The starter is an electric motor that is prone to failure like any other electrical component in your vehicle. Over time and after thousands of starting cycles, the starter begins to wear electrically and will short or open the electric motor or solenoid connected to the starter. Before condemning the starter, it’s a good idea to remove it and take it to your local auto parts store and have them bench test it to verify that the starter is bad. Otherwise you could end up replacing a good starter that is fully functional.

Once you have verified that the starter is bad, follow the steps below to replace it.

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable. This will ensure that you do not electrocute yourself while you are replacing the starter.
2. Raise the front end of the vehicle and place it on jack stands and remove the positive lead from the starter motor with a wrench or ratchet.
3. Remove the starter motor signal connector (it will be black) from the starter solenoid. Just pull it out by hand.
4. Loosen the two bolts that hold the starter to the engine block. To do this, use a ratchet and an extension if you need to.
5. Remove the starter motor from the engine compartment. Put the new starter in place and tighten the bolts.
6. Connect the positive battery cable to the starter motor and connect the starter motor signal connector to the solenoid.
7. Lower the vehicle.
8. Reconnect the negative battery cable and start the car.

Tips:

If there are shims on the original starter, be sure to put those shims on the new starter. The shims are necessary so that there is enough clearance between the starter and the flywheel. If you do not use the shims, you could damage the starter motor and flywheel. If there were no shims on the original starter, ignore it.

Caveat:

Always wear safety glasses while working on your vehicle to protect your eyes from injury.