My car doesn't start at the first try.

I can just hear the starter spinning. Then on the second, third or more try, it will engage and start the engine.

At the beginning, this symptom happened very few times (1 out 20 starts, I had to give another try to start the car).
It's gotten worse, and now 9 out of 10 times, I have to give multiple tries to rev the engine. The starter spins, it just won't engage and start the engine.

Is this happening because of a bad starter? bad fuse?
Maybe the battery has insufficient power to start the engine?
If somebody had similar problem and solved, please help me with any inputs.

My car is 2000 SE with 110K miles on it.
It has no CEL on and runs strong after it starts the engine.

 

Sounds like a bad starter solenoid to me..

Rebuild or replace the starter sounds like the only option.

 

Solenoid. Swap starter out and report back.

 

When you say you hear the starter spinning do you mean just the starter or the motor is turning.

If the motor is not turning then it is the solenoid in the starter. Probably failing.\

You can take the starter out and get it tested, but it is probably on it's way out.

If the whole motor is turning and it's not starting then you have a number of options.

 

Yes, def. get it tested first and make sure you get it tested at multiple places as in Autozone, Advance Auto, O'reilly, Napa . you'd be surprised to see different opinions. I'd rather look at advance auto's manual gauge tester they use vs. autozone's pass/fail test.

Fflint where from south jersey? I'm from AC.

 

The starter is having a problem, that's for sure. I think the solenoid is ok as it is just a high amperage switch for the starter motor.

When you turn the key to start the car, the starter sequence of events are:

1 Solenoid energizes.
2 Solenoid contacts close, connecting battery power to starter motor.
3 Starter motor spins.
4 Centrifugal force "throws" starter gear into flywheel gear.
5 Engine cranks and starts.
6 Reverse centrifugal force "throws" starter gear out of flywheel.

Step 4 is the problem area. Two possibilities –

Starter gear can't slide freely on the shaft it spins on. This is what I think your problem is.

Or the starter doesn't spin fast enough. Our starters use a small, wimpy, high rpm motor and a planetary gearset to convert high rpm to torque. The lubrication in the gearset dries out and slows down the starter, eventually to the point that you think your battery isn't charged up. You can take the starter apart and lubricate the gearset with a high temperature grease.

 

Thank you for your inputs. They are really helpful!!! I will change the starter and report back to this thread.

BTW, how much should I expect to spend for the starter? is there a bid difference between remanufactured one and new one?

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2076435
* This link explains very well on how to replace a starter for '00 '01 Max

 

The problem was the starter. I went to autozone for the replacement. Now car starts like a brand new! It was painful to unplug the electrical harness. I spent most of time to deal with damn green release tabs. They were very hard to disconnect.

Although I was 90% sure that the starter is bad, I asked them to check it and the machine showed that it was good. I had no time to check other parts stores.

 

Sometimes their testers do not catch bad starters. Bad starters will spin and throw the starter gear out, but in some cases will not pull enough current. Bad grounds and dirty terminals can be at fault too.