Over the last 2 months my 2000 has started to act up. About 4 times in the last two months, my car has failed to start when I turn the ignition. It makes that high screech/grind sound, kinda like when you turn the igniton on when the car is already running?..Make sense?? Any way, I simply turn the igniton off and on again and the car starts fine. It seems to happen when the car has been off for a short while, like if I shut the car off, run into 7-11, come out 3 minutes later, it fails to start on the 1st try. The car has about 105,000 on it, and runs great. Just this starting issue is starting to concern me, because I dont want it to not start at all with winter upcoming. Any advice would be great.

 

my car has had a similar problem for about 30,000 miles.. except when i turned the key, it would just crank for longer then its supposed to.. about 3 seconds making that cranking noise (just a normal cranking noise though.. not the screeching one that you described) i remedy the problem 1 of 2 ways.. i either turn the key back to the off position, try again and it starts right up... or i keep cranking it, and it starts up after about 3 seconds of cranking.. i dont know what that means, but its been doing it ever since i got the car about 30,000 miles ago

 

ya i have the same prob it used to bother me but not anymore

 

Yes it sounds lke your starter. Get it replaced before any damage is done (sheering spline)

 

its does it like once a week if that for me

 

Could be the starter, might have the system tested. The battery may be weak or your having a cable/ground issue.

 

me too.. it doesnt really bother me anymore.. i had my starter checked twice and it tested ok.. just replaced my battery.. i've learned to live with it

 

Can I get it tested at Advanced Auto parts or does it have to be the dealer? Thanks for the input!

 

i went to auto zone.. they do it for free.. i dont know if advance does it or not

 

Advance does test starters.

You need to check this out asap, you can damage your flexplate/flywheel. Sounds like the starter needs to be shimmed.

 

I changed the starter on my moms cuz it did that for awhile and then the starter finally died. When i went to a auto parts store got a supposed "NEW" starter installed it and the supposed new starter was bad also. I went back and had them test the new starter and you could watching the teeth on the starter that engaged the flywheel, move out then slide back while it was cranking. Your guys's problem seemed similar to the problem i had i would take the starter out yourself as its very simple and check out the wear on the starter teeth you can also glance at the flywheel teeth while you have the starter out.

 

Ok, i'll get it checked this week. this may sound like a stupid question, does the starter need to be taken out to be tested? any pics or how to's on how to take it out?

 

Yes, the starter must be removed for bench testing. Not too difficult, requires taking out the airbox and a few hose and wires. Take off the negative battery cable first.

 

Ok Screetching sound: that would be a tooth/teeth missing on either the flywheel/flexplate or on the starter isself. Second posibility is a misalignment of the starter to the flywheel/flexplate and that would be either a broken flexplate or a loose starter. When you have it out take a look at the teeth on the pinion of the starter. If your lucky that is where your issue will be. If not look at teh flywheel/flexplate and see if your missing teeth of of that gear. You will need to turn the motor over by hand to inspect all of the gear.

Oh and Flywheel=Manual tranny
Flexplate=Slushbox Tranny