Every few days or so when I start the car (mostly in the morning) it makes a screeching noise. It almost sounds similar to turning your key when the engine is already running. I dont hold the button down too long. Enough for it to catch, but then it makes the sound and its freakng me out. I dont think this is normal so I want to see if it is happening to other people. If its a serious problem I hope the extended warranty can cover it. I have an 02 with 35k mi. Thanks.

 

Is it getting colder in the mornings where you live? (Would be nice if people put this in their profile - that's one of the reasons why it's there.) You may have a sticky Bendix. Take it in and get them to fix it on Extended. Might get a new starter out of it.

 

Not to hijack the thread, but I had not heard that term: "bendix" in a long, long time. (I thought that with all the electronic stuff taking over, this Bendix stuff had vanished.) Can you expand a little on what this is Dave?
Cheers
Daniel

 

I live in LA. Its not getting too cold. This was happening in Aug as well, so I dont think its the weather. What exactly is a Bendix? Thanks.

 

I'm not sure that this part is still called a "Bendix". It may very well have a modern "high tech" term now. However, the principle is still the same. When you engage the starter, the driving gear must be moved onto the flywheel teeth to turn the flywheel. When you let the starter button go, the driving gear is retracted so the flywheel no longer spins the starter. This is what is most likely getting "sticky" and it's the flywheel spinning a partially disengaged starter driving gear that makes that grinding noise.

(Now, wasn't it a lot easier to just say the Bendix is sticking? )

Look here: The "Bendix" has been replaced by parts 3, 4 and 7.
http://www.slhondaparts.com/browse.asp?Mod...&ViewParts=true

 

[QUOTE=Blue_S2,Sep 28 2005, 09:59 AM] I live in LA.

 

Thanks Dave. Was it not a brand name, "Bendix"?

 

This is all good stuff. Thanks.

 

You may be right, but like "Crescent", "Dremel", "WeedEater", a lot of similar things are called those. Kinda like instead of saying you've got an automatic garage door opener, "I've got a Stanley". Or "That Cat over there", even though it's really not a Caterpillar brand.
Old habits die hard.

Named after Vincent Bendix:
http://inventors.about.com/library/invento...cent_bendix.htm