How To Change The Starter On A 2003 Ford Taurus

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There's never a convenient time for your vehicle's starter to neglect. A motorcar starter'south chore is to kick over the engine in your auto so your vehicle starts.^[1] When you find yourself with a vehicle that won't start, in that location are a number of a number of issues that may be the culprit, but in one case you've narrowed information technology downwards to a faulty starter, you can supercede it using merely common paw tools.

one
Disconnect the battery. Employ an appropriate sized mitt or socket wrench to loosen the nut that secures the cablevision on the negative terminal on the bombardment. You don't need to remove the nut completely; once its loose simply slide the cable up and off the terminal. Tuck the cable to the side of the battery to ensure it won't bear on the last as y'all piece of work.^[2]
- Yous volition not need to remove the positive cable on the battery.
- Always disconnect the battery before servicing the electric system in your vehicle.
2
Jack up the vehicle if need be. In some applications, you may need to jack up the vehicle in guild to access the starter. In such instances, place a jack beneath one of the designated jack points for the front of the vehicle and raise and lower or plow the handle in order to lift information technology off of the basis.^[3]
- Ensure you jack the vehicle up on firm, level ground.
- Place jack stands beneath the vehicle once it'southward at the appropriate height.
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3
Locate the starter. The starter will have a wire running to information technology from the bombardment or fuse box, and looks like a large cylinder with a smaller one attached to it. If you are unable to locate the starter in your vehicle, refer to the service manual for your specific year, make and model vehicle for guidance.^[iv]
- The smaller cylinder attached to the starter is the starter solenoid.
- A wire should run directly from the positive terminal on the battery or from the fuse box under the hood to the summit terminal on the starter solenoid.
iv
Disconnect the wiring to the solenoid. Depending on the awarding, at that place could be a few different types of connections transferring ability from the electrical system of the vehicle to the starter. Use the appropriate hand tools to disconnect whatsoever connections going to the starter.^[five]
- In some cases, it may just be clips you need to disconnect for the wiring.
- On some starters, yous will demand to loosen bolts or screws that agree the wires in place.
5
Remove the starter retaining bolts and so the starter. Most starters have two retaining bolts that hold the starter in identify against the side of the motor where it meets the manual. Use a socket of the appropriate size to remove the bolts in order remove the starter.^[6]
- Be certain to use the correct size socket, otherwise you risk damaging the bolts.
- You may need to pull on the starter with a bit of force in club to remove it from the engine once the bolts have been removed.
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1
Compare the new starter to the old one. Place the erstwhile starter next with the new one on a table and compare them for similarities and differences. The two should look near identical and the holes for the starter retainer bolts should exist in the exact same place. The starter solenoid may have four terminals instead of two, just that won't be an issue.^[7]
- If the two starters don't look mostly identical, it may not be the correct starter for your vehicle.
- New starter solenoids often come with four terminals, but tin can be used with merely two.
2
Slide the starter into place. Insert the starter into the same mounting location you removed the old 1 from. Depending on the vehicle, yous may need to do then from above or below the engine.^[8]
- Ask a friend to agree the starter in place if yous can.
- You may need to snake the starter downwardly and around other components of the engine to place it properly.
iii
Insert the starter retainer bolts. With the starter in place, slide the two retainer bolts through the bracket on the engine and the starter. Thread them in by turning them clockwise past hand until you lot're certain they are threading properly, then employ the appropriate socket and wrench to tighten them the balance of the way.^[9]
- If the bolt does not thread properly, unscrew it and effort once more.
- Make certain the bolts are tight and so they tin can't vibrate loose while the engine is running.
4
Connect the wiring to the starter solenoid. With the starter secured in place, reconnect the wiring y'all disconnected from the old starter onto the terminals on the new ane. If your new solenoid has four terminals but your old one had ii, only utilize the superlative and lesser last on the new solenoid. If your sometime one had four and the new one does too, connect them to the same terminals they were connected to on the old one.^[x]
- Refer to the service manual for your specific vehicle if you lot are unsure as to which wire connects to which terminal.
5
Reconnect the battery. With the starter installed and wired, reconnect the black cable to the negative terminal on the battery and tighten information technology in place. Insert the central into the ignition and attempt to commencement the vehicle.^[eleven]
- If the vehicle fails to offset with the new starter in place, ensure the battery is fully charged.
- Bank check to ensure all of the wires are securely connected at either finish, so start the vehicle again.
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1
Listen to the vehicle as you attempt to start it. As you turn the key in the ignition, listen for the sounds the engine makes to help make up one's mind if you have an issue with your starter. If the engine makes no sound whatsoever, or you hear only a faint clicking, it may exist because there isn't enough power reaching the electric starter motor.^[12]
- If the engine attempts to turnover but fails, it could exist some other issue.
- If the engine does zero, the battery may just be dead.
two
Ensure the battery terminals are make clean and secure. Check the battery terminals to ensure at that place is a stiff connection between the terminals and the cables. The cables should exist securely held in place and should not be able to wiggle or be removed from the concluding without loosening the nut on each cable. Make clean corroded battery terminals with a steel toothed castor to ensure a strong connection.^[13]
- A weak connection from the battery tin can forestall the engine from starting.
- Wear gloves when cleaning battery terminals to avoid getting battery acid on your pare.
three
Charge your vehicle's battery. If y'all suspect the battery may but be low on ability, attempt charging it using either a trickle charger or some other vehicle to jump start it. Be certain to connect the red cablevision to the positive terminal on each vehicle and the black to the negative.^[14]
- Leave the other vehicle running when bound starting the vehicle and permit it to charge the battery in yours.
- If using a trickle charger, exist sure to exit the battery charging in a safety expanse that won't exist rained on.
four
Bank check to see the starter solenoid is bad. The starter solenoid transfers power from the battery to the electric motor that starts the engine. If it fails to transmit the electricity, the starter motor volition fail to function. Test the starter solenoid past touching a test calorie-free to the lower terminal on the starter, then footing the negative cable to the torso of the motorcar. Have a friend turn the ignition fundamental and see if it lights upwardly.^[15]
- If the exam calorie-free does not light upwards, it means power is not reaching the starter motor due to a faulty solenoid or a dead battery.
- If the test lite does light up, information technology ways the solenoid is practiced, but the starter itself may have failed.
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How can I fix my own auto starter?

Tom Eisenberg is the Owner and Full general Manager of W Declension Tires & Service in Los Angeles, California, a family-owned AAA-canonical and certified auto shop. Tom has over 10 years of feel in the auto manufacture. Modernistic Tire Dealer Magazine voted his store ane of the Best x Operations in the Country.

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Expert Answer

If your starter isn't working, endeavour hitting it with a piece of woods or a hammer. This might loosen upward the starter plenty so you tin drive your motorcar to a repair shop to become the issue fixed.

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Article Summary X

To install a automobile starter, start by using a wrench to disconnect the car's bombardment and the wiring to the starter. Next, remove the old starter and slide the new starter into place. Once the new starter is in the vehicle, secure information technology onto the mounting subclass with bolts, making certain it'due south tight and then that the starter doesn't vibrate when the engine is running. Then, reconnect the wiring to the starter earlier attaching the cables to the car's battery. If the car still won't starting time, check that all the wires are connected at each terminate of the starter and battery and endeavor again. For advice on how to tell when you need to replace your machine's starter, read on!

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