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Locating and Replacing the Starter on Jeep Wrangler: DIY Guide

Everything is in order when your Jeep Wrangler operates regularly. What happens if it has a pattern of malfunctioning? You’ll have to think hard to figure out what’s causing the issue. What if your Jeep Wrangler isn’t functioning properly?

The starter is usually found on the driver’s side, just below the left bank of cylinders. Knowing where the Jeep Wrangler’s starter is located will help you troubleshoot your ignition issues.

To do so, we’ll go through the purpose of a starter, where the starter is located on a Jeep Wrangler, and how to replace it.

Key Points:

  • It will be easier to troubleshoot your Jeep Wrangler’s ignition problems if you know where the starter is located.
  • On the driver’s side of the engine, directly below the left bank of cylinders, the starter is frequently found.
  • If the Jeep Wrangler won’t start because the starter is broken, you should troubleshoot it right away.

Starter Function of Your Jeep Wrangler

The starter is a battery-powered electric motor that twists your engine block at a high enough speed to turn it on (usually around 300/400 rpm). There are three primary parts to it:

The solenoid is an electrical relay that acts as a switch, allowing current to flow from your battery to your alternator motor. It is actuated by the key in your Jeep Wrangler.

The engine is the most important part of your alternator because it is it that drives your Jeep Wrangler’s engine flywheel and generates enough speed to light up the engine block.

The engagement pinion is the final component of your starter; it is a toothed wheel that makes direct contact with the engine flywheel, allowing force to be transferred from the starter to the engine block.

Where Is the Starter of a Jeep Wrangler Located?

The starter is often located on the driver’s side of the engine, just below the left bank of cylinders.

A starter for a Jeep Wrangler is relatively easy to locate; after all, it is a component of a significant dimension that will almost always be in the same location.

The Most Common Jeep Wrangler Starter Location

The first and most usual instance is locating the starter on a Jeep Wrangler with a standard engine block (implied without start and stop).

The starter serves a specific purpose: to start your vehicle’s engine block. In this case, the starter must be fatally close to the flywheel, simply since it is the part that will initiate as soon as the engine is started. The flywheel is located between the gearbox and the engine block.

What Causes Starter Problems?

There are several reasons for a malfunctioning starter:

  • Faulty electrical connections
  • Solenoids are used in solenoid switches (engaging relay) tense or defective
  • An electric motor has been electrically damaged.
  • Damaged single-pinion gear, starting pinion, or freewheel

What Are Common Bad Starter Symptoms?

A broken starter is one of the most common problems that can occur in the life of a vehicle, and the Jeep Wrangler is no exception. It’s important to figure out if the vehicle isn’t turning over because of a broken starter.

1. Something Sounds Off

A clicking noise when turning the key or pushing the start button is one of the signs of a defective starter.

A starter, on the other hand, can expire silently or make a whirring and grinding noise to warn you that it’s about to die.

2. Got Lights but No Action

If you try to start the engine and the dashboard lights but the engine does not, you may have a starting problem.

3. Engine Won’t Crank

Even after attempting a kickstart, your engine isn’t revving up? It’s time to contact for roadside assistance and bring your jeep wrangler to a Firestone Complete Auto Care near you.

If a jump start doesn’t work, you’ll need the help of a qualified expert.

4. Smoke Is Coming from Your Jeep

The starter is a component of your car’s electrical system that can be damaged by blown fuses or short circuits.

When you’re anxiously trying to start your car, the starter can overheat, causing electrical problems and smoke.

If you see or smell smoke, contact for assistance instead of twisting the key harder!

How Do You Troubleshoot Starter Problems?

Most starter problems occur in predictable places, and diagnostics are easy to run. To fix this problem

1. Look Under the Hood

Make that the battery and battery wires are in good operating order. Not the starter, but a weak or dead battery, or even broken battery cables, could be the source of your car’s difficulties.

2. Tap the Starter

Lightly touch the start a couple of times with a heavy item, but don’t pound it. Because you’ll be gently tapping the electrical components back into contact with each other, this tapping may help power it up again in some cases.

Do you know how you can smack the side of an old TV to get it to focus again? It’s similar to that. Your car, like your damaged television, may only respond to this treatment for a short period.

If it still doesn’t function, wait just long enough to get to a service center.

3. Adjust the Transmission

Assume your vehicle’s automatic transmission is set to “park,” yet the vehicle will not start.

Try starting the car in “neutral” if that’s the case. If the jeep wrangler starts in “neutral,” a mechanical issue, such as a malfunctioning neutral safety switch, maybe prevent it from starting in “park.”

4. Check the Fuel Gauge

Check to see if your gas tank is empty. That’s almost certainly why your jeep wrangler won’t start.

Many times, tapping a poor starter is the quickest cure. You can get your car back on the road by jumpstarting it, but you should have the problem checked out by a skilled mechanic. If a jumpstart or tapping doesn’t work, the jeep wrangler will almost certainly need to be towed and the starter fixed or you may need to replace your starter.

How Hard Is It to Change a Starter in A Jeep Wrangler?

It’s not difficult to replace the starter in your Jeep Wrangler. The starter is just held on by two bolts and two wires, so it shouldn’t take long. The entire task will entail working beneath the vehicle to gain easy access to the starter.

How To Change the Starter of a Jeep Wrangler?

  • Your jeep wrangle’s battery should be disconnected.
  • Loosen the fasteners that hold your starter in your engine block when you’ve found it; there should be two or three of them.
  • Separate the power connections from your Jeep Wrangler’s starting motor, but before you do, snap a photo of the installation so you don’t make a mistake when reassembling.
  • It’s possible that removing it will need the removal of components such as the gimbal.
  • Replace the starter and connect the cords with caution.
  • Reconnect your battery and conduct a starter test.

My Selected Catalytic Starter for Jeep Wrangler

For jeep wranglers, the best catalytic starters are:

Duralast Starter 17689

Designed to provide torque output that meets or exceeds the original equipment on your vehicle for starting performance. All wear parts (brushes, bushings) are brand new at all times.

Valucraft Starter 5156

All wear parts (brushes, bushings) are always new. To assure quality and performance, each unit is triple-tested (component, subassembly, and end of line).

Duralast Gold Starter DLG17689

Every device is made entirely of new components that are engineered to satisfy the highest quality standards. Engineered to provide torque output for starting power that meets or exceeds the vehicle’s original equipment.

You may easily find this product on the AutoZone website and others.

Final Words

It will be easier to troubleshoot your Jeep Wrangler’s ignition problems if you know where the starter is located.

If you suspect a starting problem and are unable to resolve it using standard troubleshooting procedures, contact your local service shop to determine which option is best for your Jeep Wrangler. Experienced experts can detect and repair your car’s starter if it’s broken.

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