When your car is running normally everything is fine, nevertheless if it begins to have regular complications you may begin to wonder, especially if your car won’t start. In this article we will learn you where the starter of a Ford Explorer is, it will help you to fix your ignition complications. To achieve this, we will first summarize the purpose of a starter, then, where is the starter on a Ford Explorer , and, at last, how to change the starter of a car.

find-starter-ford-explorer

Purpose of the starter on your Ford Explorer

We begin this content by detailing the purpose of the starter motor on your Ford Explorer. The starter is an electric motor which is powered by your battery, its purpose will be to make your engine run at a high enough speed to start it (usually around 300/400 rpm). It is consisting of three main parts:

  • The Solenoid: This component is an electrical relay that will work as a switch, it will be activated by the key of your Ford Explorer and let the current from your battery to the engine unit of your alternator.
  • The engine unit: Main component of your alternator, it is the one that will drive the flywheel of your Ford Explorer and make enough speed for your engine unit to begin.

  • The engagement pinion: This is the last part of your starter, it is the toothed wheel that will be in direct contact with the flywheel, it enables to transmit the force from the starter to the engine.

Where is the starter on a Ford Explorer?

Now that we have quickly detailed what a starter is and how it works, we will answer the question that most of you have to ask yourselves where is the starter based on a Ford Explorer? It is quite easy to locate a starter, indeed, it is a large part that will almost constantly be situated in a similar location. We let you see the two possible places for your car starter below.

Location of the starter on traditional Ford Explorer

First and most common circumstance, where to locate the starter of a Ford Explorer with a conventional motor (implied without start and stop). The starter has a specific action, to start the engine unit of your car, for that, it must constantly be near the engine unit flywheel of this one because it is the part that it actuates when it is used. The flywheel is based at the junction between your gearbox and your engine unit.

Location of the starter to Ford Explorer with start and stop

And now second possible starter location of your Ford Explorer . This case is much less frequent. It just concerns engines built with start and stop, and a good part of them will be equipped with a starter situated close to the flywheel. Nevertheless, on some specific series or engines, the starter of your Ford Explorer may be integrated in your alternator, it is then known as a starter-alternator, to locate it nothing easier, identify your accessory belt and you should discover the big starter block.

How to change the starter on a Ford Explorer?

Finally, we’ll describe to you actually quite quickly how to change the starter of a Ford Explorer. This process is not actually complex, it can be considered by people who have a lowest of simple mechanical knowledge and adapted tools. Stick to below the main steps to perform this intervention:

  • Disconnect the battery on your Ford Explorer, if you don’t know how to do it, don’t hesitate to seek advice from our content which explains how to do it without taking any risk.
  • After finding your starter, loosen the fasteners that hold it in your engine unit block, there will usually be 2 or 3
  • .

  • It will be time to disconnect the power cables from the starter motor of your Ford Explorer, nevertheless before doing so we suggest you to take a picture of the set up to avoid making a mistake when reassembling.
  • It’s possible that to remove it you may need to remove auto parts like the gimbal.
  • Remount the new starter, being careful when connecting the connectors.
  • Reconnect your battery and test your starter.

To get more tips on the Ford Explorer, take a look at the Ford Explorer category.