'12 Impreza No Start Issues

[Penelope12]

My 2012 Impreza (with about 58,000 miles) has been having starter issues that the dealership is not able to diagnose and I am hoping someone here may be able to shed some light on the issue. In chronological order, these are the issues:

 

1) About 6 weeks ago my car would not start after sitting overnight in the garage. When I turned the key, all the normal lights came on and the radio worked, but there was no cranking. The only sound was a clicking sound that we think was coming from the battery/starter. We took the battery out and took it AutoZone. They tested it and said it had a full charge, but a dead cell, so I bought a new battery. The car started fine after we put the new battery in.

 

2) For about 3 weeks after the battery replacement, my car would occasionally make a metallic scraping noise when starting. Not all the time, maybe once a day, usually first thing in the morning when I was heading to work or in the afternoon when I was leaving work. The car had always been sitting for at least 6 hours when the starter made that noise.

 

3) I took the car to the dealership to see if they could identify the problem, but it didn't make the noise for them, so they couldn't identify the problem. They told me to keep driving it until it got worse and then come back in. One week later my car would not start at all. Once again, the lights and radio worked, but there was no cranking. Just the clicking. So we tried to jump it, which didn't work. Then I waited about 24 hours because I thought maybe it was a fluke. The car would still not start the next day, so I had it towed to the dealership. They've had my car for about 1.5 weeks and they've been able to get it to start every day without any trouble. They are unable to diagnose a problem and are going to return the vehicle to me this week.

 

Has anyone heard of this happening in an Impreza? Any suggestions for what I should be doing to prevent similar incidents?

[1 Lucky Texan]

different problem than the first.

 

almost certainly the same problem many of us are having with the planetary Mitsubishi starters. My 06 makes that scratching/rattling noise reliably if temps are under 45-50* or so, rarely above 55* or so.

 

 

if you want them to experience it, leave it with them overnight but keep the keys, then drive over there in a loaner/different car, get a tech in the car and start it.

Edited January 12, 2016 by 1 Lucky Texan

[Fairtax4me]

The grinding sound is the sound of the starter pinion gear grinding against the teeth on the flywheel ring gear. (or torque converter ring gear if automatic) 

 

Eventually this will cause sever wear to both the starter pinion gear and the flywheel or torque converter ring gear and will require replacement of both. 

Start is easy to replace and costs you maybe $200 now.

If the flywheel or torque converter need to be replaced its going to cost several thousand $$$$. 

 

If you hear the grinding noise now, replace the starter NOW and save your flywheel. 

 

A couple other things to make sure of. Make sure your battery is in very good health. An old/ failing battery may not deliver enough amps to allow the starter to engage properly. (Especially in cold weather!)

Make sure your battery cable connections are very clean and tight. Even if corrosion is not visible on top of the terminal, there may be corrosion in between the terminal and the post causing a poor connection and preventing full current flow from the battery when the starter needs it. 

Make sure the starter power and ground connections are clean and tight.

Make sure the main ground cable connection on the engine block is clean and tight. For the starter to work properly you have to be able to get full current through both the power AND ground cables. A poor ground connection is just as bad as a poor power connection at the battery.

 

Pictures of a worn flywheel caused by a worn starter gear:  http://www.aftermarketonline.net/Technical/2013/28443-/A-tale-of-diminishing-returns 

 

That large gap where the teeth are totally worn away will cause the engine to not start at all. 

Edited January 12, 2016 by Fairtax4me

[Penelope12]

Thanks for the feedback, Fairtax4me and 1 Lucky Texan.

 

I think I should add that I had the short block replaced last year (as a result of excessive oil consumption, and all the work was done at the dealership, under warranty). Is it possible that having it replaced could be the source of my current issue?

 

Also, just to clarify, the battery is brand new and in perfect condition. A bad battery was my first thought, so I had it checked right before we towed the car to the dealership. We replaced the battery ourselves in December and everything looked clean. This is my second winter with the car and I have never had problems like this, so I'd be surprised if this is weather/temperature related. I initially assumed it was the starter and I got a quote to replace it, but I thought the quote was a little high ($350), so I was hoping the dealership might be able to identify something else. But if it continues to make the noise I should look into replacing the starter?

[1 Lucky Texan]

DIY or independent mechanic are both reasonable, and cheaper, options for replacing a starter.

 

you can find some on-line procedures for DIY re-lubrication of the starter but, I have yet to try that myself.

 

an intermediate option 'might' be, to pull the starter and have a local rebuilder re-furb it for you. Probably too inconvenient for many of us.

Edited January 13, 2016 by 1 Lucky Texan

[Fairtax4me]

 

 I initially assumed it was the starter and I got a quote to replace it, but I thought the quote was a little high ($350), so I was hoping the dealership might be able to identify something else. But if it continues to make the noise I should look into replacing the starter?

 

Yes. As long as everything else checks out fine, (cables, connections, good battery) the starter should be replaced. 

 

A rebuild may be an option if you can find a local starter/alternator rebuild shop.