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Home How To Replace A Starter Motor

How To Replace A Starter Motor

Have you come to the conclusion your starter motor is on its last leg? If you want to replace it yourself, you've come to the right spot! Replacing a starter motor is not difficult but does require the right tools and steps for safety. In this article, we'll cover that information and show you how to replace a starter motor on your Toyota car or truck. 

Parts and Tools You Will Need

Image Credit: ToddsGarage

Obviously, you'll need a new or remanufactured starter motor for your Toyota car or truck. Additionally, you'll want the following tools:

  • Floor jack
  • Jack stands 
  • Wheel chocks
  • WD-40 or penetrating lubricant
  • Metric socket set
  • Metric box/crescent wrenches
  • Torque wrench

Steps To Replace a Starter Motor

Image Credit: ToddsGarage

To replace a starter motor, follow these steps in order:

  1. Park your Toyota car or truck on a flat surface, preferably off-street in a garage or driveway.
  2. Disconnect your battery.
  3. Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
  4. Raise the front of the car using a floor jack and place jack stands on each side.
    • To avoid damaging your car's body or other parts, check your owner's manual for the correct locations for the jack and jack stands.
    • NOTE: You will be under the car, so it is always important to use jack stands for safety. Never work under a car with just a jack for support.
  5. Remove the wiring from the starter solenoid. Make note of the color and location of the wires because you will need to connect these wires to the new starter solenoid.
  6. Remove the bolts from the starter mount.
    • If the bolts are stuck or rusty, soak them in WD-40 or penetrating oil and let them sit for about 30 minutes. You'll want to be careful removing the bolts so you don't break them off or strip them.
    • NOTE: Starters usually weigh about 20 pounds. It's a good idea to have an extra pair of hands to hold it while you remove the bolts.
  7. Verify the new starter matches the old one. Make sure the bolt holes line up exactly and the starter can be squarely mounted next to the flywheel.
  8. Transfer any bolts, heat shields, or other parts from the old starter to the new one.
  9. Mount the new starter and securely tighten it. Make sure the bolts are torqued to the correct spec.
  10. Reconnect the wires to the starter solenoid. Make sure the positive wire goes to the correct hot location and the negative/ground wire goes to the correct ground location.
  11. Reconnect the battery.

More Resources

For more resources on maintaining your Toyota car or truck:

For more information on your Toyota car or truck, check out our blog for diagnostic/repair procedures and maintenance advice. We also have a free Toyota VIN decoder, diagnostic info for common Toyota trouble codes, and a wide variety of resources just for Toyota and Scion owners.

All OEM starters are backed by the standard Toyota 12-month, unlimited miles warranty.