When your car is running normally everything is fine, nevertheless if it starts to have frequent problems you may possibly begin to wonder, specifically if your motor vehicle won’t start. In this post we will show you where the starter of a Tesla Model S is, it will help you to solve your ignition problems. To do this, we will first illustrate the role of a starter, then, where is the starter on a Tesla Model S , and, at last, how to change the starter of a motor vehicle.

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Purpose of the starter on your Tesla Model S

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

  • The Solenoid: This part is an electrical relay that will action as a switch, it will be activated by the key of your Tesla Model S and let the current from your battery to the engine of your alternator.
  • The engine: Most important component of your alternator, it is the one that will drive the flywheel of your Tesla Model S and create enough speed for your engine 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 allows to send the force from the starter to the engine.

Where is the starter on a Tesla Model S?

Now that we have fairly quickly explained what a starter is and how it functions, we will answer the question that most of you have to ask yourselves where is the starter based on a Tesla Model S? It is quite easy to locate a starter, indeed, it is a large part that will almost constantly be placed in a similar location. We let you discover the two possible locations for your motor vehicle starter below.

Location of the starter on classic Tesla Model S

First and most basic circumstance, where to locate the starter of a Tesla Model S with a conventional motor (implied without start and stop). The starter has a particular objective, to start the engine of your motor vehicle, for that, it must constantly be near the engine 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.

Location of the starter to Tesla Model S with start and stop

And now second possible starter location of your Tesla Model S . This case is much less frequent. It only relates to engines equipped with start and stop, and a good part of them will be equipped with a starter placed close to the flywheel. However, on some particular series or engines, the starter of your Tesla Model S may be included in your alternator, it is then known as a starter-alternator, to locate it nothing less difficult, identify your accessory belt and you should discover the big starter block.

How to change the starter on a Tesla Model S?

Finally, we’ll describe to you quite fairly quickly how to change the starter of a Tesla Model S. This process is not actually complex, it can be considered by people who have a minimal of simple mechanical expertise and adapted tools. Follow below the main steps to perform this intervention:

  • Disconnect the battery on your Tesla Model S, if you don’t know how to do it, don’t think twice to seek advice from our content page which points out how to do it without taking any risk.
  • After discovering your starter, loosen the fasteners that hold it in your engine block, there will generally be 2 or 3
  • .

  • It will be time to disconnect the power cables from the starter motor of your Tesla Model S, nevertheless before doing so we recommend you to take a picture of the installation to avoid making a mistake when reassembling.
  • It’s possible that to remove it you may possibly 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.

If you want more tutorials on the Tesla Model S, go to our Tesla Model S category.