Signs You Need To Replace Your Vehicle's Starter Relay

Like its name would suggest, your car's starter relay is a part of the ignition system that directs power from your car's battery to the actual starter, allowing the engine to spark and begin to run. A damaged or failing starter relay can have a number of negative consequences for your vehicle, and so it's a good idea to understand what some of the warning signs associated with a failing starter relay are so that you can contact a mechanic to have the relay replaced before it turns into a real problem.

Clicking Sounds

When you turn the key in the ignition, you should hear the engine roar straight to life. However, a damaged starter relay that does not send any power to the engine will result in a constant clicking sound as the engine does not turn over. This can sometimes be attributed to a car battery that has been completely drained of its charge, but if your car battery is in good shape, then the issue is almost certainly with the starter relay.

Starter Stays On

Similar to the above point, if you turn your key in the ignition of your car and the starter actually stays on (which will usually manifest itself in a strange noise, similar to the constant clicking that comes from a failure to start) while your engine is running, you need to head to a mechanic straight away. While it may seem like a superficial issue, your starter is actually continuously running power through the ignition system and to the engine. While this will have a minor impact on the actual operation of your vehicle, it can cause a great deal of stress and wear to your ignition system and can increase the chances of another component failing in the near future.

Issues Starting Your Vehicle

A damaged starter relay can make it hard for your vehicle to actually turn on. Usually, this can be attributed to damaged or contaminated wiring, which means that if you continue to try to turn the ignition, your vehicle should eventually start; but if left unchecked for too long, this can actually turn into an inability to even start your vehicle, leaving you stranded in your driveway. It's for this reason that as soon as you have issues starting your vehicle, you should have a mechanic look at your starter relay and your ignition system as a whole as well. Click here to learn more about auto parts.

Share