BMW M550i xDrive 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

(162)

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

(162)

Car Starter Repair Service

How much does a Car Starter Repair cost?

On average, the cost for a BMW M550i xDrive Car Starter Repair is $2012 with $500 for parts and $1512 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
2020 BMW M550i xDriveV8-4.4L TurboService typeCar Starter RepairEstimate$2674.00Shop/Dealer Price$2962.88 - $3742.04
2018 BMW M550i xDriveV8-4.4L TurboService typeCar Starter RepairEstimate$2576.69Shop/Dealer Price$2846.49 - $3611.35
2019 BMW M550i xDriveV8-4.4L TurboService typeCar Starter RepairEstimate$2576.69Shop/Dealer Price$2846.77 - $3611.83
Show example BMW M550i xDrive 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

(162)

Rating Summary
156
4
0
0
2
156
4
0
0
2

Jeffrey

26 years of experience
107 reviews
Jeffrey
26 years of experience
BMW X5 L6-3.0L - Starter - Tampa, Florida
Great

Joe

21 years of experience
126 reviews
Joe
21 years of experience
BMW X5 L6-3.0L - Starter - Orland Park, Illinois
A++++++, thx

Luke

18 years of experience
322 reviews
Luke
18 years of experience
BMW 528i L6-3.0L - Starter - Austin, Texas
On time, friendly.

Tien

24 years of experience
903 reviews
Tien
24 years of experience
BMW 325i L6-3.0L - Starter - Alameda, California
Very professional, knowledgeable both import and domestic vehicle, answered many of my question about vehicle troubleshooting, i will recommend everybody and family for hiz excellent knowledgeable professional.

Excellent Rating

(162)

Rating Summary
156
4
0
0
2
156
4
0
0
2
Number of BMW Car Starter Repair services completed
1782+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT BMW MECHANICS
1200+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

A Buyer’s Guide to the 2012 Audi TT
Audi Audi can be depended upon to bring the ultimate in refinement to the table, along with quality, style, and performance. The TT is no exception to this rule – with its aerodynamic almost Porsche-like look and 360 turbocharged horses...
Child Seat Safety Laws in Kentucky
All All states have laws regarding the safe transportation of children, and require the use of child safety seats in motor vehicles. The laws are there for your child’s protection, so it makes sense to learn them and obey them....
How to Prepare for the California Driver’s Written Test
Just Just imagine how great it will be once you are out on the road and driving in the warm California sun! Of course, before you can do that, you need to first show the state that you have the...

ABS actuator to be replaced 2nd time in a year

Hello. There is no other permanent fix for this other than replacing it with a factory unit. Once it is replaced the connections and the grounds need to be checked. Also all of the wheel speed sensor signals need to...

After installing electronic ignition system, I cannot get tachomter to read RPM. It is dead. 1975 Mercedes 450SLC

Hi there - there are a couple of possibilities for this problem. Worst case is that during the ignition modification, the tachometer was somehow shorted, and is not non-functional. More likely is a lack of the proper "trigger" path from...

I want to buy a car but it has a blown head gasket, is it worth it.

A rough estimate to replace head gaskets would be in the $2800 to $3200 range for parts and labor depending on damage and parts needed.

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