The starter in the design of vehicles provides the start of the power unit. Therefore, when starting problems arise, most car owners ask themselves the question: why did the starter stop turning and its retractor does not click? Despite the fact that the operation of the engine starting device lasts only a few seconds, its breakdown completely paralyzes the operation of the car, since it is possible to start the engine normally only from the pusher, although this is only possible with a manual transmission (manual gearbox), or with the help of a crooked starter (if provided by design).
You can determine the cause of a malfunction in the engine start system and troubleshoot it yourself, especially since this does not require complex diagnostic tools and a tool base. But, it will be impossible to diagnose the starter's performance without measuring instruments, the most accessible of which is a multimeter.
Malfunctions and their features
During the operation of the power unit starter, the entire load is transferred to its retractor relay. Therefore, to the question: why does the starter click, it can be answered that the relay begins to function, making characteristic sounds. This indicates a malfunction, since the starter does not work at this moment and does not turn the crankshaft of the automobile engine. The occurrence of such symptoms is typical for the following situations:
- short circuit or burning of the turns of the windings of the rotor or stator;
- the development of bushings, which caused the jamming of the motor shaft;
- breakdown of the rotor to "mass".
Without dismantling the device from the car and completely disassembling it, it will not be possible to detect such malfunctions.
Traction clicks due to the fact that its core moves between the retracting and fixing windings, and if the voltage on the latter is insufficient, it cannot hold on and returns to its original position. The presence of clicks is evidence of unsuccessful attempts by the core to stay in the desired position. It will not be possible to start the engine and start moving, because the starter stops turning, and the solenoid relay clicks, which prevents the bendix and flywheel from engaging.
Note that if it was not possible to start the vehicle engine the first time, this is not at all evidence of a starter malfunction. It is likely that most systems have not yet come into operation, for this it is necessary to turn the ignition key again.
In addition to the retractor relay, burnt contacts (this is accompanied by a characteristic burnt smell, and in some cases smoke), lack of mass, violation of the integrity of the electrical network, and a discharged power source can cause malfunctions in the engine start system. Troubleshooting these faults is carried out on an individual basis.
Why does the starter not turn and click the retractor relay?
In practice, most of the problems and failures during the operation of the starter are problems with the electrical part. Mechanical failures are less common. Problems with starting the vehicle's power unit, which are caused by electrical faults.
If the car cannot be started, it is necessary to check its battery for operability, since the starter is powered from it. If the power source is not sufficiently charged, the characteristic sounds of the operation of the engine start system may be completely absent. You can measure the battery charge with a voltmeter. If it is less than 9V, it is necessary to recharge the battery, otherwise further loss of capacity may adversely affect its operation. In the absence of a tester, you can determine how charged the battery is by the brightness of the headlights, however, this requires some experience. If, with the high beam on and turning the ignition key in the lock, the headlights begin to shine weaker, it means that the battery charge has decreased significantly. If there is a suspicion that a charged battery does not power the machine’s electrical network, it is necessary to clean its terminals in order to remove an oxide film from them, due to which the contact deteriorates.
If the starter clicks, but cannot turn the engine crankshaft, the solenoid relay must be tested. In addition to the failure of this part, there may be problems with the power cable. To determine the relay's performance, it is recommended to connect it directly to the battery terminals. If the traction drive works with such a connection, the cause of the problem must be sought in the power system (damage to the wires, burning of the relay contacts, a malfunction in the ignition switch). After troubleshooting, the starting system of the motor will function properly.
Insufficient contact or its absence leads to a loss of current in the vehicle's electrical network, due to which its consumers do not function correctly. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically pay attention to all interfaces in the on-board network. For the normal functioning of the starter, a current of approximately 200A is required. At a lower starting current, only the retracting winding of the relay is activated. However, the power unit cannot start.
Features of checking the performance of elements of the starting system of an automobile engine
After visual control of the state of the parts of the starting system, they proceed to dismantle the starter to test its components:
- It is possible to determine how much the brush assembly has developed only after disassembling the starter housing. Despite the long operating period of the brushes, they are still erased. At the same time, their development on some models of starters does not allow the traction relay to be switched on. At the same time, the clicks emitted by them will not be heard.
- The burning of the windings on the coils is easy to determine both visually and by the presence of a burnt smell. Since it makes no sense to restore their performance, you will have to replace the starter.
- It is possible to perform a stress test of a traction unit without its body. To do this, it is necessary to close two large terminals on the relay with a screwdriver, trying not to hook the housing elements. The presence of problems with the retractor will signal the beginning of the rotation of the shaft. Note that one of the unpleasant consequences of this is the burning of the contact groups of the relay. Since they contain a special protective coating, so as not to damage it, it is not recommended to clean carbon deposits from them. In this case, only a complete replacement of the traction is shown.
In addition to the procedures described above, it is necessary to pay attention to the ignition lock by monitoring the voltage in it. Often contact is lost in this node due to the coating of wires with an oxide film and the formation of corrosion sites. To do this, it is enough to clean them, solder, or replace them.
Results and conclusions
As you can see, in a situation where the starter retractor clicks, the starter does not turn, it will not be difficult to solve this problem. Sometimes it is enough to simply charge the power source, or remove the oxide film from its contacts or wire connections. But, in the event of failure of some elements of the starter, it will be cheaper to simply replace it than to restore it.
Sometimes it happens that you get into your car, turn the ignition key, hear a clicking sound, but your car engine does not start. What to do if the starter clicks but does not turn? Let's look at the main reasons that can lead to this breakdown, as well as look at how to eliminate them.
First you need to determine exactly where the starter has a malfunction. To do this, you need to know its device, understand the scheme of its operation and inclusion. Let's conditionally divide the entire starter design into three main components:
- The battery that powers the starter;
- Switching. This includes all wires, relays, contacts and other connections;
- Elements of the starter itself.
Battery failure
This error occurs quite often. The battery may be discharged or become unusable for any reason. Here are three signs by which you can understand that the battery is low:
- If the starter clicks but does not turn. It is the retractor relay that clicks, and at this moment all the indicators on the dashboard of the car go out;
- If there is not one click, but a whole series. At this time, all lights and indicators on the panel begin to fade;
- With a completely discharged battery, nothing can happen at all when you turn the ignition key.
Now you need to figure out what happened to the battery. If it is simply discharged, then it is enough to charge it. If it has become unusable, then it must be replaced with a workable battery. A discharged battery is only a consequence, it is necessary to find the cause that led to this. It is possible that you forgot to turn off the lights or other energy consumers. In this case, it is clear why the battery is dead. If you are sure that everything was turned off, and the battery is still dead, then you need to check the operation of the generator.
Switching fault
The starter of any car has a fairly simple switching circuit. The plus from the battery is connected to the solenoid relay, the minus remains on the case. A special small-section wire goes to the starter itself with a relay, which is controlled from the ignition switch.
If, when the key is turned, the relay starts to click, but the starter does not turn, then it is possible that the malfunction is in the solenoid relay itself or the wire that controls it. To understand what's the matter, you need to remove the "plus" from the relay and apply it directly to a special terminal, which is located on the starter. If the starter works, then the problem is in the relay itself, the wiring, or even the ignition switch.
If you urgently need to drive your car, but you have a similar breakdown, then you can always start your car using the above method. It is very important to make sure the transmission is in neutral before using this method.
The problem of a non-working starter may also be a bad cable connection or bad contacts. If the starter clicks with some extraneous sounds or clicks occur once, then you will need to check the connections and battery terminals. Very often, the terminals oxidize, and this is the cause of poor contact. To prevent oxides from reappearing, it is recommended to lubricate the terminals with a special grease.
Starter element malfunctions
To determine what the problem is, you need to remove the starter and partially disassemble it. The problem may be: solenoid relay, starter winding or brushes. Let's look at each element in more detail.
Solenoid relay
To check whether the relay is to blame for the fact that the starter does not turn, it is necessary to start the starter itself, bypassing the entire switching. The solenoid relay has three terminals. The terminal that is designed to connect to the battery and the terminal that goes to the starter itself are quite large. The third terminal is for control and is small in size. Now we take a screwdriver and close two large circuits together. The screwdriver must not touch any metal parts other than the terminals. If the starter starts spinning, then the solenoid relay has become unusable.
Since the relay experiences a very large inrush current, the contacts inside the solenoid relay can simply burn out. In this case, it is necessary to disassemble the relay and clean the burnt contacts. To protect the contacts from further burning, it is recommended to cover them with a special alloy.
The starter clicks but does not turn over. Wrong brushes!
To check the performance of the brushes, you will have to remove and disassemble the starter. When you get to the brush assembly, you will immediately notice that the brushes are faulty. The brushes don't last forever and will break if used for a long time. To eliminate this malfunction, they will simply have to be replaced with new brushes.
And then start the engine. During engagement with the flywheel (braking torque), the car starter takes on an electric current of about 350 A.
This device is designed for short-term operation, prolonged rotation of the starter significantly reduces its resource. Note that a fully serviceable engine starts from the starter almost immediately, without the need to rotate the crankshaft for a long time. In the cold season, up to 2 attempts to start from the starter are allowed.
Read in this article
After turning the ignition key, the starter clicks, the engine does not spin with the starter
If the engine does not start from the starter, then there is a high probability of various malfunctions of this device. One common starter failure is when the starter clicks or hums but does not turn the engine over. In other words, the driver turns the ignition key and hears a distinct click or hum of the starter instead of starting the engine (the crankshaft from the starter does not spin). Next, we will look at the main reasons why the starter clicks, but the engine does not scroll.
The clicks that the driver hears when trying to start the engine are the clicks of the starter relay. The specified starter relay structurally includes two types of winding. One of the windings is called retracting, the other is called holding.
Clicking starter when starting means that the clicks come from the traction relay. This is due to the fact that the pull-in winding pulls in the relay core, but as a result of the reduced voltage on the holding winding, the core is released.
The longer the key in the ignition lock is held in the “start” position, the more times the retracting winding will retract the core, and the holding winding will release it.
Such a malfunction is accompanied by the indicated click of the starter, which is actually the click of the traction relay. We add that the traction relay (retractor) has a similar design and principle of operation on most vehicles, regardless of the make and model of the car.
The starter clicks or buzzes, but the engine does not catch: the main causes of a malfunction
If there is a malfunction that manifests itself in the form of starter clicks at the time the engine is started, then an analysis of the nature of the clicks can indicate the causes of the breakdown. In the event that the starter traction relay clicks constantly:
- the battery is discharged, it is necessary to check the charging current;
- check the tightness of the battery terminals;
- there were problems with the "mass", it is required to check the place of contact of the mass with the body or the internal combustion engine, it may be necessary to implement additional demining;
If the starter clicks only once and does not turn the engine, then the following is possible:
- insufficient fastening of the traction relay to the starter housing;
- the contacts burned in the starter traction relay;
- the malfunction is associated with poor ground contact;
- a starter failure has occurred;
In the event that checking the fastening of the traction relay did not reveal any deviations from the norm, then the starter relay should be removed for testing. A collapsible relay means that after disassembling the device, it is necessary to clean the power contacts. A non-separable traction relay is subject to unambiguous replacement if a breakdown is detected.
The absence of malfunctions of the starter traction relay will indicate that the starter itself must then be removed for detailed diagnostics. Note that the starter clicks, but does not turn, both due to breakdowns of the starter retractor relay, and as a result of its own malfunctions. The most common are:
- the power wire that goes from the starter windings to the traction relay may burn out;
- critical wear of the starter brushes has occurred. In this case, the brushes need to be replaced;
- starter armature jamming occurs due to wear of the starter bushings. Starter bushings will need to be replaced;
- there is a short circuit of the starter armature winding, as well as an open or short circuit of the stator windings;
You should also separately mention such an element as the starter bendix. The bendix may be deformed or there is a breakdown of the bendix drive fork. Another problem that is associated with the starter bendix is damage to its teeth. Bendix teeth backlash means that the device cannot engage with the teeth on the flywheel crown.
The bendix is also connected to the core of the retractor by means of a special plug. The absence of engagement of the bendix with the teeth of the flywheel crown means that in this case there will be no complete retraction into the winding of the traction relay at the moment of switching on. As a result, the so-called "pyatak" will not be able to bridge the power contacts of the relay to supply power to the starter electric motor.
How to check the starter traction relay yourself
You can check the starter traction relay with your own hands using an autotester. To do this, you must first measure the voltage from the battery at the starter contact. After that, the tester probe is connected to the starter output, after which it is necessary to turn on the ignition and turn the key to the "start" position.
During measurements, you need to pay attention to the following: if the measurements at the input show a voltage that corresponds to a normal battery charge, but during the operation of the traction relay at the output, the voltage drops by 2-3 times, then there is a high probability of burning the power contacts of the solenoid relay.
In the event of a traction malfunction, a starter click is heard, which does not turn the engine. The fact is that burnt contacts cannot transfer voltage completely due to insufficient contact.
If the voltage at the input corresponds to the voltage of the charged battery and a similar voltage indicator is noted at the output of the traction relay, then the contacts of the traction relay are in perfect order. This indicates that the breakdown occurred in the starter. In the first case, the traction relay should be disassembled, after which the contacts should be cleaned, and the jumper plate should also be cleaned. The non-separable traction relay should be replaced with a new or known-good device. In the second case, you will need to remove the starter for detailed diagnostics and troubleshooting of the device.
Read also
Why the starter may not work after turning the key in the ignition. The main causes of starter malfunctions: bendix, traction relay, brushes, winding.
The starter is a rather complex electromechanical structure, in the event of a malfunction of which the car is unlikely to start. In principle, with the help of some alternative way to make the car go, it may be possible, but this is a story of a slightly different nature. In general, failures often occur in this device, as a result of which the starter clicks, but does not turn, or does not turn at all, and this is already a completely critical situation. What to do in such a case - the answers will be given by subsequent information.
To understand in detail the reasons why the starter clicks but does not turn, you need to pay attention to its internal type device. The design of this mechanism includes such an element as a traction relay, the appearance of which is an ordinary, small-sized cylinder that is attached to the main structure of the starter. This relay has two windings: designed to retract and hold. The main malfunction, as a rule, manifests itself when there is not enough voltage on the holding winding, which is why it is not possible to start the car.
Hence the problem of the appearance of characteristic clicks. All cars have the same principle of operation of this mechanism, therefore the reasons why the starter clicks but does not turn are also similar to each other. The starter can click for several reasons, we will understand them.
Firstly, it should be noted that sometimes this is not associated with any breakdowns, but only with the fact that the car, like all its constituent elements, has not warmed up. If, after the fifth or tenth attempt, the car failed to start, then this is a clear sign of a problem.
If you hear frequent clicks coming from the traction relay, this may be due to a poorly charged battery (in this case, I recommend checking the charging current) or poor contact at the battery terminals.
If only one click of the traction relay is heard, the problem may be burnt power contacts, engine mass, fastening reliability, or a malfunction of the starter itself. In each of the cases when the starter clicks but does not turn, it is recommended that a thorough check of the described mechanism for malfunctions is recommended. 
Reasons why the starter does not turn
The analyzed device includes three main elements: the power system, the role of which, first of all, is played by the battery, switching, which is all kinds of connections (that is, relays and wires) and the starter itself. Depending on these basic components of the mechanism, the problems of why the starter clicks but does not turn can vary.
The first reason is the battery. This is perhaps the most common variant of why the starter stopped performing its functional duties, namely, why it stopped turning. The essence of this reason is either a discharged or already faulty battery. If the starter does not turn or even click, then it is recommended to check the battery with another kind of load, for example, turn on the headlights. Also, the contacts in the battery must be well tightened and under no circumstances oxidized. Otherwise, problems can develop into much larger problems, and no one needs this.
The second reason is the relay. Here the matter may lie not only in the malfunction of this element, but also in the control cable. It is not difficult to install exactly; for this, it is only necessary to supply a positive value to the control terminal of the starter (the cable of the smallest cross section is connected to it). If the starter started to turn again, then the reason was in the wiring, relay or ignition switch.
The third reason is bad contacts. In this case, it is necessary to carefully check all connections, especially in the case of a power cable. The main essence of this malfunction is that the starter tends to consume a fairly high level of current from the batteries - about 200 A. And if there is insufficient contact somewhere, much less can be supplied to it from the base 200. As a rule, this will be enough to operate the solenoid relay, but not to start the engine. In this case, a series of characteristic clicks can also occur.
The fourth reason is a malfunction of the starter itself. Since this device includes several elements, the reasons for the termination of its operation may lie in them. This is, first of all, a solenoid relay, a brush assembly, as well as windings. As a rule, such problems cannot be eliminated without dismantling the assembly. But you can try to find out the reason for sure.
For the first check, you will need a screwdriver or a wrench, with which you can close two terminals, and do it securely without touching the case and for a short period of time. If, after carrying out these operations, the starter began to rotate (it can do it with a bang), then the matter is probably in the relay.
Symptoms of a malfunction of the brush assembly and windings are similar. If the solenoid relay does not click, and the starter does not start up “straight”, then the matter may lie in the breakdown of these particular elements. And a malfunction of the windings can still give out a smell and color. But again, everything will become known as specifically as possible after its disassembly. 
Solutions to the problem
Depending on the previously described problems associated with starter problems, the following solutions can be distinguished:
In the absence of voltage, the malfunction may lie in the ignition key. In this case, voltage must be applied to the bare wire directly from the terminal with a positive value, and if it works, then all that remains is to change the key. This problem is the most elementary, and therefore, at its first successful solution, it will not have properties for repetition. 
Finally, it is worth recalling that it is necessary to perform all fault checks if the car's gearbox is in a neutral type position. Otherwise, the car may start to move, and then, quite possibly, in addition to problems with the starter, many more will appear. So keep an eye on your car and its safety, and then he will repay the same.
Video “Replacing the starter solenoid relay”
The recording shows how you can replace the solenoid relay at home.
Every car owner knows what a starter is. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of this device, since it is it that is responsible for starting the engine. About why the engine refuses to start when the starter turns, we already reported a little earlier, today we will try to establish the reason why the starter clicks but does not turn, and, of course, we will try to fix the problem.
Of course, the fact that the starter at least shows signs of life is already good, it would be worse if he was completely silent. So, what could be the reason that the starter refuses to turn?
Characteristic clicks during start-up can be emitted by a retractor relay, providing engagement of the working gear of the bendix with the flywheel crown. However, since the retractor shows signs of life, then the current is supplied to it, which means that the reason that the starter refuses to turn lies not in the retractor and should be looked for elsewhere.
Similar clicks can also be emitted by the starter relay.. Therefore, listen, maybe, after all, he does not allow the starter to "unwind" and if so, then to fix the problem you will have to replace this relay.
Every car owner would dream that the reason that the starter clicks, but at the same time refuses to turn, no matter how surprising it may sound, is one of the ones presented above. However, often the cause of the malfunction lies in the starter itself, among those there are:
Burnt power wire connecting the starter windings and the traction relay. Timely replacement of this very wire will help to fix the problem.
Worn brushes and starter bushings. Try to replace worn parts, and, with a high degree of probability, we can say that you will not encounter the indicated problem in the near future.
Short circuit on the armature winding, short circuit or open circuit of one of the starter windings. Establish the exact cause, eliminate the short circuit and the starter will stop clicking and start doing what it is supposed to do - turn.
Deformation or breakage of the fork in the bendex drive. Again, just replace the plug and the motor will start.
There are several more reasons that the starter, despite the fact that it makes clicks, still does not want to turn. These include:
Dead battery or oxidized terminals. Make sure the battery has enough charge to start the engine.
Poor body weight with engine. It is sometimes possible to fix a malfunction simply by duplicating it with a second mass wire.
Faulty ignition switch. Another nuisance that can cause the starter to fail to turn. However, only a professional auto electrician can make such a diagnosis.
Loose or damaged wiring. If there are suspicions of breakdowns in the wiring, then entrust the matter to professionals.
If you managed to establish the reason why the starter refuses to turn, but still makes characteristic clicks, then it is possible that you can fix the problem yourself. However, it should be reported that repairing a starter requires certain knowledge, caution, attentiveness and scrupulousness, therefore, if you are not confident in your abilities, then it is better to entrust the matter to professionals, those who are faced with solving such problems almost daily.
And finally, no matter how sad it is to realize, but nothing lasts forever. Who knows, maybe the characteristic clicks emitted by the starter are an omen of his imminent death. If you want to prolong the life of the starter, then remember that it is a short-term electric unit, it is not designed for continuous loads, and learn how to brake properly. Yes, do not be surprised, but it is precisely at the moment of braking, when the starter engages with the flywheel, that a large current is supplied to it for a long time, which, as you might have guessed, steals precious hours of its life.
A car is a complex machine. All units in it are so interconnected that any minor defect can lead to serious damage in the future. That is why we advise you to carry out a technical inspection of your iron horse in a timely manner, because, as you know, it is always easier to prevent, both physically and financially, than to treat, and at the first symptoms of any malfunction, immediately go to the service station to eliminate it. Only in this case you will be able to rely on your car and not be afraid at all to go on it, as they say, into fire, and water, and through copper pipes.
Love your car, take care of it, and as a token of gratitude, it will not let you down even in the most difficult and dangerous situation. The main road and the absence of interference, and, of course, the trouble-free operation of the car, let there be as few breakdowns as possible!
