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Is Your Starter Smoking? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

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Smoke rising from your hood when trying to start your car?

If you also hear a grinding noise or the engine won’t crank, then it’s probably the starter smoking. A blown fuse, short circuit, or faulty ignition switch could be the culprit. 

Wondering how this happened and what to do next?

To help you get back on the road ASAP, we’ll explain why your starter is smoking and how much it’ll cost to repair it. We’ll also cover some frequently asked questions along the way. 

This Article Contains:

Why Is My Starter Smoking?

Here are the three problems that cause a smoking starter: 

Starter smoke is likely a sign of a blown starter fuse. Sometimes, this results from a worn-out fusible link — an insulated cable that protects electrical components.

When there is excessive current in the starter circuit, the starter fuse and the fusible link usually melt due to excessive heat and cause smoke. 

2. Short Circuit

A short circuit occurs when the electrical current flows through a path with low resistance. This surge of excessive current in the starter circuit causes damage, heating, and even fire, resulting in smoke. 

3. Ignition Switch Problems

A faulty ignition switch might keep the starter motor running even when the engine is on. This will heat the starter and release smoke. Typically, an ignition switch goes bad due to corrosion, bad wiring, loose connections, and electrical surges. 

Now that you know about the source of the smoke, let’s uncover the underlying problems that cause it. 

What Causes Starter Problems?

Here are the underlying causes of a faulty starter:

1. Weak Battery or Faulty Alternator

The car battery supplies the starter motor with power and helps run the alternator. Meanwhile, the alternator helps recharge the battery, ensuring that there’s always enough power for the starter motor.

However, if you have a faulty alternator, you’ll likely end up with a weak or dead car battery (typically producing less than 12 volts). This can sometimes cause starter overheating as the motor draws excessive current to compensate or through the excessive cranking needed to start the engine. 

2. Corroded Battery Terminal or Loose Battery Cable

When battery terminals corrode, they don’t pass enough electricity to power the starter motor.

Besides corroded battery terminals, a loose battery cable can also be an issue. For example, a loose cable won’t transfer enough power to the starter and other components.

3. Oil Leak

If engine oil leaks onto the starter, it may cause corrosion and lead to overheating and performance issues. 

Oil leaks occur due to problems with the oil filter, valve cover gasket, drain plug, and several other components. However, an oil-soaked starter is typically the result of a leak from the engine’s rear seal. 

4. Loose Wiring or a Worn-Out Starter Cable

A loose wire within the starter system can cause short circuit problems and electrical arcing. This could heat the starter motor and release smoke.

A worn-out starter cable (the wire connecting the starter to the battery) can also cause a shorted starter through electrical arcing and uneven power flow. Additionally, a damaged cable won’t transfer sufficient current to the starter motor, which will prevent it from functioning. 

5. Incorrect Installation or a Bad Connection

When your old starter begins failing, a mechanic will fit in a new starter or a rebuilt one. 

However, if the starter system has a bad connection, you might still encounter issues. For instance, a bad connection might prevent the electric motor from meshing properly with the flywheel, damaging the starter, flywheel, or other components. 

6. Defective Ignition Coil

Starters sometimes run into issues because of a faulty ignition coil. This coil works together with the spark plugs to ignite the fuel. 

If it’s faulty, you’ll need to crank your engine more than usual. This could overheat the starter motor and cause smoke if there’s any damage to the wiring. 

7. Worn Starter Brushes 

Starter brushes are small conductive components (made from copper or graphite) that maintain contact with the commutator (the rotating starter motor part). This contact allows electrical current to flow from the battery to the starter motor. 

However, worn brushes may cause the motor to draw more current to compensate for the reduced connection. This produces excessive heat which can damage the starter motor’s components and cause smoke.  

8. Bad Solenoid

The solenoid is responsible for engaging the starter motor. However, if it fails to disengage, the starter can run continuously, leading to overheating and smoking. This happens due to damaged connections, corrosion, and aging. 

A smoking starter is a cause for concern, but there are other symptoms you should know. 

What Are the Other Signs of a Bad Starter?

While the hood of your car resembling a BBQ is the clearest sign of starter trouble, here are some other warning signs to look out for:

1. The Engine Doesn’t Crank

If your engine cranks after multiple starting attempts, this is most likely a problem with the starter relay. However, it might be due to a dead battery, too. In addition, a bad ignition switch could make starting the car engine difficult. When this component is damaged, the starter motor can still run even when the engine is on.

That said, a bad ignition switch also causes several other problems. For example, it could make it difficult to turn your car key, and your vehicle could stall while you’re driving.

2. Whirring or Grinding Noise

If you hear strange noises when you crank the engine, you could be dealing with a shorted starter. Usually, a bad starter motor releases a whirring or grinding noise.

As soon as your starter makes a whirring or grinding noise, it could be time to get a new starter or a rebuilt starter.

3. No Clicking Sound When Starting the Engine

The audible clicking sound that comes on when you turn the ignition key originates either from the starter solenoid or the starter relay. These are both critical components of the starter system.

So, if your vehicle won’t start and you don’t hear a clicking sound, you could be dealing with a faulty starter solenoid or a damaged starter relay.

4. Warning Lights

The onboard diagnostic system on most modern vehicles monitors various components, including the starter. A bad starter may trigger the “Check Engine Light or, for some vehicles, the “Starter System” light.

Now that you know the common symptoms of a starter issue, let’s look at the costs of fixing it. 

How Much Does It Cost to Fix a Smoking Starter?

When you see your starter smoking, you’ll most likely need to get a new one. However, you shouldn’t perform a starter replacement on your own as this procedure is complicated and requires special equipment. 

Ideally, get a hold of a qualified mobile mechanic so they can check and replace your old starter with a new one and fix any other problematic components. Here are the costs involved (including parts and labor):

Still have some unanswered questions about a bad starter? We’ll explain all the additional information you should know.  

3 FAQs on Starter Smoking

Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding the starter motor:

1. What Is a Car Starter and How Does It Work?

A car starter connects to the battery and helps start the engine when you turn on the ignition switch. Its critical components include the starter solenoid and the electric motor.

When you turn on the ignition key, the starter solenoid closes the electrical connection between the car battery and the starter motor. Simultaneously, it also pushes the starter gear forward to mesh it with the ring gear of the flywheel.

Once the ring gear is engaged, the starter motor rotates the crankshaft and sets the engine components in motion, allowing the engine to start.

2. How Do I Identify Starter Smoke?

Starter smoke usually varies in quantity depending on the severity of the damage; the more critical the damage, the more smoke there will be.  On the high end, your hood could resemble a chimney, and on the low end, the quantity of smoke would be similar to burning lighter fuel.

Regardless of the amount of smoke, you need to get that starter smoking problem checked by a reliable mechanic right away.

3. How Does a Mechanic Jump a Bad Starter Solenoid?

To jump-start a bad solenoid, a mechanic will usually use a long screwdriver instead of a jumper cable, as this prevents an electric shock from occurring. The steps include:

  1. Locating the solenoid: The mechanic will identify the positive terminal of the battery and then follow the positive battery cable. This will lead them to the starter motor, which attaches to the solenoid. If necessary, they’ll read through the model information covered by your owner’s manual on the off-chance they can’t find it. 
  1. Jumping the solenoid: The mechanic will place the tip of the screwdriver on the solenoid’s ground wire connection point (output solenoid terminal). Next, they’ll touch the other end of the screwdriver to the solenoid terminal that connects to the positive terminal of the battery (input solenoid terminal).
  1. Starting the car: Once the screwdriver touches both the positive terminal and ground wire connection points on the starter, the mechanic will ask someone to start the car. They’ll remove the screwdriver immediately when the engine starts.

In case your car won’t start, the mechanic might need to remove your starter and bench-test it. During the bench test, they’ll connect the starter to a battery and observe how it responds.

Get a Smoke-Free Start with AutoNation Mobile Service 

A starter issue could be the result of a blown fuse, short circuit, or faulty ignition switch. 

However, there are numerous reasons for these problems, including oil leaks and loose wiring. You’ll need a professional to diagnose and repair the faulty components. 

Can’t get your smoking car to the mechanic?
AutoNation Mobile Service mechanics can fix your smoking starter right from your driveway. We’re available seven days a week and offer a 12-month,12,000-mile warranty on all repairs.  

Contact us for any car trouble or additional information you may need.