Starter Motor Repair & Replacement
The starter motor spins the engine fast enough to fire. It draws a very heavy current for a few seconds, so any weakness in the battery, cables or the starter itself shows up at that moment. Before replacing anything we make sure the starter is actually at fault.
From AED 349Written quote after diagnosis, before work startsConvenience fee applicable · shown on your written quote
- 1-3 hours; some engines hide the starter under the intake
- Pickup and delivery from your door
- Convenience fee applicable · shown on your written quote
- Diagnosis free with repair
Signs you need starter motor repair & replacement
- A single click or rapid clicking when you turn the key or press Start
- The engine cranks slowly, then picks up as if the battery were weak
- Starts perfectly cold but refuses when the engine is hot
- A loud grinding or whirring after the engine has already fired
- Dashboard lights fine, but nothing happens at all when you try to start
- Intermittent starting that works on the third or fourth try
What usually causes it
Worn brushes and commutator
Like the alternator, the starter uses carbon brushes. Worn ones cannot carry the heavy current, so the motor turns weakly or not at all.
Solenoid contacts burnt or sticking
The solenoid pushes the pinion gear forward and closes a heavy switch. Its contacts pit and burn, leaving a click with no crank, particularly when hot.
Pinion gear or flywheel teeth damage
A damaged starter gear or chipped teeth on the flywheel ring give a grinding or screeching noise and sometimes a start that only works in certain crankshaft positions.
Heat soak
Many starters sit near the exhaust. After a hot drive, the heat raises resistance in the windings and solenoid, so a starter that is marginal fails exactly when you stop at a petrol station.
How we do starter motor repair & replacement
- 1
Check the battery first
We load-test the battery and measure voltage while cranking. A battery that drops too low cannot turn even a perfect starter.
- 2
Voltage-drop and current-draw tests
We measure the drop along the positive cable and the earth strap during cranking, and clamp the cranking current. Excess resistance points to a bad cable, high current to a dragging starter.
- 3
Test the starter and its relay
The control circuit, relay and the solenoid's signal are tested to prove the starter is being told to work. If it is, it is removed for bench testing.
- 4
Replace or overhaul and verify
A worn starter is rebuilt with new brushes and solenoid, or replaced. We also inspect the flywheel teeth through the starter opening and finish with repeated hot and cold starts.
In Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman
Hot-start failures are the classic Gulf complaint: the car starts every morning, then clicks at a mall car park at 3pm in July. Heat soak around the exhaust side starter is the usual reason. If your starter only fails when hot, tell us, since we need to test it in that state rather than cold.
Questions about starter motor repair & replacement
Click, but no crank: starter or battery?
It can be either, which is why we test both. A single click with bright dash lights points more to the starter or its connections, while clicking with dim lights suggests a weak battery.
Can tapping the starter get me home?
Sometimes a tap frees worn brushes for one more start. It is a sign the starter is near the end, and we would not rely on it.
Will a jump start work?
If the problem is battery voltage, yes. If the starter or solenoid is the fault, a jump start will not help, and repeated attempts can overheat the wiring.
Is a reconditioned starter acceptable?
Yes, if it has new brushes, solenoid and bushes. You can choose new OEM, aftermarket, or reconditioned, and each price is written on the quote.
Do you come to the car?
Starter replacement is done at our workshop, so we arrange pickup and delivery. A dead battery can be tested and jump-started at your location first.
Last updated
Get a written quote
Tell us about your car. You get an itemised quote before any work starts, and you choose OEM, aftermarket or used parts.