How To Test A Starter Without Having To Touch The starter. 

This is why as a man I've moved from being in the trenches and working on cars to conveyors to many a maintenance position to now an engineer. I've never forgotten my roots and will always trust a man with greasy hands. Nice video man.

Saved me about $500! The starter alone was almost $300. I did the jump wire and nothing so pulled out the starter and a plug had worked it’s way loose. Clips were broken off. Plugged it back in and reinstalled did the jump wire again and fired up. Great video man! It’s my daughter’s 2011 Hyundai and I was nervous as hell figured I’d have to go get a loan to fix it. Ty!

You may not wear a cape, sir, but im my books, youre a hero. Thank you for this short, precise, yet golden information.

This video just saved me from being STRANDED! I literally used a paper clip because it was all i had and it STARTED RIGHT UP!! Will take it to the shop once back in town. 🙏🏽🙏🏽

Thanks for the tip. I was about to buy a starter, but when I put in the jumper wire the starter turned fine. Changed the relay and it’s back up and running. $20 for a relay vs $200 for a starter, not to mention all the frustrating labor and grease. And it still wouldn’t have worked till I changed the relay. I’m a new subscriber.

Bridging the relay contact to energize the starter solenoid that then energizes the starter motor....excellent idea. This is the only YT video I could find explaining this. 👍

Great info brother, thank you for educating us (especially those like myself that are completely ignorant when it comes to mechanical work), this is priceless information! A TRUE blue collar deep rooted man! It’s rare to find people these days that will go out of their way to put helpful DIY videos for the less educated, your a blessing to more than you may realize!

Yep. These are the kinds of videos we need on here. Great job explaining how to make it easier to find the issue.

This is one of the most concise and informative automotive self-help videos I've ever come across. I can't say how much I appreciate you taking the time to point out this extremely easy starter test. I was able to verify that the starter still works in my 1998 Toyota Avalon. The only thing I would point out for others checking out this video is that the '98 Avalon's relay doesn't give much space for using a large diameter wire as the test wire since it uses thin metal blades like a wall socket plug in a building. The circuit paths are printed on the top of the Denso-manufactured relay, so you may need to clean it off, and it doesn't show the full switch (i.e. the line meant to indicate the switch that ought to be electromagnetically activated when the key is turned in the ignition), so just find the open/close path diagram. Additionally, the '98 Avalon relay is purple (top) and white (bottom) colored, located in the front most relay/fuse box under the hood on driver side, with a snap-fit connection that you'll need to pry open with something long and thin (e.g., a putty knife). For the '98 Avalon relay connections, 1/2 is the ignition path and 3/5 is the starter path instead of 85/86 and 30/87 shown in this video. I managed to cram a 14 or 16 gauge wire into the 3 and 5 connections just barely enough to engage the starter, so I would go with something thinner for the test in the future. Thanks again for the awesome video!

Our 2001 GMC Sierra stopped turning over, and we used this method to test it. There was only clicking noises once we put the wires in there. Thanks! We figured it was the starter, but this most likely confirms it. Our battery is solid, connections on battery are solid, so we will replace the starter asap. I'll edit our post once we do that to see if that was the case. Thanks again for this little trick. My hubs went under the car to try to arc the starter before I found your video, and he had not seen this method before even though he is pretty solid with car knowledge!

I changed the ignition switch before seeing your video with no fix. Checked the starter using your method and no start. Now changing the starter. Thanks !!

I have forgotten so much about working on cars that this simple test brought back memories

Congrats on your patience answering the same questions over and over again for YEARS!

You sir are an angel. You just saved me 4hrs of my Saturday. Now I'm free to spend my time doing what my wife wants.......

Wow. Being a mechanic is more than just nuts and bolts. Incredible Thank you I learned alot

Thanks! Saved me lots of grief. It was the relay that you unplugged. Took another like # and size relay and plugged it in. Worked great. A relay cost me about $13 bucks.

This is the most helpful video I've seen in a long time, and I've been doing half of my troubleshooting and repair for many years. Thank you. I've told young adults the first step is to turn on the head-lights to see if they are bright or dim. Even with dim headlights, if you hear a clicking at the starter, the solenoid is actuating halfway, but not all the way (this video is a vital step). The top five starting problems are typically mutually exclusive, so it will rarely be two of those problems at the same time. Awesome tip, thanks!

Perfect timing for this video hitting my suggestion list. Going in a few minutes to help my son in law figure out weather his starter is bad or not. Thank you.

Thanks! I used this info to test my starter. It was a bad battery connection that looked solid. You saved me Hundreds!

good to see us old motor heads helping each other out.

Bro. I was a little hesitant with your slooooooow-ass explanation but the content is SPOT ON and i found that my starter was only working intermitently. The first few times i plugged in the wire i got spark from the plugs but no starter turn-over. After gently tapping on the starter and checking the plugs to it i tried the wire jumper again and it cranked like a champ. Now i'll just replace the starter instead of spending hours chasing other stuff. Well-done and THANK YOU.

This is AWESOME. Saved me having to get my truck towed, and ultimately just had to replace the relay, when I thought it was going to be the starter.

Thanks a lot! Helped me to confirm that my starter was not the problem on my Jeep TJ. Finally traced it to a finicky after market alarm installed by a previous owner.

2019 Dodge Grand Caravan 4.0 Relays would click but no starter response. Tried your bypass method and AWESOME not only did the starter turn over but the starter began working normally. GREAT time saving info. Thanks so much

Wow!!! My 06 H2 wouldn’t start - no crank at all but the battery was a few months old and I check that it was charged. I watched a number of other videos but they were of little help. I watched your video and immediately determine my starter is good and I’m having a fuse/relay problem somewhere. Many Thanks!!!

As others have said, this vid is informative however I think it's a pure test for the starter relay. This is tremendous for anyone who's relay went bad. For those that are having "jumper wire' concerns there is an alternative to test your relay. This fella is working on a Ford Explorer and the blower motor relay is the same identical one and it sits above the starter relay. Turn the key to the ON position and see if your blower motor works by turning both the fan and the airflow dials on. If it works, swap the relays and see if your starter works. Also, you can match the writing on the covers of any similar (size and color) relays that you find together in your fuse box. As long as they are identical you have a swap match. More than likely this approach applies to all or many makes and models but it definitely works with Ford Explorers. Just refer to your owners manual or Google what the starter relay looks like in your vehicle and have a look in the fuse box inside the engine compartment which is generally next to your battery.

Great video. It has allowed me to start my car daily while I am waiting for parts. It verified the starter is working. Thank you!

Famous actor Jon Hamm does a fantastic job explaining in this video- I had been looking for a clear breakdown of how to figure out my starter issue and this was both informative and suggested great handsomeness!

This is a great trick, I’ve also swapped relays with another and see if it cranks. Now it may not start depending on which relay you steal to see if it will crank, but it will tell you if you have a bad starter relay and you can do it without any tools.

Man, oh man....you just saved me a whole bunch of time and money! THANK YOU! Car FIXED!

Great tip! was gonna remove the intake mainfold and go through lots of trouble to change the starter but your video saved me. Thanks man!

Awesome advice! You just saved me $300 on an alternator. God bless you! 🇺🇸🇺🇸

That's a really useful video. If the starter is working, but the engine doesn't start it could also be that there is no fuel running into the engine i.e. fuel pump not working for some reason. I had that happen to me twice on two different cars.

Thank you so much, this helped so much. I was looking at $800.00 thinking it was the ignition switch. It also saved me alot of hassle from removing the starter and taking it to get checked. After I was able to get it started with the magical little wire I was able to purchase another relay and install it. Well gosh dam boom it started right away. You saved me alot of trouble mister. I would like to Thank you so much may GOD BLESS you and may GOD BLESS AMERICA and make America great again.

Retired master mechanic here good dyi advice. 😀

Thank you for saving me. The mechanic could not start my car. After watching this, it works very well. You took me out of a danger zone. I had no money and no transportation.😀

Great video. Text book how to. No wasted dialogue. Clear concise to the point

YES ! I was just trying to see if I could jump the solenoid but I couldn't see it well enough, thank you RU-vid!

Sir you are a blessing, I thank you for your knowledge, my gmc before would just click and would not turn over, your method solved my problem, now it turns over with the key in the ignition and runs great, I thank you once again!!

MAN... I LOVE YOU! You made perfect sense. Married a great mechanic. He couldn't explain crap but could make anything run. Don't have him anymore so came here. So glad I did. Why mechanics don't want others to know about the little things is a wonder to me. I'm going to do this in the morning. Might comment back to the wonders I find under that hood. THANKS.

seriously, it's nice to know videos like this exist. very well done.

Excellent troubleshooting. No start, always check the battery then starter. You made checking the starter so "simple and easy." No crawling under the car. Much "mahalo" (thank you in Hawaiian).

To whoever it helps. If you do this test and the starter seems very weak or unable to crank, try removing the accessory belt and repeat the test. Anything siezed up on the belt path will make you believe the starter is bad when it is in fact not.

Great Tip thanks. In all my years of backyard wrenching I’ve never hear of this. Many thanks.

Your video helped me change out the starter in my 05 Tuscon. Many Thanks!!!

30 and 87, got it! You saved me $230 I'm taking back this starter to auto zone for a refund

thats bad ass bro! i knew you could short out solenoid with screwdriver but this is next level and a dahhhh!! taken my buddies car for a spin now! lol

Hey bro thanks a lot this helped me a lot I was stranded and I tryed this and my car turned right back on 👍

I've been with a few older mechanics that have done this..... Thanks to you I understand it.... Thank you soooooo much!

Can't thank you enough mate, enabled me to sort things out on my own without paying someone else, great video 😊

Thanks for sharing this! This worked perfect for me! I was changing my valve stem seals and this trick helped me rotate the engine forward to make sure the cylinder was TDC (top dead center). Awesome trick!

Thanks for this video. I just had my battery tested today and it was fine. I was looking at videos of replacing the starter when I saw your video. Did the rest you showed and now I’m going tour to buy a relay instead of a starter. Really appreciate the information. Great video.

Nice! I used this to get the car running so I could take to the parts store.

Amazing help. Hubby had already purchased the starter because autozone scanned it and it marked as a fail. I checked the relays and heard a click, after that a different autozone scanned it and all passed so we didnt need to replace the starter anymore & got our money back. Thank you for your help 🎉

Dude, this is perfect! Excellent way to bypass and isolate the starter and test it. Thank you so much for the time you took to make and share the video.

Thanks for the prelim I absolutely agree that people have a low attention span and misconstrue a statement from a question and to walk and chew gum at the same time. Thank you for sharing your expertise on testing a good or bad starter. The process of elimination is the key, i have a Hyundai Veloster and no diagram on the relay switch.

I'm so glad that I found this video because I'm doing this without help. I will be trying it today and I'm praying it works. Thank you for the easy step by step instructions! 🙂 Carrie

Definetly just saved us from pulling the starter on a 96 degree day. I really appreciate you taking the time.

This is a $200.00 video thanks man

This is knowledge.... only a few people know and won't teach.. thank you for helping us

Great tip and thanks for sharing. This simple diagnostic step can save a lot of time and effort for sure.

Thanks. I have a 2012 F350 Diesel that all of a sudden will not start with new batteries. I tried to check the relays by switching them around after checking the fuses but I like this trick and will try it! Very much appreciated.

I can't thank you enough for taking the time to make this video and share your knowledge. If there's any thing you could tell me that would help me out on a 2007 Pontiac G6 with a 3.5 L. I scanned it it said it was eecm I replaced it + reset the computer. And then I took the starter all went and had it tested if I would have only caught your video a day earlier it sure would have saved me a lot of time and energy. The starter tested good. I put it back in and now today I won't try testing it myself by your method just to make sure that the kid at the auto parts store didn't botch up the test. And I replace the battery before I did anything I have power to everything except from the key to the starter. And I hate to tear the whole - apart to replace the ignition if there might be something else I could try first thank you again appreciate you

Thanks a ton for your Video because I was literally starting to unscrew my mud shield under my Sierra and there was like 50 screws and that was when I thought to check the Internet for ideas. First one I came across was yours and helped me out. THANK YOU AGAIN! Patrick VH

Man I was about to go down there to take out the starter and take it to be tested. I did as you did and had the same results, so my starter is still kicking. Thank you much.

Dang Skippy, GREAT trick, great explanation and great video. Spot on !

I can test the relay area connection with any wire correct? Or do i need a specific wire like you?

FYI to anyone watching this video wondering where the starter fuse is, it's located right below the starter relay fuse marked IGN-E on the panel cover. In this video it's the fuse he unknowingly points to at the 5:10 minute mark.

I cant believe I didnt think of this before.. nice work man. Your video helped me keep from removing the starter al over again.. lol I had it out five times already.. I didnt want to do it agian

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Sir your video was an answer to my prayers. I have struggling messing around with the security saftey anti-theft system on my 2002 chevy silverado for some time now. I have done several supposed fixes at the steering column and ignition switch. These fixes were good for a time but something else would happen especially on hot days when the metal expands. Without getting into those details, your solution is THE complete bypass I was looking for without having to run new wires straight to the starter itself. The jump hot wire works great, now I intend to put a bypass starter switch in my cab and run the lines to the relay socket per your video. Thanks again and God bless!

Really appreciate your style and method. Very easy to follow and understand. I am a deskbound guy, not a car guy. Thank you

Thank you very much for the video. Worked perfectly diagnostically and saved myself a lot of time, effort and money 🙏

The best simple learning experience I got from this video.. thanks a million bro.. keep up the good work work u doing..

Finally got my truck to start (2016 silverado). It actually didn't by bypassing the relay but i cleaned the relay. It actually had some green colored corrosion🤔. Anyways cleaned it, wiggled it and VROOM!!! It started after several days of trouble shooting.😛😜🤪🤗. Thanks for the video.

Thanks bud. Not the issue I was having but it did save me an enormous PIA getting what I was doing done!!! You rocK!!!

Thank you, very good explanation, you are very knowledgeable of electronic circuits and functions!!

These are the videos that the world needs..that i try to make...good job bro thanks im stranded about to check this

Thank you so much for this video! After a month of trying to get my car starter nothing. Did this and got it started😁

Excellent! This works on motorcycles as well, under the start relay. 👍

Wow, your video also helped me to possibly diagnose my intermittent starting problem. The battery is good. With your test now I'm not getting anything at all not even a click. The car just started 3X today than as it does every week or so no crank no start but does click... A few days later.. it starts again. Thank you so much for the video. Keep up the good work.

Awesome, I figured mine was the starter but this helped confirm it. Troubleshooting at its best. Great video and to the point!

Thank you so much about emphasizing on the battery voltage, I was getting ready to pull my starter out because it wouldn’t start after charging the battery so I figured must be the starter which did not look like fun and I kept thinking about what you said with 12.8 V, when I checked it it was 11.9. Saved me a lot of work.

Nice video!! Thanks for the tip, that was really cool. Now to go try it on my daughter's car that won't start but has a new, fully charged battery in it.

Thanks for the great info, I'll do that before getting under the car. Thank you for taking the time to make the video.

Best and most clear explanation. Thank you so much.

great video...it has to be one of the most informative videos I've come across..

Hey mObilemechanix I just used your jumper wire trick to determine that it was indeed the starter that was the issue, great video that's

Thanks for the video! Very informative and helpful. 👍

I appreciate you bro very helpful trying to diagnose my volvo xc70 smh it starts in the day time but not at night the craziest thing ever

Thanks a bunch , very good tip, I was not lucky enough to have it turn over but I did hear the starter gear getting thrown out when I put the wire across the relay. So still a good troubleshooting timesaver

Thank you so much for this video, my started would click everytime I would try to start it. It cranked when I put the wire in, and I then went and started it. 🤙

Thanks a million! Bought the starter $200+ but caught this video before installing it. I was stuck at a shopping center and had called for a tow. With your help I fixed it in minutes. Turns out it was the relay itself! The "work from here back" was perfect for me. I returned the starter, replaced the relay, cancelled the tow! I was home way before the tow truck could have got to me and I had more money in my pocket and more time for yard work! It's already been said, but You Da Man!

Thank you for the info! im working on 05 2.3L durotech , need to do compression test with out using key, and not to run fuel or to kill all 4 coils!!! thanks a million!

Wow this is pro stuff. Awesome video! This is the kind of stuff I'm trying to learn. Thank you

This saved me a lot of time! Don't comment a lot but this was solid, thank you.

Great video. Not sure if you’re still reading comments but here goes anyway. Can your starter work intermittently? My jeep wouldn’t start before. Just a faint click and nothing. Tried a few times then it finally started. Took it for a drive. Turned off the engine. And it started right up again. Battery is good. Just wondering if it COULD be the starter beginning to go bad. I will try the jumper wire test but if it starts, can’t it still be the starter and I’m just having luck with it working for now? Thanks.

Good information. Only one time I used this technique and the starter didn't fire...yet , the starter was actually good. And it was due to voltage drop on the ground wire. Diagnosis can get complicated at times.

What gauge wire did you use to by-pass the starter relay ?

I have an intermittent starting issue. Old truck, new to me. Starter was already replaced but is suspect. I've checked out everything except any possible anti theft circuitry. I should have thought of this myself, but I didnt. Thank you, I'll be giving this a shot tomorrow. Honestly, I hope it is the starter because I dont want to have to dig into the security system. Thanks for the tip!!

thanks for the video! it helped me save money. thanks for video it helped my chev 1500 with that paperclip and it worked on the starter relay fuse! was losing hope until i seen your video!!