8 Answers
2004 Saturn Ion Starter
1. Jack up the front end of the car.
2. Support front end with jack stands (so it won’t fall on you, should the jack suddenly fail)
3. Crawl underneath the car where the engine meets the transmission.
4. Locate the starter
5. Remove the nuts that are holding the wire connections to the starter solenoid
6. Remove the 2-3 bolts holding the starter in
7. Remove the starter
8. Installation is the reverse of removal.
***Be sure to check the flywheel teeth for any damage***
Sometimes you have to remove things to get to the starter, then you take off the old and replace with the new, noting whether it has shims or not, and which wire goes where.
And very important to disconnect the negative terminal at the battery before you start because the starter always has power in the positive cable going to it, even when the ignition switch is off and you’ll get a big spark and probably bump your head on the frame when you jump.
I am experiencing this problem as well and I have figured out that the problem is between the ignition switch and the brain . I had my recall done on the ignition switch and the problem went away for 3wks , now its back and I have tried replacing the switch myself ( easy enough ) but then 3days later its back . I read some blogs and one I tried which was to buy a switch and remove the factory grease off the circuit board and put good dialectical grease on . that didn’t work . the way I figured out where the problem is , ( I turned the key to the run position and then used a jumper wire at the starter and solenoid and the car starts up perfect . so I ran wires from starter/solenoid to a pushbutton into the dashboard and it hasn’t let me down . ) im still wanting the correct way to solve the problem , but I don’t wanna spend boat loads of money trouble shooting and not be the fix ,..
starters are pretty simple. there are usually only 2 maybe 3 bolts that hold it in, unbolt them disconnect the wires that go to it. remember what wire goes where, that’s pretty important. put the new one in the same place as the old you just took out, bolt it back and connect wires. you are done.
Remove old starter install new one.
GET UP,HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE,TAKE IT DOWN TO THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP