Note. Before starting to check the condition of the starter, make sure that the battery is fully charged.
1. If the starter does not rotate when the ignition key is turned to the START position, first make sure that the selector lever is in the «R» or «N».
2. Check the battery charge level, evaluate the condition and reliability of fastening of the contact terminals of the battery and starter.
3. If the starter rotates properly but the engine does not crank, replace the freewheel drive assembly.
4. If the starter does not turn despite the correct clicking of the traction relay, the cause of the failure may lie in a malfunction of the battery condition, oxidation of the main contact terminals of the starter, or failure of the starter assembly electric motor itself. The possibility of engine jamming is also not ruled out.
5. If no clicks are heard when turning the key, check the condition of the battery, the protective fusible link of the starting circuit and the starter enable relay (see Onboard electrical equipment). It is possible that the electromagnetic starter itself is faulty.
Note. The location of the starter enable relay may vary by model year. Most often it is installed under the front door sill of the driver's door, in other cases it is placed in the fuse / relay mounting block located in the engine compartment.
6. To test the traction relay, install a jumper wire between the positive battery terminal and the ignition switch terminal (small size) on the assembly of the electromagnetic starter. If this time the starter starts to rotate, therefore, the traction relay is in order and you should proceed to check the condition of the ignition switch, the start enable / open circuit starter switch and the connecting wiring.
7. If the direct supply of power to the electromagnetic starter does not result in the starter actuating, remove the traction relay assembly and dismantle it, check and refurbish it.
8. If the starter turns too slowly, first of all make sure that the battery charge level is complete and that the contact terminals of the connecting electrical wiring are securely fastened. Partial seizure of the engine, as well as filling it with excessively thick oil, can also be the cause of this violation.
9. Start the engine and warm it up to normal operating temperature, then disconnect the coil wire from the ignition distributor cap and ground it to the unit ground. Disconnect the electrical wiring connectors of the primary (HB) contours on coil assemblies.
10. Connect the positive lead of the voltmeter to the positive terminal of the battery, the negative to the negative.
11. Turn the engine over with a starter (no more than 15 seconds in a row) and read the readings from the voltmeter immediately after stabilization. At normal starter cranking speed, the measurement should be about 9 V. If the voltmeter registers a voltage of 9 V or more, but the engine cranks too slowly, the condition of the starter motor assembly should be checked. If the readings are extremely low and the cranking speed of the unit is low, check the starter terminals for signs of burnout. The possibility of damage to the actual electric motor of the assembly is also not ruled out (Insufficient battery level and poor condition of the terminal connections are excluded at the first stage of the test).