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Can a bad starter drain a car’s battery?

When I went to start my car this morning, my battery was having trouble starting—the lights would turn on but the car itself wouldn’t start. I also noticed strange noises coming from the engine. So, I was wondering if a faulty starter can drain my car’s battery?

avatar
Annette Maxon · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Sorry to hear about that! Hopefully, it didn’t put too much of a damper on your day.
To answer your question, yes—a bad starter drains your car’s battery. And what’s more, is that it will drain the battery even faster if you keep trying to start your car despite having the faulty starter still installed!
If there’s any issues with your starter, you should take your car to an auto mechanic to get this essential piece replaced sooner than later.
In the case that you can’t get your car to start, you may need to call a tow truck to help you out. Fortunately, if you have
towing and labor coverage
as part of your
car insurance plan
, part of this cost will likely be covered.
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**MORE: Why isn’t my car starting? A quick troubleshooting guide
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