These conditions can force the starter relay to work intermittently. Thankfully, you are getting a warning that the starter relay is going bad, allowing you time to get it fixed before you are stranded. You might hear clicking noises when the car battery is low on amperage, but it could also be a sign that the starter relay is going bad. Most times, the relay operates on an all or nothing basis. This is what leads to a clicking sound when you attempt to turn the key. The starter relay is responsible for sending high amperage to the starter motor through a low-amp circuit.
This relay is responsible for powering up the starter solenoid, which requires high amperage to run. When the ignition switch is turned to the start position, the electrical power gets sent from the switch to the starter relay. There is two circuits inside the starter relay.
One circuit is used to receive the signal from the switch and it keeps the other circuit closed during this time through electromagnetism. With this one circuit closed, power is flowing from the car battery to the starter. When the ignition switch is released, electric power ceases to the first circuit, forcing the electromagnet to open the circuit and turn off the starter.
When the relay loses power from the switch, the circuit remains open and disconnected, and your car will not start. The starter relay is most often located under the car hood, found in the power distribution center.
It can also be located in the fuse block in the cabin. The relay has wires coming in and out of it. However, there are many other relays used in the car that look similar. If you are unsure which one is the starter relay, reference your service manual. If you are handy, you might prefer saving yourself some money and swapping out the starter relay yourself. Ask any car question in our new community!
Magnus is the owner and main author of MechanicBase. He has been working as a mechanic for over 10 years, and the majority of them specialized in advanced diagnostics and troubleshooting. If you press this button or if you turn the key on a manual ignition switch and the vehicle does not turn over, it may be caused by a problem with the starter relay. This problem may be attributed to a circuit that has failed, so no matter how many times you turn the key, the vehicle will not start.
If the circuit has not yet completely failed, you may hear a clicking noise as you try to turn the key. In either case, you should contact a professional mechanic to inspect the symptom and correctly diagnose the precise cause. When you start your engine and release the key or stop pressing the starter button on a modern vehicle, the circuit is supposed to close, which will discontinue power to the starter motor.
If the starter stays on after the engine has ignited, the main contacts in the starter relay have most likely welded together in the closed position. When this occurs, the starter relay will be stuck in the on position and damage will occur to the starter, circuit, relay, and the transmission flywheel if it is not addressed immediately.
If the starter relay is working properly, it will send power to the starter every time it is engaged. However, it is possible that the starter relay will become damaged due to excessive heat, dirt, and debris or other issues that might cause sporadic operation of the starter.
If you try to start your car and the starter doesn't activate instantly, but you turn the key switch once again and it works, this is most likely due to a problem with the relay. In this case, it's important that you contact a mechanic as soon as possible so they can determine what is causing the intermittent contact.
In many cases an intermittent starting problem is linked to a bad wire connection that may become dirty due to exposure under the hood. This symptom is common when your battery is low on amps , but is also an indicator that your starter relay is not sending a full signal. The relay is an all or nothing device, meaning that it either sends the full electrical current or sends nothing to the starter.
However, there are some occasions when a damaged starter relay will cause the starter to make a clicking sound when you turn the key. The starter relay is a very durable and reliable mechanical part, however it is possible for damage to occur requiring a mechanic to replace the starter relay.
If you notice any of these warning signs, make sure to contact one of the professional mechanics at YourMechanic. This article originally appeared on YourMechanic. Autoblog is partnering with YourMechanic to bring many of the repair and maintenance services you need right to you. Get service at your home or office 7 days a week with fair and transparent pricing.
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The starter solenoid works as an actuating coil of a connector, which carries electrical current from the starter solenoid to the starter motor. Starter solenoids are designed to engage the starter pinion with the ring gear of an engine. So, how do the starter relay, starter solenoid, and starter motor work together?
When you insert your key into the ignition key to turn it on, it energies the starter relay, which transfers power to the starter solenoid, which transmits power to the starter motor. A starter relay sends small electric power to the starter solenoid when you turn on the ignition key, while the solenoid draws a large current directly from the car batteries.
This causes the solenoid to transfer power to the starter motor, which in turn spins the flywheel. All modern starters follow this process. They rely on the starter relay to send power to the solenoid, engaging the starter to turn the flywheel.
The starter relay plays a significant role in starting your car. Some of these signs are the same as the symptoms of a bad starter solenoid, and some indicate a bad starter motor. This makes it difficult to find. The problem might be that your car starter relay fuse is blown.
Regardless of how many times you try, the car will not start. However, if you hear a clicking sound when trying to start the vehicle, it could mean your starter relay has not gone bad completely. In either case, you have to diagnose your ignition system, if you know your way around it. If not, contact a professional mechanic for a thorough check. When you turn on your ignition switch, it sends an electrical current to the starter relay, which transfers the current to the starter solenoid.
The solenoid sends the power to the starter motor, which rotates the flexplate to start the engine. Turning off the ignition switch should work the opposite; both the starter solenoid and the motor should stop working. It could be the relay is sending a steady current.
This usually occurs when the relay is touching somewhere or exposed to high electrical power. You need to diagnose and fix this problem immediately because it could damage the entire starter system. Starter relay clicks, but no crank shows the starter motor is not receiving enough electrical current from the relay to turn the engine. This is also a sign of low or dead battery. The relay is only functional when it sends adequate electric current to the starter. Both could be a result of a corroded or aged relay whose contact points are deteriorated.
Repair only requires cleaning the contact points to ensure proper flow or changing an old relay. You can clean a corroded relay by scrapping the rusted surface with sandpaper or sand scraper. You may consider replacing the relay for better output. The corrosion and residue will reduce the flow of electrical current within the circuit.
But when it does, it has to do with electrical conductivity problems. The symptoms could be due to a bad alternator or a dead or failing battery that needs changing or replacement.
To find the actual cost of the problem, you have to conduct some tests on starter relay circuitry. Do not panic! You can perform the test yourself. Diagnosing the starter relay is pretty easy due to its location.
All you need is proper tools and, of course, knowledge. Before starting the test, get a fully charged battery and a portable jumper cable. Be careful with the testing process and mind how you place the jumper cables on the battery terminals. Find the starter relay fuse location. The fuse location may vary from vehicle to vehicle. The fuses are majorly located close to the battery sitting with the positive battery terminal connected to it. Have an assistant help you turn the ignition key to the ON position.
But if you hear an audible click, you need to diagnose the starter relay for voltage drop. Get a test light , preferably a multimeter, and set it on the ohms scale. Contact one of the probes on the earth lead and the other on the ignition circuit terminal.
A good starter relay should read below 5 ohms. Any reading above that indicates a defective relay. The second method of diagnosing resistance is contacting the red multimeter probe to the ignition circuit wire and the other probe to the earth wire. If it reads less than 12V when you turn on the ignition switch, it indicates a faulty relay.
The third and final method of testing electrical resistance in our list is by using a portable jumper cable. Connect the battery lead and the ignition circuit lead. And a single or couple of weak clicks shows you have a faulty relay that needs a replacement. Contact the red probe of the multimeter on the red terminal lead from the battery.
Place the black and thin wire on the lead that goes to the ignition circuit lead switch. Tell your assistant to turn the ignition key to the ON position as you examine the multimeter reading. The voltage should not be above 0.
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