JS2k.com

So I jump in my car this morning. I press the start button and release it, but the starter is still trying to start the car. After 2-3 seconds of waiting for it to stop, I don't want to keep waiting, so I kill the engine. The starter has not stopped trying to start the car. Take out the key... same thing. Pop the hood, disconnect the negative, reconnect. Push the start button, a whirring noise, no clicking, car doesn't start.
Thanks *bows*

S2Kitt

Might be the relay in your Start button. Did you get any moisture on your dash or the button itself?

JS2k.com

Not recently, but I do drive with the top down in the rain. The last time I drove in the rain it wasn't very heavy at all.

JS2k.com

I'll confirm it tonight, but I do hear a whirring noise like a belt spinning, so wouldn't that mean the relay is working?

snakeeater

Probably so. I couldn't exactly tell from your description, but it sounds like the starter is not turning over the engine, right? Two parts to the starter - motor & bendix. Motor spins when relay is on. Bendix uses the sudden jolt of acceleration when the starter motor first starts spinning to force its pinion gear to extend out away from the starter (via helical threads) and get in line with the ring gear teeth on the flywheel. When you release Start button, relay drops out, starter motor coasts down, and bendix spring pushes pinion gear back toward starter, clearing it from flywheel.

It sounds to me like the noise you hear is the starter motor turning, but the bendix is not extending correctly. So even though the starter motor is turning, the engine is not getting turned over because the starter gear is not engaging the flywheel.

The bendix is a purely mechanical part, so it may be worth it to pull the starter and have a look at it. Who knows, right when you get under there, you might see that the entire starter is hanging low due to loose bolts. But normally, at this point, I would expect you may be buying a new starter for DIY replacement or bring it to the dealer.

JS2k.com

Thanks for the reply guys. Yeah, I got someone else to push the button while I looked in the engine bay. The starter sounds like it's trying to work, and I hear it spinning, but nothing happening. I will look into it. Thanks everyone!

Kirpich

I heard somewhere on these forums that the Start button does go bad once in a while.