said it was grinding

jasha · Oct 29, 2005

what cable did they replace for $115???! the battery ground cable? you could have done that yourself for about $5 and used a better grade of wire too...

2000GT20W · Oct 29, 2005

amigo i apreciated your advise but they haven't replace anything yet , if i like to replace it would cost $115 for it

jasha said:
what cable did they replace for $115???! the battery ground cable? you could have done that yourself for about $5 and used a better grade of wire too...

lysander · Oct 29, 2005

I replaced a starter only to find out it was a ground. The wires in question are the hot wires going to the starter and the ground wires from chassis to engine. It may also be a problem with the mechanical connection of the starter to the engine, and you'd want to be sure the battery cables/connections are all good. If you can clean/tighten all the connections, pull, clean up, test, reinstall the starter, you might have it. Of course that area is hard to get at... If you're gonna go to the trouble, you might as well get the starter rebuilt/replaced. Seems like cables don't wear out, they corrode on the ends, the terminals break, etc. which you can clean/fix/replace.

2000GT20W · Oct 30, 2005

hey thanks for you advise mann, but i being lucky enough the darn thing has not being misfuctioning ever since thursday which is great..

lysander said:
I replaced a starter only to find out it was a ground. The wires in question are the hot wires going to the starter and the ground wires from chassis to engine. It may also be a problem with the mechanical connection of the starter to the engine, and you'd want to be sure the battery cables/connections are all good. If you can clean/tighten all the connections, pull, clean up, test, reinstall the starter, you might have it. Of course that area is hard to get at... If you're gonna go to the trouble, you might as well get the starter rebuilt/replaced. Seems like cables don't wear out, they corrode on the ends, the terminals break, etc. which you can clean/fix/replace.

p10det · Oct 30, 2005

get your self a can of bgattery protector sealer stuff and you can spray a little on the big ground cable areas where wire is open and on battery terminals. this way you dont get corrosion

jonezy_86 · Nov 1, 2005

NO NO....that stuff doesn't work! Get some baking soda in a bowl put a bit of water in it to form a paste. Get an old tooth brush and go at it. Do this and tighten all wires and check for corrosion on the wires. Check the wires on the starter relay too. This should do the trick. If not the starter or the relay is at fault

2000GT20W · Nov 11, 2005

update, the car started find monday morning oct 31, later the evening i headed over to D&B's for a few drinks with some friends, we where there approximately 2 hours max. i came out got in my car i try starting it and nothing so i figure ahhhh what the hell a'l wait 15 minutes then a'l try again and so i did, i try it again and nothing , frustated and with a few drinks on system i felt like kicking the "f" out the car but , but some how i manage not too , luckily one off my buddy's was near by and he came over to help me push start the car, i drove home park it and the i try turning it on again nothing just plain dead , let me repharse this, everything lights up, the lights on the dash board the power windows work, the headlights ,turn signals, i hear no crancking no clicking nothing, has i mention on my previous post the dealer said the it had a bad ground , i should also mention the they did not said which wire it was it, i have no clue which ground they fereing too if the one from battery or the ground from the starter , it is now nov 10, i phone the dealer on tuesday to place thee order for this cable bull shit stuff any how the mann said was going to take him a couple off weeks for him to get the cable he said it was special order from japan or some crap like the...... i being pushing and pushing this mother F******ker around for it to start it's being anbarssing to have to do this i being sweating my ball's off , i almost ran my foot over thee other day is not even funny ........... , would anybody happen to have thee explode wiring diagram's off the starter and harness??????? i being think the it could also be the solenoid

lysander · Nov 11, 2005

I would NOT just start replacing cables, etc. without first removing the starter, checking and cleaning all the connections, then reinstall. Cables don't wear out, the ends get corroded or fouled. And you have to be sure there is a good clean mechanical connection between the starter and the block. Problem is, if you've got it that far apart, you should go ahead and replace the starter or have it rebuilt ($100.+ unless you want to take a chance on a used one). I imagine this car has a lot of mileage, prob someplace with nasty winters and salt on the road... The solenoid is integral with the starter motor, so you gotta pull/replace the whole item. Be nuts to just take it out, put it back together, find you haven't fixed it, have to take it apart again.

2000GT20W · Nov 11, 2005

I agree with you the thing is the when i took the car over to active green and ross they bench tested both the new and old starter and they both work find. i would not mind taking and checking things myself but the truth is the i don't have tools nor a garage , therefore am @ the dealers mersy which sucks but there's much i could do, i check the battery wire but it appears to be ok . maybe like one of the members said here is probably one of the hot wires on the starter... this has you already know are no visible, your comment with miles and stuff totally not the case here the car only has 108k on it, has for the salt and winters not the case either the car was barely taken out for winter..........

lysander said:
I would NOT just start replacing cables, etc. without first removing the starter, checking and cleaning all the connections, then reinstall. Cables don't wear out, the ends get corroded or fouled. And you have to be sure there is a good clean mechanical connection between the starter and the block. Problem is, if you've got it that far apart, you should go ahead and replace the starter or have it rebuilt ($100.+ unless you want to take a chance on a used one). I imagine this car has a lot of mileage, prob someplace with nasty winters and salt on the road... The solenoid is integral with the starter motor, so you gotta pull/replace the whole item. Be nuts to just take it out, put it back together, find you haven't fixed it, have to take it apart again.

Gforce · Jan 31, 2009

by the way... how much is a brand OEM starter compared to the rebuilt one from Autozone?

also will the rebuilt starter lasts as the OEM?

lysander · Jan 31, 2009

You're gonna get different opinions on this. Most starters from auto parts stores are gonna be rebuilt, probably by the same few distributors. A new Nissan/Infiniti starter will be VERY pricey. Some will say used/salvage is the way to go. The basic issue is that the labor is significant, and you don't want to put, say, a used one in, find it's NG, and then have to pull it out again (although the more often you do it, the faster you get). I can also tell you that bench-testing does not always insure you're OK.

I use a local starter shop, which ends up being competitive price-wise. However, the last one he did ended up dying with a bad internal connection, I had to R/R it again, although he fixed it again without question.

There is some advantage getting the AZ starter (which is a Bosch rebuilt??) due to the LLT warranty which you can easily swap out at the multitude of AZ stores across the land. I usually price compare with NAPA (we've got a really good local NAPA store). SAVE YOUR RECEIPTS!! Starters, like alternators, have a useable lifetime in the 100k miles range (although I'm sure there are folks who will come back and say they've had the same starter for a million miles). If you get the junkyard version, make sure it is out of a low-mileage car.

If you have a shop do the whole job, make PDS they will warranty it for a decent period of time and R/R without additional cost of it craps out after a month.

Starter or Battery going bad?

Top Contributors this Month

Recommended Communities