The Starter in Your Vehicle: What You Should Know
No matter how powerful the engine in any motor vehicle is, it needs some help to get going. No, not a cup of coffee or an energy drink. Just like a campfire needs air and a match, your engine needs air, compression, and a spark to start its 4-step process to get moving. That’s where the starter comes in. It’s a small electric motor which is powered by the battery. When you turn the key or press the ignition button, it turns the flywheel, which uses its momentum to get the engine rotating. That allows it to suck air into the cylinders, and begin the combustion process that allows the engine to run on its own. When it’s functioning properly, this process happens very quickly; it’s easy to miss hearing it.
On the other hand, when it’s not functioning properly, it’s hard to miss. During the longer-than-usual time it takes to get the engine running, you’ll hear a loud whirring or grinding; or even worse, you might hear nothing but a series of fast clicking sounds. When you hear that, your vehicle is unlikely to start at all. Of course, there are a number of different reasons why a vehicle might have trouble starting. That’s why you should take your vehicle to the service department at Byers Airport Subaru as soon as there are any strange noises or delay when starting, so that it can receive a diagnostic treatment from our factory trained and certified technicians.
How Long Does a Starter Last?
On average, a starter will last for about 100,000 miles. If you’re usually taking very short trips, then you’re starting your engine more times in that 100,000 miles than someone who usually makes long commutes. The industry rule-of-thumb is that a starter will last for around 80,000 starts before it begins to wear down. Weather is another factor to consider. Starters have an easier time in warmer weather. That not only means that starters in warmer climates tend to last longer; it also means that winter is when we tend to see more vehicles in the Columbus area come in with starter issues.
Why Byers Is the Place to Get Your Starter
If you don’t want to do algebra to factor in the number of starts and temperature, we certainly don’t blame you. The easiest (and honestly, probably best) way to stay on top of your starter’s condition is simply to have all of your routine maintenance performed in the service department of Byers Airport Subaru. When you do, we enter all of the inspections and services that we’ve performed into our computer. It knows when the next regularly scheduled maintenance should be performed, and which of the many scheduled parts and systems should be inspected during each visit. That way, we can send you a reminder when the scheduled inspections are coming up, and we’ll be sure to never miss a thing.
And whenever you bring your Subaru to our service center, you can rest easy in the knowledge that it’s getting the very best treatment. Every one of our expert automotive technicians have been trained, tested, and certified by Subaru Motors; so they know your particular model better than any other kinds of mechanics could. They also use genuine Subaru parts and approved fluids exclusively; so your car or SUV receives the same kinds of high-quality components it had when it was built and sold to you. To make an appointment with our service center, you can click on the “Schedule Service Now” button, or call us at the phone number at the top of the page, or come see us in person at 401 North Hamilton Road in Columbus. No matter how you get to us, we’ll be happy to serve you.
