If you have a (click) when you attempt to start the car emanating from the starter motor/solenoid that is what this writeup is about. If the motor does not even make a sound when you turn the key you may have other issues.
This is a list of what is wrong most of the time
1. The contacts in the back of the starter are worn out. Take off the back plate of the actuator unit by removing 3 bolts. Remove the plunger. If you see heavy wear on the 2 contacts that the plunger comes into contact with they need replacement.
If you notice that the contacts aren't overly worn and the contact part of the plunger is ok then there is another problem.
2. You have a bad battery or your alternator is bad and the battery is not getting a full charge. Get the battery tested or try swapping out for another. If the car still doesn't start you have another problem. Clean your battery terminals always if they look rough with a heavy wire pipe cleaner or a longer bristled wire brush. If necessary replace the terminals or wires if they are bad.
By bad I mean cuts in the shielding, weakness in the wires. A weak battery + weak wiring + old starter, it all compounds the problem. Weak wiring sometimes you can’t do anything about but if your battery, alternator, terminals, obvious grounds are all good and you know they are it narrows the problem. Maybe you replace your starter and the problem goes away, but comes back on you after a length of time. That’s other weaknesses starting to show and replacing the starter only band-aided the problem until the starter came under some wear.
Assuming the battery and charge is ok
3. You have bad or worn wiring, usually a single bad wire. Try jumping the car with another vehicle or a booster pack. If the car starts when it is being boosted (which is usually at 14v) this is probably it. The extra voltage and current available compensates for the bad wire. The single wire spade terminal (the small one) at the back of the starter should be the culprit. Try holding a wire to that terminal and touching the end of the wire on the + side of the battery. If it starts to crank that is your problem!
Either run a switch from the + lead to the cabin and from the switch back to the starter. Or replace the wire. Run your own wire from the back of the starter into the cabin and splice/connect it to the ignition switch. The exact color on the wire on both ends I am not sure of yet. I think it’s slightly different too with an automatic transmission. Either way if you do the test and connect a wire from the spade terminal on the back of the starter and it cranks, this is your problem area.
Remember that when you use this test method or mount a switch it is bypassing the safety features of the car for starting. If it is in gear the car will fly forward. Make sure the vehicle is in neutral or park.
Less common causes are the ignition switch itself, Starter relay, Neutral start safety switch itself (auto), or clutch start safety switch (Manual Trans.)
The order you should test in should be easiest to most difficult.
1. battery and charging system
2. Cleaning the battery terminals and checking the obvious grounds and leads for wear.
3. Jumping the starter solenoid
4. Checking the contacts
1 and 2 are simple. 3 can be simple with thin arms like me, if not you may have to remove some parts. 4 the starter needs to be removed. Based on your gut instinct you may change the order. Hey its a good way to learn.
If your starter clicks only when your battery is a bit low this could also be your contacts or any of the above I mentioned. The mkiii is getting old. Everything is wearing out. Hope this helps!
This is a list of what is wrong most of the time
1. The contacts in the back of the starter are worn out. Take off the back plate of the actuator unit by removing 3 bolts. Remove the plunger. If you see heavy wear on the 2 contacts that the plunger comes into contact with they need replacement.
If you notice that the contacts aren't overly worn and the contact part of the plunger is ok then there is another problem.
2. You have a bad battery or your alternator is bad and the battery is not getting a full charge. Get the battery tested or try swapping out for another. If the car still doesn't start you have another problem. Clean your battery terminals always if they look rough with a heavy wire pipe cleaner or a longer bristled wire brush. If necessary replace the terminals or wires if they are bad.
By bad I mean cuts in the shielding, weakness in the wires. A weak battery + weak wiring + old starter, it all compounds the problem. Weak wiring sometimes you can’t do anything about but if your battery, alternator, terminals, obvious grounds are all good and you know they are it narrows the problem. Maybe you replace your starter and the problem goes away, but comes back on you after a length of time. That’s other weaknesses starting to show and replacing the starter only band-aided the problem until the starter came under some wear.
Assuming the battery and charge is ok
3. You have bad or worn wiring, usually a single bad wire. Try jumping the car with another vehicle or a booster pack. If the car starts when it is being boosted (which is usually at 14v) this is probably it. The extra voltage and current available compensates for the bad wire. The single wire spade terminal (the small one) at the back of the starter should be the culprit. Try holding a wire to that terminal and touching the end of the wire on the + side of the battery. If it starts to crank that is your problem!
Either run a switch from the + lead to the cabin and from the switch back to the starter. Or replace the wire. Run your own wire from the back of the starter into the cabin and splice/connect it to the ignition switch. The exact color on the wire on both ends I am not sure of yet. I think it’s slightly different too with an automatic transmission. Either way if you do the test and connect a wire from the spade terminal on the back of the starter and it cranks, this is your problem area.
Remember that when you use this test method or mount a switch it is bypassing the safety features of the car for starting. If it is in gear the car will fly forward. Make sure the vehicle is in neutral or park.
Less common causes are the ignition switch itself, Starter relay, Neutral start safety switch itself (auto), or clutch start safety switch (Manual Trans.)
The order you should test in should be easiest to most difficult.
1. battery and charging system
2. Cleaning the battery terminals and checking the obvious grounds and leads for wear.
3. Jumping the starter solenoid
4. Checking the contacts
1 and 2 are simple. 3 can be simple with thin arms like me, if not you may have to remove some parts. 4 the starter needs to be removed. Based on your gut instinct you may change the order. Hey its a good way to learn.
If your starter clicks only when your battery is a bit low this could also be your contacts or any of the above I mentioned. The mkiii is getting old. Everything is wearing out. Hope this helps!
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