We’ve all heard that expression, “That’s a non starter.” When it comes to your vehicle, that’s not music to a driver’s ears. That sickening sound when you start the ignition and instead of hearing the engine crank, you hear it slowly turn over and your dash lights go dim. 

There can be many reasons a vehicle won’t start, so here’s a little history of how the starter came to be an important component of modern vehicles.

You have to move the engine’s components to start it. The first cars had a crank that the driver would insert into the front, then start turning things over by hand.  When the engine started, you had to release that crank immediately or risk a broken arm.  Yes, it happened many times.  So, they came up with a better idea: an electric starter, which was a big advance in automotive technology.

With this system, an electric motor rotated a series of gears that turned the gasoline engine’s crankshaft so its pistons and parts moved and the engine drew in air.  While this happened, electricity went to the spark plugs and fuel headed to the cylinders.  When the gasoline engine caught, the starter quickly disengaged. Hey, no more broken arms!

Modern systems use the same principle, so when your vehicle won’t start, here are a few things to look out for that might point to the starter. 

If the engine turns over s-l-o-w-l-y, it may mean the electric starter motor may just be wearing out and doesn’t have enough cranking power.  Bushings, brushes, wire windings and a special switch called a commutator may be going bad.

If when you engage the ignition you hear a faint click, that could be a symptom one or more of the starter’s components have failed. If you hear a loud click, it could mean that an electrical switch called a solenoid may not be switching the motor on.

If you hear your engine start to turn over but then it stops and is followed by a grinding sound, some gears may not be meshing the way they should.

There may be many more causes (bad alternator, relay, battery, engine, key fob), so this is when it’s time to turn it over to your service facility.  Sometimes they can send out their own tow truck or recommend a reputable towing company.

But it’s best not to let it get to this point.  Starter problems often give you advance warning that there is a problem with “almost” not starting or “almost” not turning over.  So when you see that very first sign, “start” on over to talk this one over with your service advisor.  The opposite of a “non-starter” is a starter, and that is music to anyone’s ears.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

If you have an internal combustion vehicle, you know it has a lot of hoses that carry various fluids.  And if you have a heater in your vehicle, you’ll have heater hoses.

A heater hose connects to and from the engine so some coolant can be circulated through a little radiator called a heater core.  In cold weather, that heater core acts as a heat exchanger to heat up your cabin.

Even in the hot weather, the heater hoses can prove problematic.  That’s because they may remain pressurized even though you’re not running your heater.  Heater hoses are made out of tough materials since they must handle heat and pressure.  But even the durable rubber, plastic and metal they are made out of can crack or leak from years of use.  That means coolant can be sprayed out into the engine compartment or leak onto a driveway or garage floor. 

You may be able to see a puddle of coolant under your vehicle or perhaps smell the odor of the coolant under the hood.  Some say it has a sweet smell.  Another sign coolant may be leaking out of the heater hoses is your engine may be running hotter.   You’ll be able to tell by watching the heat gauge on your dash.  Let’s say your heat gauge usually points just slightly below halfway between the C and H (Cold and Hot) of the heat gauge.  But now it is just slightly above.  That’s enough to tell you that the coolant temperature has gone up a little, a possible sign of trouble.

This is a good time to swing by your service facility and have them take a look. If they catch the leak when it’s small, it’s a relatively simple matter of draining the coolant, replacing the hoses and replacing the coolant.  Sometimes, though, a heater hose can suddenly burst and a lot of coolant can leak out quickly.  That can, in turn, cause your engine to start to overheat.  In that case, you may see your vehicle’s temperature gauge shoot up pretty quickly.  Then it’s best to pull over and have your car towed to a repair facility since driving with no coolant can cause severe engine damage.

Preventative maintenance is your best insurance against heater hose problems.  A technician will periodically check for any signs of cracks or leaks.  You should expect to replace a heater hose at least once during the time you own your vehicle.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

Every St. Peter car owner who has taken their car in for an oil change has been told that their engine air filter’s dirty.

Here’s what goes into the determination of when to change the filter: First, your vehicle owner’s manual will have a recommendation of when the filter should be replaced.

So between your owner’s manual and your St. Peter technician’s inspection there’s really no guesswork involved for St. Peter drivers.

Now, most air filters purchased in St. Peter don’t cost a lot to replace. It’s just that MN people hate getting caught with an unexpected expense. On the plus side, though, changing a dirty air filter at Autotronics of St. Peter can often save enough on gas to pay for itself before your next oil change in St. Peter.

Think about a dirty furnace filter in your St. Peter home. When it’s all clogged up, enough clean air can’t get through. In your vehicle, that means that your engine can’t get as much air as it needs to burn the fuel efficiently. So it makes do with less air and has to use more gas to move your vehicle around St. Peter roads.

Your vehicle actually needs about 12,000 times more air than fuel to run. Engine air filters don’t cost much in St. Peter at Autotronics of St. Peter. When it’s time to change yours, just get it done. You’ll get better fuel economy, have better performance and protect your vehicle engine.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com