Close up of a stop start engine for a starter motorA close up of a stop start engine button for a starter motor
Service, Repairs & MOT

Starter motor repair in Truro

Book an RAC Mobile Mechanic and we’ll come to you at home or work.

  • 12-months parts guarantee
  • Honest pricing
  • Exceptional customer service

Trustpilot rating for all RAC Mobile Mechanics.

Why choose the RAC for a starter motor repair?

With RAC Mobile Mechanics, you can avoid the hassle of taking your vehicle to a garage. They can do a starter motor repair on your driveway, so you don't even need to leave the house.

Our starter motors are high quality, meeting OEM standards – that means we use we only use parts that meet your vehicle manufacturer’s strict quality criteria. and covered by a 12-month guarantee. No hidden costs, just friendly, honest experts.

Close up of an RAC Mobile Mechanic underneath a car

Our top pick in Truro

We’ll come to you at home or work

RAC Mobile Mechanic in Truro

At the RAC, we’ve got over 125 years’ experience in offering complete peace of mind to our members. We’re best known for our breakdown service. And now – our new RAC Mobile Mechanics are here to help make every day motoring easier. If you need a service or repair, they’ll come to you at your home or work.

Close up of a stop start engine for a starter motor

Book a starter motor repair

A faulty starter motor can leave you stranded, but our mobile mechanics can come to you at home or work to get your car up and running, saving you the hassle of going to a garage.

We use original equipment manufacturer (OEM) standard parts, which means every new part will be the same standard and same quality as the original part it replaced.
Our mobile mechanics are friendly, honest, and backed by the RAC.
Close up of an RAC Mobile Mechanic running a vehicle diagnostic check

Vehicle diagnostic check

£99

We’ll spend up to 30 mins checking our car’s onboard management system for faults. We’ll talk you through repairs needed and provide a full report. If any further work is needed, we’ll agree this with you before we start. Any additional work after the first 30 minutes will be priced at £20 per 15 minutes. We’ll agree this with you before proceeding.

We’ll look for any mechanical or electrical problems. If we need to, we’ll also check your car’s onboard engine management system. Depending on your car and issue, this will usually include: – Engine – Power steering – Brakes – Transmission – Exhaust system – Fuel injection system – Cooling system and air flow – Sensors
If we detect any issues, we'll talk through what needs to be repaired. We’ll give you a no-obligation quote to fix it on the spot, if we can. Or we’ll recommend a local RAC Approved Garage, and give you a full error report to take there.

Average cost of a starter motor repair by car make^

The cost of a starter motor repair will depend on the car you drive. According to RAC data, the average cost of a starter motor repair is £330. But you can check out the average price of a starter motor repair for your specific car make here.

Car make

Average price

Ford

£317

Vauxhall

£329

Volkswagen

£336

BMW

£394

Nissan

£320

Hyundai

£343

Citroen

£355

Peugeot

£325

Volvo

£396

Renault

£341

^Average price quoted for RAC Mobile Mechanics from 01/01/25 to 31/03/25.

And it’s not just starter motor repairs that we do in Truro

Mobile mechanics bring the garage to you, saving you the hassle of getting your car to a garage. If you need a service or repair, they’ll come to you at your home or work.

A close up of an RAC mobile mechanic looking under the hood of a car

Try one of our RAC Approved Garages

JK Auto-Tek.

4.9/5

Here at JK Auto-Tek we pride ourselves in providing a professional service and carrying out repairs to your vehicle to a very high standard using only O.E. quality parts where possible. We cater for all makes and model of vehicle, from scooters, motorcycles, small hatchbacks and campervans to light commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes. Our garage is an approved MOT Testing Centre for class 4 and 7 vehicles and our workshop has an array of latest diagnostic equipment to help diagnose any problems you may have with your vehicle, keeping you running safely on the road. We are also accredited members of The DPF doctors, a nationwide specialist in diagnosing and rectifying faults including the facilities on site to do on vehicle DPF cleans. As well as this we can also carry out on vehicle Turbo System Cleans, Injection System Cleans and Intake System Cleans with our FORTE power clean machine. We also have a designated BOSCH 3D wheel alignment bay with state of the art equipment and as we are now home of Bidefordtyres.com we keep a comprehensive range of popular tyres in stock available for same day fitting. We can offer a recovery service in the unfortunate event that should you require it. We can also provide you with alternative transport to and from the workshop with our FREE Collection and Delivery Service or we are able to offer a Courtesy Car for your convenience should your car need to stay overnight.
Kynocks Ind Est, East The Water, Bideford, EX394DT

RB Motors

4.1/5

RB Motors are a repair and service garage located in Holsworthy Devon and Bude Cornwall. We pride ourselves on doing a great job that is quick easy and efficient. We offer same day collection of your vehicle and instant quotes, give us a call for any further information.
Tyr Cars, Atlantic High Way, Bude, EX239JY

Roundabout & Moxham Garage

3.9/5

We are a well known independent garage situated in the heart of Yelverton. We are extremely easy to find and have many amenities local to us. RAC trading standards approved. FREE COURTESY CAR AVAILABLE !!
Moorland Villas, Yelverton, PL206DT

TyreMarks of Tavistock

3.7/5

At TyreMarks our aim is to be at the forefront and to lead the way to offer the best service and results in vehicle mechanical, electrical and diagnostic repair solutions. We run the very latest in diagnostic, ECU and emissions control equipment for just about any vehicle and manufacturer. This also includes many manufacture's own specific tools and software for Ford, BMW, VW, Audi, Seat, Skoda & Bentley, Vauxhall, Peugeot & Citroen. Our new premises in Westbridge Industrial Estate, Tavistock have given us exactly what we needed to become what we are today, with easy access and customer parking spaces at the front of the building, along with a massive parking area at the rear. A superb customer reception and waiting area, all fully compliant with disabled specifications including our toilets and a children's play area, a TV, Free WiFi and even a Free Coffee machine. Our new premises have given us the room to expand, not only our general mechanical services but also expand our specialist services even further, running 6 mechanical ramps (5 of which are rated to lift over 4 ton), a fully floating wheel free ramp to be able to offer a full 4 wheel alignment set up. Also we have 3 tyre fitting bays along with a separate room for our Stainless Steel Custom Exhaust fabrication for Powerflow, a specialist ECU repair and tuning room where we can actually open your ECU to update, repair damage, copy and clone, even clean up internal corrosion and water damage in our ultrasonic tank. We use the best products for your vehicle and we are a dealer for many leading manufactures including MICHELIN Tyres, BREMBO Brakes, SHELL Lubricants - that's correct we use Shell Oil as our standard workshop motor oil. Not many garages can say that. We are an RAC Approved Garage which shows the quality of our work and the parts we use. With the ever increasing issues with vehicle electronics, emissions and dash warning lights we have invested heavily in the latest equipment for repair, engine management, ABS, airbag, body control, TPMS (Tyre Pressure Management System) and emissions control systems, such as DPF's and EGR Valves. Our Hydroflow Carbon Cleaning Treatment along with our Off Vehicle DPF Cleaning machine run alongside our ever-increasing range of diagnostic tools and manufacture specific back up to help us stay at the forefront of our game. Our outstanding HYDROFLOW Engine Decarbonising Machine is amazing people with its results, whether its general maintenance or rectifying an array of faults including engine management faults, cleaning blocked DPF's and EGR valves. This helps to increase your MPG, reduce smoking exhausts, remove lumpy running and reduce high exhaust emissions, reducing flat spots, cleaning out sticking turbo's to name just a few. Our Hydroflow treatment has proven time and time again to improve all of these issues. With the new MOT regulations, a vehicle suffering from these issues can often make the difference between a pass or fail. We are a Powerflow Centre of Excellence and so can build you a full customised Stainless Steel Exhaust system from scratch. Whether you require a high performance system with a 200 Cell sports Catalytic Convertor, a standard replacement system or just a flexy section replacement, we can offer it. We fully tig weld every system in house for any car, van, tractor or even a generator and all our work comes with a Lifetime Guarantee. Just pop in and check out our new premises on Westbridge Industrial Estate, Pixon Lane, Tavistock to see what we can do for you.
Unit 5 Westbridge Ind Est, Tavistock, PL198DE

James & Aldridge Garage Limited.

3.0/5

James and Aldridge are based in Bude, Cornwall. We carry out Car Servicing, Car Repairs, MOT Testing, 24/7 Vehicle Recovery and Vehicle Transport and we’re now a Used Car Cornwall Dealership. Our Workshop is fully equipped with the very latest in servicing technology and all of our local car mechanics are trained to provide the highest level of vehicle care. We are now RAC Approved! The RAC have been serving motorists since 1897 and as the motorist’s champion, it’s their duty to provide motorists with a network of independent businesses they can trust. Being RAC approved, we follow the RAC Customer Charter. This means that every time you bring your vehicle to us you will get: • Honest Pricing – All work will be explained clearly and the costs will be transparent • Quality Work – Any car repair done will meet the high standard set by the RAC • Exceptional Customer Service – You’ll find the service friendly, straightforward and jargon free
Bude Stratton Business Park, Bude, EX238LY

Frequently asked questions about about starter motor repairs

If your starter motor isn’t working you may hear a clicking noise when you turn the key, the engine may not crank, you’ll have intermittent starting issues,and could hear grinding noises. Smoke coming from under the bonnet or a burning smell can also be signs of a bad starter motor.

Jumpstarting your car probably won’t help. It’s best to diagnose the problem and repair or replace the starter motor as needed.

Starter motors can become faulty due to wear and tear, electrical issues, mechanical failures, and environmental factors. Regular upkeep can help prevent these problems.

Starter motors last between 100,000 to 150,000 miles. However, this can change based on usage, maintenance, and the quality of the starter motor.

The starter motor is typically found near the bottom of the engine, where it engages with the engine’s flywheel. The exact location can vary depending on the vehicle’s make and model.

The time needed to repair a starter motor can vary. Minor repairs might take 1-2 hours, while a complete replacement could take 2-4 hours, depending on the car’s make and model and the skill of the mechanic.

In many cases, starter motors can be repaired, especially if the issues are minor. However, if the motor itself is damaged or worn out, you might need to replace it.

Driving with a faulty starter motor is not recommended as you could be left stranded if the car fails to start. It’s best to address starter motor issues straight away to avoid trouble and potential breakdowns.

To extend the life of your starter motor, keep up with regular up-keep, keep electrical connections clean and tight, avoid frequent short trips, and sort any starting issues as soon as you notice them.

Yes, you can perform basic tests at home. A visual inspection and battery voltage check using a multimetre are easily done without professional training. However, more detailed tests, like the current draw test, are best performed by a mechanic.

Yes, a faulty starter motor can strain the battery and alternator. Repeated attempts to start the car with a bad starter motor can overwork them, potentially leading to additional issues.

If the starter motor fails while you are away from home, you can contact a mobile mechanic or roadside assistance service. They can help diagnose the issue and perform temporary repairs or arrange towing if necessary.

Yes, a faulty starter motor can drain your car battery. This can make the car difficult to start and shorten the battery’s lifespan.

If the car starts but the starter motor makes a strange noise, such as grinding or whining, it could indicate a misalignment or wear in the starter gear. Have it inspected and repaired to avoid further damage.