How to Replace the Starter on a 2000 Ford Expedition

The starter always goes out on your vehicle at the most inconvenient times. But if you pay attention to the signs--slow starts, a whine upon starting, the occasional no start--you can replace the starter motor before it inconveniences you. This is a fairly straightforward process, and the most difficult thing about it is knowing which wire goes where and a little bit of heavy lifting.

Raise up the front of the vehicle using the jack and set it on the jack stands. Make sure that the vehicle is solidly on the stands before crawling underneath it. Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery, then the positive terminal using an open-end wrench.

Crawl underneath the SUV and locate the starter on the engine. Remove the terminal cover using your hands. Label each wire on the distributor using the masking tape and permanent marker so that you don't get them confused.

Unbolt the wiring from the starter terminals using the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket or an open-end wrench depending on accessibility. If your Expedition has a ground cable on it, disconnect that as well using the wrench.

Unbolt the starter from the engine using the ratchet and pull it away from the motor. Put the replacement starter onto the engine and bolt it in place using the ratchet as well.

Reconnect all electrical connections to the starter per the labels you made in step 2 using an open-end wrench or the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket. Then reconnect the positive then negative battery cables using an open-end wrench. Lower the vehicle off of the jack stands using the jack and start the vehicle several times to ensure that the starter motor is working correctly.