BMW 318ti Car Starter Repair at your home or office.

Our mobile mechanics offer services 7 days a week. Upfront and transparent pricing.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(7)

Included for free with this service

Online Booking

Mechanic comes to you

12-month / 12k-mile warranty

Free 50 point safety inspection

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to your home or office 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Customer Ratings

(7)

Car Starter Repair Service

How much does a Car Starter Repair cost?

On average, the cost for a BMW 318ti Car Starter Repair is $472 with $262 for parts and $210 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
1995 BMW 318tiL4-1.8LService typeCar Starter RepairEstimate$1482.50Shop/Dealer Price$1804.45 - $2749.04
1998 BMW 318tiL4-1.9LService typeCar Starter RepairEstimate$1772.42Shop/Dealer Price$2145.62 - $3250.05
1999 BMW 318tiL4-1.9LService typeCar Starter RepairEstimate$990.49Shop/Dealer Price$1131.73 - $1532.03
1997 BMW 318tiL4-1.9LService typeCar Starter RepairEstimate$1772.42Shop/Dealer Price$2145.71 - $3250.21
1996 BMW 318tiL4-1.9LService typeCar Starter RepairEstimate$1772.42Shop/Dealer Price$2151.12 - $3259.68
Show example BMW 318ti Car Starter Repair prices

What's a car starter motor and how does it work?

The starter motor is a powerful, compact electric motor that will turn a car’s engine over at about 200 RPM in order to start the engine. The starter is at the terminus of a circuit that includes the battery, the ignition switch, a neutral safety switch, relays and fuses.

When you turn the ignition key to start, or press the start button in some vehicles, the starter circuit is completed and the starter will run. Most starters have a small pinion gear that engages a larger ring gear on the flywheel when the starter is powered on. The pinion gear turns the engine flywheel at about 200 RPM. Since the flywheel is directly connected to the crankshaft, all engine components will then turn in sync and the engine starts.

Starter

When to replace the starter?

Starters are relatively durable but most will eventually fail in one or more of the following ways:

  • Intermittent operation of the starter. Starters can develop bad spots on the armature which will cause intermittent operation. This causes the starter to work sometimes and other times when you turn the key nothing happens.
  • Starter turns too slowly. Internal electrical and mechanical faults can cause the starter to draw too much current and in some cases the current drawn will exceed what the battery can supply. A consequence is the engine may not start as rapidly.
  • Unusual noises on starting. If you hear any type of grinding or other unusual noise while starting the engine, that should be investigated as the noise could reflect an internal starter failure or the noise could be due to pinion gear failure or flywheel ring gear damage.
  • Starter doesn’t function when turning the key. In some cases, the first symptom of a starter malfunction is a complete failure of the starter motor. This happens when you turn the ignition key to start the car, the starter motor does not function at all.

How do mechanics repair the starter?

  • If the starter is determined to be faulty, the battery must be disconnected prior to commencing any work. Once the battery is disconnected, the wiring to the starter is disconnected.
  • Starters are bolted to the engine block or the transmission case. Generally, there are two bolts. The procedure to access the starter varies across car models and can require removal, or lowering, of other vehicle components.
  • Once the starter is removed and a new starter is installed, the mounting bolts are tightened to the OEM factory torque specifications, the electrical connections are cleaned and re-attached to the starter and the starter is tested to confirm normal operation.

Is it safe to drive with a starter problem?

Once a vehicle engine is running, the starter is not in use. However, if you know that the starter is malfunctioning or working intermittently, you may be left stranded if you turn the engine off and the starter doesn’t function when restarting the engine. Should you know or suspect a problem with the starter, it is best to have the problem repaired to avoid being left stranded.

When replacing a faulty starter keep in mind:

  • Prior to replacing the starter, simple diagnostic tests should be performed to ensure that the problem is a faulty starter versus a weak battery, faulty neutral start switch, or other faulty electrical component in the starter motor circuit.
  • Starters draw large amounts of current from the battery, much more than any other electrically powered device in your car. This makes it important that the electrical connections to the battery are inspected, cleaned, and tightened as necessary. Cables to the starter should also be inspected for corrosion and replaced as needed.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert BMW mechanics

Real customer reviews from BMW owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(7)

Rating Summary
5
2
0
0
0
5
2
0
0
0

Keith

13 years of experience
394 reviews
Keith
13 years of experience
318ti 1995 - Engine Compression Test - Lakeland, FL
Keith was awesome and was very helpful. He ran through everything that could be wrong with my engine and was able to pin point the problem. Very happy with how everything went!

Robert

0 years of experience
712 reviews
Robert
0 years of experience
318ti 1997 - Control Arm Assembly - Los Gatos, CA
Great mechanic

Robert

0 years of experience
712 reviews
Robert
0 years of experience
318ti 1997 - Thermostat - Los Gatos, CA
Great mechanic

Excellent Rating

(7)

Rating Summary
5
2
0
0
0
5
2
0
0
0
Number of BMW 318ti services completed
77+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT BMW MECHANICS
1200+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

Child Seat Safety Laws in West Virginia
In In West Virginia, children in motor vehicles have to be secured using an approved restraint system. This is common sense, and it is the law as well. Given that the main cause of death in children under 12 is...
The Guide to Right-of-Way Laws in Louisiana
Right-of-way Right-of-way laws serve to ensure that traffic moves smoothly and safely. You have an obligation to obey the laws, but you do not, by definition, have the right of way. Right of way is never owned – it is...
The Guide to Right-of-Way Laws in Kentucky
Most Most of the time, we rely on traffic signals or signs to tell us what we have to do to be safe. But what if there are no signs or signals? Then, you have to exercise some common sense...

What does the Intelligent Keyâ„¢ removal indicator mean?

While your car’s Intelligent Key™ allows remote start and stop functions, it can easily be left behind, particularly if the battery is dead and you have to insert the key into the port. If your vehicle information display is showing...

Maintenance related issues

Hi. Scheduled maintenance is crucial to keep your vehicle running like new. The clicking noise can be the heater resistor that is located behind the dashboard. I would recommend having the vehicle examined by a qualified technician, such as one...

Shift lock

Hello there, thank you for asking about your 1998 Nissan Altima. Your car does not have a shift lock solenoid but does have a shift interlock cable. You will need to have the shift lock cable accessed in the center...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com