Pajero Owners Club of South Africa

Afternoon all.

Ever since I took my car for a service (135K) I have been having problems starting it, it takes about 4 or 5 seconds to start. Then it decides at random moments to not start at all, like the battery is flat. So I took it to another dealer to have a look, and they say my battery is dead, so I get them to put a new one in. A couple of hours later they call and say when they tried to start it sparks flew from the starter motor, and now its dead. The price for a new one - R8500 + VAT!!

Does anyone know where I can get a cheaper starter motor??? Boland area.

Thanks!

Hi Darell
I had a similar experience two weeks ago. My Vehicle has done 333000 km now.
I went to my local Bosh Services agent and purchase a new Starter for R 2500.00.
You need to shop around Boet these guys saw you comming.

I agree with dad. Starter motors are very robust and a good clean and reassembly with new brushes usually sorts them out.

If the battery place burned out the starter it's their bill but maybe it's something else that burned like a fraying cable that can't take the current the new battery is pushing.

As a matter of course in older vehicles I would replace the ground cables and clean their connections as well as the main thick cable feeding the starter.

Thanks Guys, I appreciate the advise. I did throw my toys out of the cot when they told me about the starter motor, but they just said that a starter motor can fail at anytime and it wasn't their fault, and it had nothing to do with putting in a new battery. I will get them to check the cabling.

I have found a new starter for R2500, but its in Pretoria, so I will continue to look closer.

I do wonder whether if it worth it to service at a dealers, with the prices they charge!

Darrell wrote:I do wonder whether if it worth it to service at a dealers, with the prices they charge!

Take it to a good motor electrician for a quote for re-building.
A starter is a starter is a starter.

I decided to go for new Starter because of the Km my Pajero has done 333000km, and because I travel a lot into Africa and do not want to sit somewhere remote with a failure. Cost to repair the old one is R890.00. New Brushes and new Solenoid.

repair the old one and keep it as a spare at that cheap price.

NB : don't buy cheap! a reconned bosch is better than a new china jobbie.

I did send it in....Picking it up this afternoon

A new starter motor for my Gen 3 3.8 was about R5000 labour included, replaced under maintenance plan. Apparently the maintenance plan does not allow for repairs of the starter motor, the same as for warped brake rotors, does not pay for skimming, only for new.

Who am I to complain?