How to Replace a Toyota Celica Starter

The Toyota Celica starter is the key to your car starting and taking you where you want to go. When you turn the key in the ignition it activates an electrical charge in the solenoid which in turn activates the starter. At that point the starter kicks out a gear that engages the flywheel and turns the engine over. The hardest part about changing the starter is that you have to crawl under the car, but once you get there the rest is easy.

Things You'll Need:

• Automobile jack
• Jack stand
• Wheel chocks
• Masking tape
• Marker
• Metric socket set
• Metric wrench set
• New starter

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal

Disconnect the negative battery terminal and place the wheel chocks behind the rear tires of the car.

2. Jack the car up using the automobile jack

Jack the car up using the automobile jack and place a jack stand under the car near the jacking point. Raise the jack stand up to the frame of the car.

3. Crawl under the car and tag the wires on the starter

Crawl under the car and tag the wires on the starter according to their location using the masking tape and the marker. Disconnect the wires using a wrench to remove the nuts. Unplug the wiring harness from the solenoid.

4. Remove the bolts from the starter

Remove the bolts from the starter using a socket and ratchet. Take care when removing the last bolt that the starter does not simply fall out and hit you.

5. Put the new starter in place

Put the new starter in place and bolt it in using the socket and ratchet. Reconnect the wires according to the labels you made and tighten the nuts with a wrench. Plug the wire harness back into the solenoid.

6. Remove the jack stand

Remove the jack stand and lower the car back to the ground.

7. Reconnect the negative battery terminal

Reconnect the negative battery terminal and start the car to test the installation.

Tips and Warnings

When taking the bolts off the starter, note where each one came out because the bolts are two different lengths.

Be sure to always complete the first step in taking the negative battery terminal off. Failure to do so will result in shock hazards.

Video demonstrating how to replace a Toyota starter:

Comments on this video:

• Btw, I did everything from the bottom of the car and that worked best for me. Use a socket with breaker bar for bottom bolt. Then you can trace where the top bolt is with your hand knowing that the flange of the starter makes the other screw straight across from the other bottom one that you can visualize.
• That top bolt gets a lot easier to find and work on once you take out the intake manifold hose