Many drivers have encountered such an unpleasant situation when the starter does not want to turn the engine and start the car. And it's not about the battery, because even attempts to move the power unit are not made. Just a kind of click is heard and nothing else happens. In such a situation, you have to start the car from the pusher or come up with other ways to start the engine.
If the starter clicks but does not turn, there are several types of car breakdowns that you should pay attention to. This problem will have to be solved immediately after it occurs, because further movement is possible only with a working starter. Especially when it comes to large cars, which cannot be started from a pusher.
The starter makes a few characteristic clicks, but does not turn the engine
The first option for the development of the situation in this case will be the occurrence of several successive clicks. If you listen closer to the unit, you can understand that these clicks are emitted by a traction relay. This means that the starter takes an electric charge, but the current only reaches the traction motor, without passing to the engine spin-up mechanism itself.
Such manifestations are perceived by drivers as a discharged battery. The lack of charge in the battery would allow one or two lazy cranks of the starter, so this problem is excluded in this case. It is better to pay attention to the following possible problems:
- the traction relay is faulty, which does not supply voltage to the starter itself;
- relay contacts with the main part of the starter are too loose;
- poor mass from the starter to the engine body;
- loose contact on other terminals associated with the starter.
Remember that the correct operation of the device is ensured only by the full operability of the vehicle's electrical system. One small contact violation is enough, and the starter will click, but not twist. Therefore, first of all, if such a problem occurs, check all connections and contacts in the starter. This will help you completely fix the problem or force the starter to spin up and start the engine once and drive to the diagnostic center.
The starter makes one powerful click and does not turn the engine
In such a situation, the list of problems is reduced solely to the starter itself. Again we confirm the fact that the charge supply reaches the starter, because the relay clicks. The failure of the relay itself is excluded, because some kind of malfunction blocks the normal operation of the device.
One powerful click and no further action from the starter may be the cause of an unstable charge supplied to the device. Try restarting the engine several times at 15-20 second intervals. You may be able to start the engine. If this does not happen, it is worth investigating such possible problems:
- the starter bendex is faulty, it is jammed and does not allow the entire device to turn;
- the retractor is broken and does not regulate the operation of the starter;
- breakage of the main winding of the starter or a short circuit inside it;
- starter brushes or bushings are extremely worn out and require immediate replacement.
In any situation, you need to contact specialists to fix the problem. If you have a similar problem, but the car continues to start on the second, third or fifth attempt, you still need to fix this problem. Otherwise, one day the starter will stop working and force you to look for alternative ways to start the engine.
Do not rush to buy a new starter if you encounter such a problem. It is likely that the old device can serve for a long time. You just need to carry out a quality service and check all the electrical parts of this module.
How to fix a starter problem?
Correction of any problem associated with such an important element of the car, it is better to entrust only specialists. They guarantee high-quality diagnostics and will be able to find a problem in your starter, which will lead to a real elimination of all problems. If you cannot start the car in another way, you need to do the following:
- dismantle the starter with wires from the car;
- deliver the device to a professional service station;
- describe to the service staff the behavior of the starter;
- ask for the repair to be done as soon as possible.
Then you need to check the performance of the starter even at the service, bring the device back to the car and mount it in the right place. So you can get a working car as quickly as possible and not lose a few days to repair the starter.
Video:
Summing up
If the starter clicks but does not turn, you have several options for solving the problem. First you need to check all the contacts visible from the outside and make several attempts to start the engine. It is also necessary to try to install the mass on the car body.
If this does not help, you should call specialists to repair the starter or take the device to a service center. With the help of such actions, you can return the car to working condition. Have you ever had similar problems with the starter, and how did you get out of them?
Our compatriots often face such a problem when the starter does not click, respectively, it is not possible to start the engine, what if the device does not turn? This article is devoted to this error. What is the reason, where to look for the problem? We will provide answers to these questions below.
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Why won't the starter turn?
What to do if the car cannot start, while the starter does not respond, clicks, but does not turn or grab? Why can't the engine start when the key is turned, what are the causes of the malfunction? One of the main reasons why the device does not turn off is the lack of power to the mechanism. Perhaps this indicates the absence of the required voltage level in the network, which is associated with the discharge of the battery. If the battery is completely discharged or disconnected, the mechanism will show no signs of life.
If the starter does not click when the key is turned, the engine does not start, then first of all you need to check the quality of the battery cable connection. It is possible that the battery wires are not disconnected from the terminals, but simply oxidized.
If this is the case, then you should not panic, you just need to follow these steps:
- first you need to turn off the battery and disconnect the terminals from it;
- using sandpaper, it is necessary to process the internal parts of the battery terminals, you will also need to clean the battery contacts;
- after that, you need to check how charged the battery is - a charger is used for this;
- further, it is necessary to diagnose the integrity of the cables, namely the wire intended to power the starter;
- after completing these steps, the battery terminals must be fixed most firmly so that they do not subsequently disconnect.
Often one of the main reasons why the starter does not turn, while clicking, is a completely discharged battery. If the key fails to start the internal combustion engine, the mechanism may react and show some signs of life. In particular, when you start turning the key, you can hear that characteristic and powerful click, or the mechanism will be able to scroll the internal combustion engine, but only once. To solve the problem on a gasoline or diesel engine, try charging the battery - perhaps after that the power unit will start.
Every car enthusiast knows why a generator is needed in a car - this device allows you to transfer voltage to the on-board network and battery.
Thanks to this work, an additional battery charge is provided, but you should not rely only on the generator, since it will not be able to fully charge the battery:
- during charging, the battery must be in a calm state;
- when the generator is running, an additional load is placed on the battery;
- when driving, the generator charges the battery in a weak mode;
- in any case, the operation of the generator will only partially restore the level of battery charge spent on starting the engine.
Accordingly, if the battery is completely discharged, you should not rely only on its charge from the generator. The best option would be to charge the device using a charger. As practice shows, basically the starter does not work, it clicks, but it does not turn and the engine does not start precisely because of the battery. However, in some cases it happens that the problem is due to incorrect operation of the engine start system. In this case, the starter itself may make sounds uncharacteristic for its operation.
If this is the case, and the car will not start for this reason, then you will have to spend more time identifying it.
Below is a list of the main breakdowns due to which a diesel or gasoline engine will not start:
- The mechanism could turn off or periodically turn off due to the fact that a short circuit occurred in the network. As a result of this, one of the windings could burn out - thus, the mechanism can even smoke. In addition, a characteristic symptom for this breakdown is an unpleasant smell of burning in the wiring.
- Retractor relay failure. This can lead to disruption of the bendix. The mechanism itself refuses to contact the power unit.
- There was abrasion of the bendix teeth, respectively, this component cannot work and start the unit as a result of the lack of contacts.
- There was a breakdown in the operation of the electrical circuit directly to the starter. One of the wires could burn out or one of the contacts could fail (the author of the video is NazipovValera).
How to solve the problem and start the engine?
How to start a car if the starter is out of order?
There are several options for solving the problem:
- The most common is to start the engine from the pusher. The car must be pushed until it can develop a certain speed necessary for the start, preferably in third or second gear. Only it will not be possible to start a car with an automatic gearbox from a pusher.
- Try closing the starter. To do this, you will need a screwdriver, as well as a wrench. The key size must be selected in accordance with the distance between the relay terminals - it will be necessary to close them. The gearbox selector is set to neutral, the brake pedal is pressed, and the key must be in the required position.
- As a rule, the starter has to be simply repaired, but as practice shows, this mechanism is rarely repairable. It will be advisable to make repairs if the bendix or relay fails. If the malfunctions affected the electrical system, then the device will need to be replaced.
Good afternoon. Many motorists are familiar with the situation when the starter clicks, but does not turn. As for evil, such situations occur at the most inconvenient moment, for example, at gas stations or when leaving for work.
In today's article, we will tell you how to determine the malfunction and, if possible, start the car to get to the place of repair.
Before telling the troubleshooting algorithm, let's look at the starter device. For clarity, watch this video:
As you can see, the starter is a conventional DC motor and relay. When you turn the key in the ignition and hear a click, it is the retractor relay that clicks (the coil and contacts at the top of the screen in the video). If the starter does not rotate, but clicks, the following options are possible:
- dead battery.
- failed starter relay
- burnt contact nickels in the retractor relay.
- worn starter brushes.
- starter anchor stuck.
- no power plus is supplied to the starter (because if there is no mass, there will not even be clicks of the retractor)
Below we will analyze each of these malfunctions in detail, and tell you in which malfunctions it will be possible to start the car on the spot, using the existing starter, in order to get to the service.
The battery is heavily discharged- the most common cause of clicks when turning the ignition key.
This error looks like this:
In our video, you can see that at the start, at first, the starter barely turns the engine, and then it just cracks .... With a strong discharge of the battery, the starter will not even try to crank the engine, but will immediately make nasty clicks.
The fact is that the battery voltage is not enough even to trigger the solenoid relay!
Solutions to the problem:
- light a cigarette from another car ( .
- start the car from a pusher / tug (if it is with a manual transmission).
- take off and
Your starter is good!
Starter relay failure.
Relay failure manifests itself as a soft click when the key is turned.
In this case, you can start the car with a simple screwdriver. It's done like this:
Attention! If you are not confident in your abilities, do not do it. It is better to contact a specialist or call a tow truck. If you make a mistake when starting this way, the vehicle may move unintentionally or fire due to a short circuit.
- put on the parking brake.
- using a screwdriver, we close two contacts on the solenoid relay (as in the video).
- after starting the engine, remove the screwdriver and go to the place of repair.
Burned contact nickels in the retractor relay.
This malfunction manifests itself in the form of loud clicks when the key is turned to the start position and the key is released. In some cases, the starter may operate.
Here is a video example of such a malfunction:
How to quickly diagnose contact nickels?
Everything is extremely simple - open the hood, take a screwdriver, and bridge these two terminals:
If a spark jumps during the jumper, and you hear the sound of the electric starter rotating, you can be sure that you have burnt contact pads.
In this case, the car can be started with a screwdriver!
How to start a car with a starter when contact nickels are burned?
Attention! If you are not confident in your abilities, do not do it. It is better to contact a specialist or call a tow truck. If you make a mistake when starting this way, the vehicle may move unintentionally or fire due to a short circuit.
In order to start the car when the contact nickels burn out, it is necessary to simultaneously bridge all three contacts on the solenoid relay.
The closure of two contacts under the nuts is necessary for the rotation of the armature, and the closure of the control contact in order for the overrunning clutch (bendix) to engage with the flywheel.
The order of starting the car in case of failure of contact nickels:
Vehicle with manual transmission:
- put on the parking brake.
- turn on neutral gear.
- open the hood and prepare a flat screwdriver.
- turn the key in the ignition switch to the ignition on position.
- after starting the engine, remove the screwdriver and go to the place of repair.
Vehicle with automatic (+variator and robot) transmission:
- we install a car parking brake (for a robot and a variator).
- open the hood and prepare a screwdriver (maybe two).
- turn the ignition to the on position, press the brake, move the gear selector to the park (P) position.
- using a screwdriver, we close all three contacts on the solenoid relay (sometimes one screwdriver is not enough and you have to take two).
- after starting the engine, remove the screwdriver and go to the place of repair.
The starter brushes are worn out.
The malfunction manifests itself in the same way as the burning of the contact nickels (loud clicks when the ignition key is turned), the only difference is that when the brushes are worn, the starter will never rotate.
It is checked in the same way when the contacts of the retractor relay are bridged with a screwdriver.
like in this picture:
Starter spinning does not start, sincerely not observed.
How to start a car?
Unfortunately, it is impossible to start a car with this starter, it must either be repaired or replaced.
If the machine is equipped with a manual transmission, it may be possible to start with a pusher or towing method.
If the car is equipped with an automatic transmission, it makes sense to call a tow truck or a tow truck.
Stuck starter anchor.
If, by some miracle, the brushes hold out, then when you turn the key to the start position, you will hear a very loud click, and then, for a while, all appliances will go out (you may feel a specific smell)! In the same way, the burning out of the mass is manifested!
In any case, the car itself will not go anywhere. It is necessary to make diagnostics and follow the tow truck / tug to the place of repair or parking.
The starter is not supplied with power plus.
For clarity, look at this picture:
Without a test light or a multimeter, you will not determine this malfunction! And in general, without appliances, it can be confused with brush wear!
As you can see, if the power wire from the battery to the retractor breaks, the starter will not work, but the retractor will click.
If, during a visual inspection of the direct battery-starter wire, you do not see any damage, call a tow truck / tow truck and follow to the place of repair and diagnostics.
That's all I have today. Let the situation when the starter clicks, but does not turn, no longer happens to you. If you have any questions or if you want to supplement the article, write comments!
Every car owner knows what a starter is. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of this device, since it is it that is responsible for starting the engine. About why the engine refuses to start when the starter turns, we already reported a little earlier, today we will try to establish the reason why the starter clicks but does not turn, and, of course, we will try to fix the problem.
Of course, the fact that the starter at least shows signs of life is already good, it would be worse if he was completely silent. So, what could be the reason that the starter refuses to turn?
Characteristic clicks during start-up can be emitted by a retractor relay, providing engagement of the working gear of the bendix with the flywheel crown. However, since the retractor shows signs of life, then the current is supplied to it, which means that the reason that the starter refuses to turn lies not in the retractor and should be looked for elsewhere.
Similar clicks can also be emitted by the starter relay.. Therefore, listen, maybe, after all, he does not allow the starter to "unwind" and if so, then to fix the problem you will have to replace this relay.
Every car owner would dream that the reason that the starter clicks, but at the same time refuses to turn, no matter how surprising it may sound, is one of the ones presented above. However, often the cause of the malfunction lies in the starter itself, among those there are:
Burnt power wire connecting the starter windings and the traction relay. Timely replacement of this very wire will help to fix the problem.
Worn brushes and starter bushings. Try to replace worn parts, and, with a high degree of probability, we can say that you will not encounter the indicated problem in the near future.
Short circuit on the armature winding, short circuit or open circuit of one of the starter windings. Establish the exact cause, eliminate the short circuit and the starter will stop clicking and start doing what it is supposed to do - turn.
Deformation or breakage of the fork in the bendex drive. Again, just replace the plug and the motor will start.
There are several more reasons that the starter, despite the fact that it makes clicks, still does not want to turn. These include:
Dead battery or oxidized terminals. Make sure the battery has enough charge to start the engine.
Poor body weight with engine. It is sometimes possible to fix a malfunction simply by duplicating it with a second mass wire.
Faulty ignition switch. Another nuisance that can cause the starter to fail to turn. However, only a professional auto electrician can make such a diagnosis.
Loose or damaged wiring. If there are suspicions of breakdowns in the wiring, then entrust the matter to professionals.
If you managed to establish the reason why the starter refuses to turn, but still makes characteristic clicks, then it is possible that you can fix the problem yourself. However, it should be reported that repairing a starter requires certain knowledge, caution, attentiveness and scrupulousness, therefore, if you are not confident in your abilities, then it is better to entrust the matter to professionals, those who are faced with solving such problems almost daily.
And finally, no matter how sad it is to realize, but nothing lasts forever. Who knows, maybe the characteristic clicks emitted by the starter are an omen of his imminent death. If you want to prolong the life of the starter, then remember that it is a short-term electric unit, it is not designed for continuous loads, and learn how to brake properly. Yes, do not be surprised, but it is at the moment of braking, when the starter engages with the flywheel, that a large current flows to it for a long time, which, as you might have guessed, steals precious hours of its life.
A car is a complex machine. All units in it are so interconnected that any minor defect can lead to serious damage in the future. That is why we advise you to carry out a technical inspection of your iron horse in a timely manner, because, as you know, it is always easier to prevent, both physically and financially, than to treat, and at the first symptoms of any malfunction, immediately go to the service station to eliminate it. Only in this case you will be able to rely on your car and not be afraid at all to go on it, as they say, into fire, and water, and through copper pipes.
Love your car, take care of it, and as a token of gratitude, it will not let you down even in the most difficult and dangerous situation. The main road and the absence of interference, and, of course, the trouble-free operation of the car, let there be as few breakdowns as possible!
The starter is a rather complex electromechanical structure, in the event of a malfunction of which the car is unlikely to start. In principle, with the help of some alternative way to make the car go, it may be possible, but this is a story of a slightly different nature. In general, failures often occur in this device, as a result of which the starter clicks, but does not turn, or does not turn at all, and this is already a completely critical situation. What to do in such a case - the answers will be given by subsequent information.
To understand in detail the reasons why the starter clicks but does not turn, you need to pay attention to its internal type device. The design of this mechanism includes such an element as a traction relay, the appearance of which is an ordinary, small-sized cylinder that is attached to the main structure of the starter. This relay has two windings: designed to retract and hold. The main malfunction, as a rule, manifests itself when there is not enough voltage on the holding winding, which is why it is not possible to start the car.
Hence the problem of the appearance of characteristic clicks. All cars have the same principle of operation of this mechanism, therefore the reasons why the starter clicks but does not turn are also similar to each other. The starter can click for several reasons, we will understand them.
Firstly, it should be noted that sometimes this is not associated with any breakdowns, but only with the fact that the car, like all its constituent elements, has not warmed up. If, after the fifth or tenth attempt, the car failed to start, then this is a clear sign of a problem.
If you hear frequent clicks coming from the traction relay, this may be due to a poorly charged battery (in this case, I recommend checking the charging current) or poor contact at the battery terminals.
If only one click of the traction relay is heard, the problem may be burnt power contacts, engine mass, fastening reliability, or a malfunction of the starter itself. In each of the cases when the starter clicks but does not turn, it is recommended that a thorough check of the described mechanism for malfunctions is recommended. 
Reasons why the starter does not turn
The analyzed device includes three main elements: the power system, the role of which, first of all, is played by the battery, switching, which is all kinds of connections (that is, relays and wires) and the starter itself. Depending on these basic components of the mechanism, the problems of why the starter clicks but does not turn can vary.
The first reason is the battery. This is perhaps the most common variant of why the starter stopped performing its functional duties, namely, why it stopped turning. The essence of this reason is either a discharged or already faulty battery. If the starter does not turn or even click, then it is recommended to check the battery with another kind of load, for example, turn on the headlights. Also, the contacts in the battery must be well tightened and under no circumstances oxidized. Otherwise, problems can develop into much larger problems, and no one needs this.
The second reason is the relay. Here the matter may lie not only in the malfunction of this element, but also in the control cable. It is not difficult to install exactly; for this, it is only necessary to supply a positive value to the control terminal of the starter (the cable of the smallest cross section is connected to it). If the starter started to turn again, then the reason was in the wiring, relay or ignition switch.
The third reason is bad contacts. In this case, it is necessary to carefully check all connections, especially in the case of a power cable. The main essence of this malfunction is that the starter tends to consume a fairly high level of current from the batteries - about 200 A. And if there is insufficient contact somewhere, much less can be supplied to it from the base 200. As a rule, this will be enough to operate the solenoid relay, but not to start the engine. In this case, a series of characteristic clicks can also occur.
The fourth reason is a malfunction of the starter itself. Since this device includes several elements, the reasons for the termination of its operation may lie in them. This is, first of all, a solenoid relay, a brush assembly, as well as windings. As a rule, such problems cannot be eliminated without dismantling the assembly. But you can try to find out the reason for sure.
For the first check, you will need a screwdriver or a wrench, with which you can close two terminals, and do it securely without touching the case and for a short period of time. If, after carrying out these operations, the starter began to rotate (it can do it with a bang), then the matter is probably in the relay.
Symptoms of a malfunction of the brush assembly and windings are similar. If the retractor relay does not click, and the starter does not start up “straight”, then the matter may lie in the breakdown of these particular elements. And a malfunction of the windings can still give out a smell and color. But again, everything will become known as specifically as possible after its disassembly. 
Solutions to the problem
Depending on the previously described problems associated with starter problems, the following solutions can be distinguished:
In the absence of voltage, the malfunction may lie in the ignition key. In this case, voltage must be applied to the bare wire directly from the terminal with a positive value, and if it works, then all that remains is to change the key. This problem is the most elementary, and therefore, at its first successful solution, it will not have properties for repetition. 
Finally, it is worth recalling that it is necessary to perform all fault checks if the car's gearbox is in a neutral type position. Otherwise, the car may start to move, and then, quite possibly, in addition to problems with the starter, many more will appear. So keep an eye on your car and its safety, and then he will repay the same.
Video “Replacing the starter solenoid relay”
The recording shows how you can replace the solenoid relay at home.