my car wont start

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

I drive a subaru legacy wagon and it has cranked up for me every time i try with out any problems. Today i drove over to my old house to help my mom out and it wouldnt start right away but it started within a minute. I drove to home depot to get some velcro for my sub box and came out and it wouldnt start so i left it and will go back later, but does anyone know what could be the problem. The battery is perfect because lights inside and outside, my radio, windows all this works but you turn the key and nothing happens at all. No noise or anything like it is a battery problem. I think its the starter and if thats the case it should not crank up at all so my car will be sitting at home depot for the rest of its life. I am really angry and if anyone can help its appreciated

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[04_edge 10+ year member]

is it turning over?

 

[CJL 10+ year member]

bad starter??

 

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

no it wont even make a noise at all. i think its the starter as well. Is that something i can do myself and about how much would a new one cost?

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

Call Auto Zone or Pep Boys or Advance Auto or whatever you have handy there in Aiken, give them the year model of that Legacy wagon and which displacement engine you've got (if there were different ones available that year) and they'll be happy to tell you how much one costs.

Then for kicks call your local Subaru dealer and see what their price on a starter is and prepare to be mind-boggled at the difference in price.

Is it something you can do yourself?

I don't know. I haven't a clue as to what your particular level of mechanical dexterity is or how hard the starter on your car is to access...

 

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

thanx prowler i will give them a call. I just dont want to pick up a new starter if thats not the problem but i guess i could always return it.

 

[60ndown 10+ year member]

go to your car and take a hammer (seriously) crawl underneath and give your starter motor (looks like a 12 inch tube 4 inch wide of metal hanging off the side of the motor) a few taps/whacks with the hammer (not too hard), that should make it work, or try leaving it in gear and rocking it bakwards and forwards a bit, your starter is probably in need of replacement.

 

[regal8r 5,000+ posts]

it still COULD be your battery too. id get it tested at autozone or soemthing like that. a battery is alot cheaper than a starter, in most cases.

 

[regal8r 5,000+ posts]

go to your car and take a hammer (seriously) crawl underneath and give your starter motor (looks like a 12 inch tube 4 inch wide of metal hanging off the side of the motor) a few taps/whacks with the hammer (not too hard), that should make it work, or try leaving it in gear and rocking it bakwards and forwards a bit, your starter is probably in need of replacement.

that only works with the old, big *** starters with field coils. if he has a newer gear reduction starter, it will shatter the neo magnets that it has inside.

 

[pinkfloydms 10+ year member]

Prolly the starter solenoid.

 

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

we went and got the battery tested not too long ago about 2 months, but a lot can happen in two months i know. I want to take it to a shop and ask them what they think, but i never trust those guys for some reason. I will take it up there and be like i think i need a new starter what do you think. He will say you need a new battery and that will fix the problem for a week for some reason and then i will have to get a new starter. I just never trust some places opinions.

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

Auto Zone, Pep Boys, Advance Auto, etc also does free testing on starters and alternators in addition to batteries.

If you can get the starter off of the car catch a ride from someone and get it tested - it won't cost you anything and it will let you know for sure whether or not you even need to worry about the expense of replacing it.

 

[60ndown 10+ year member]

that only works with the old, big *** starters with field coils. if he has a newer gear reduction starter, it will shatter the neo magnets that it has inside.

oh //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/*******.gif.a649d21efc0d1fd4890a6428166586c1.gif

ill consider myself edjumacated //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/graduate.gif.d982460be9f153bb54e5d4cb744f6ae8.gif

 

[pinkfloydms 10+ year member]

Auto Zone, Pep Boys, Advance Auto, etc also does free testing on starters and alternators in addition to batteries.
If you can get the starter off of the car catch a ride from someone and get it tested - it won't cost you anything and it will let you know for sure whether or not you even need to worry about the expense of replacing it.

Yup, you should be able to take it off yourself. Only 2-3 bolts, and a wire from the battery, maybe a seperate wire to the starter solenoid.

 

[72 chevelle 10+ year member]

Could be your ignition switch too if nothing is happening. Take your starter off, take it to autozone and test it. If it is good, check the resistance on your ignition switch.