If you have owned a car for any length of time, you probably know the signs and symptoms of a dead battery. While we have likely all been jumped off or had to replace a battery, sometimes the battery isn’t at fault when the car won’t start; instead it’s the starter.
Our team has been helping people with all types of car issues in the Campbell area for many years, and we are proud to be the go-to shop for all types of repair and maintenance issues. We work on all makes and models, but we have technicians who specialize in high end foreign cars like Audis.
In this article, we will discuss the signs of a failing starter in the Audi A6, and provide some insight into how we diagnose starter problems and provide replacements when necessary. If your A6 is having trouble at ignition, read on to learn if the starter can be to blame.
About the A6’s Starter
Depending on the year model of your A6, your starter might look or function differently. Older models feature a standard starter, which is designed to engage the engine’s flywheel when you turn the key. This starter is electric, and if your car isn’t cranking, it could be due to a faulty starter. On newer and hybrid models, the starter itself might be more complex, or might be integrated into the car’s electric system. In any case, it’s important to understand the type of starter in your car if it’s having issues.
Symptoms of a Starter Problem
As stated before, the symptoms of a failing starter are identical to what you might experience if your car’s battery was dead, not connected correctly, or needed to charge. These symptoms include a clicking sound when you turn the key, failure for the vehicle to crank, or whining sounds when trying to power the car on. In addition to these classic battery symptoms, a worn starter might make a metal-on-metal scraping noise if the issue has to do with the gears inside the starter itself.
Diagnosing a Starter Issue
If we encounter an A6 with the symptoms listed above, the first thing we do is check the battery. We can hook a sensor to the battery to examine its condition, and check all connections to ensure there are no issues. If the battery checks out, then the starter is the most likely culprit. Our team can examine the starter itself to determine the problem. Most of the time, starters go bad due to normal wear over an extended period, they fail due to electrical issues, or oil has leaked onto them and caused damage.
Repair or Replacement Services
If there is an issue with the starter, it almost always makes sense to replace it rather than repair it. The reason is that a new starter is a labor-intensive component to service. Typically, a repair would take longer than installing a new starter. Because we work with many Audis and our technicians are experienced, we can typically perform these repairs quicker than other shops and provide quality service for the replacement.
If your A6 is having issues when you turn the key, come see us for a professional diagnosis today.
