Where is the Starter Located in Vehicles

The starter is a compact, high-torque electric motor used to spin the engine up to a high enough RPM that it will start. Though model specifics will vary, the starter on any car, including a Vehicles is always located Vehicles the juncture of the engine and the transmission bell-housing, and it runs parallel with the engine's valve covers.

Under The Hood:

• Where is the Starter Located in a Ford Taurus?
• Where Is the Starter Located on a Honda Civic?
• Where Is the Starter Located on a Chrysler Cirrus?

 Where is the Starter Located in a Ford Taurus?

Appearance

The starter is a metal cylinder about 3 inches in diameter and 5 to 7 inches long. It is secured to the engine with three bolts and has a small wiring harness coming from the rear.

If You Can't Find It

Follow the thick red cable running from the positive side of your battery and under the engine. The starter is connected to the other end.

Older Starters

Older Ford Taurus starters (first through third generations) are located on the rear of the engine, near the firewall.

Newer Starters

On fourth generation and newer Tauruses, the starter is located on the front of the engine, near the radiator. On current generation cars, the starter is hidden behind a plastic splash shield that must be removed.

Fun Fact

A starter produces so much torque, it's capable of powering manual transmission cars at speeds approaching 5 mph.

 Where Is the Starter Located on a Honda Civic?

Locate the Battery

Open the hood and stand in front of the vehicle. There will be a large exposed battery sitting high in the engine compartment. Two terminals will be feeding out of the battery; one is red and one is black. Pinch the black terminal wire with your fingers.

Follow the Negative Terminal Wire

The thick black wire runs underneath the engine. Its first stop is the starter motor. This may require a flashlight and car jacks. Lifting the front end of the vehicle will give you access to the underside of the engine where the starter motor is located.

Identify the Starter Motor

The starter motor is connected directly to the negative battery terminal wire. It is a thick cylinder approximately 6 inches long. It is attached to the flywheel and cranks the engine with a charge from the battery.

 Where Is the Starter Located on a Chrysler Cirrus?

2.4L Cirrus Starter Location

On a Cirrus with a 2.4-liter engine, the starter is beneath the Transmission Control Module (TCM), which is a metal box near the front of the driver's-side engine compartment, to the left of the plastic housing labeled "Fuse Access." To remove the starter, it is necessary to unbolt the TCM for access to the top of the starter and disconnect the air inlet resonator. An additional bolt attaches the starter to the transaxle and must be accessed from underneath the vehicle.

2.5L Cirrus Starter Location

On a Chrysler Cirrus with a 2.5-liter engine, the starter is near the oil filter and must be accessed from below the vehicle. It is attached to the transaxle with three bolts. To gain clearance to remove the starter, it is necessary to remove the oil filter and loosen the bolts attaching the exhaust manifold to the exhaust pipe.

Removing the Starter

Both models are wired with a positive battery connection held in place with a nut. They also have a cable held on with a push-on connector running to the solenoid. These should be disconnected prior to removing the starter. For safety reasons, it is necessary to disconnect the negative battery terminal from above the car before servicing the starter.