Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Starter Motor Failure Symptoms...

I have experience this twice: When I start my car I get this terrible starter motor soud. Kinda sounds like when you engage your starter when the motor is running. The engigned did not turnover. I tried it again it it just started fine as usual. It happened again this morning and is starting to worry me. I had similar problems rebuilding my 69 stang and found the starter motor gear was half shaered off.

Still under warranty and worried that the techs cannot reproduce it since it only happened twice during the past month.

Could this be a precursor to the starter motor failing and leaving me stranded?

Gimme your thought guys!

Thanks alot!

V6 or 4 cyl starter ?

2000 6cycl ATX DURATECH

Thanks

The noise you hear is called "milling". The starter did not engage the flywheel.The drive on the starter was spinning against the flywheel teeth. The chance of reproducing the sound for the dealer is slim right now. If this problem continues...it will damage the starter and flywheel.

Thanks for the confirmation...I'm taking it in this friday to do the dash recall, and 30K service as well as having them look into the starter...

What should I tell the Tech? Will he be able to spot the strated problem?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

You guys are great!

'Check starter for incomplete engagement re noise'(sounds like a faulty sol or pinion)

This problem is known to Ford and applies to 1999/2000 Cougars and some 1995-1999 Contour/Mystiques. I know because I am having the same problem with my '98 Contour. I quote from bulletin provided by the dealer: "This condition is caused by a ring gear milling issue. This can be resolved by installing a new XS7Z-6375-AA Flexplate, which has a lead-in chamfer on the ring gear, and by replacing the F3RZ-11002-CRM starter motor."

MarkF

Dealer is putting a new flex plate and starter in.

Since the repairs have you had any trouble?

And what mileage did yours occur at?
Me 25K

My mom had a problem like this on her new explorer, same symptoms of the starter noise. The problem was with the chip thats in the key. The key wasnt sending a signal to the car, so the starter didnt engage. Doubt this is your problem, but you never know?

I had this problem on my car (btw 99 atx v6 cougar) first dealer replaced starter, next week flywheel...it had missing teeth