How To Test The Starter Motor (2001-2002 2.7L Dodge Stratus)

Testing the starter motor on the 2001-2002 2.7L V6 Dodge Stratus (Chrysler Sebring) can seem quite the challenge (or even impossible).

The cool thing is that you can find out if the starter motor is defective or not without having to remove it from the engine to bench test it.

In this tutorial, I'll show you the 3 tests you need to perform to find out.

You can find this tutorial in Spanish here: Cómo Probar El Motor De Arranque (2001-2002 2.7L Dodge Stratus) (at: autotecnico-online.com).

APPLIES TO: This tutorial applies to the following vehicles:

• 2.7L V6 Dodge Stratus: 2001, 2002.
• 2.7L V6 Chrysler Sebring: 2001, 2002.

Important Safety Tips And Precautions

TIP 1: The test in this tutorial are for an on-car test of the starter motor. You don't have to remove it to test it.

The illustrations show it removed only to facilitate the explanation of the test connections you'll need to make with a remote start switch or your multimeter.

If you have removed it, you can bench-test it and the following tutorial will help you: Bench Testing The Starter Motor.

TIP 2: It's important that the battery on your Dodge Stratus be fully charged before beginning the tests. Also, the battery cable terminals and battery posts must be clean and corrosion free.

TIP 3: If your vehicle has a standard transmission, make sure that it's out of gear and in neutral, and that the parking brake is activated/on.

TIP 4: You'll need to raise your Dodge Stratus (or Chrysler Sebring) to access the starter motor. Use jack stands to keep it up. Don't trust the jack!

Symptoms Of A Bad Starter Motor

What you'll normally see, when the starter motor goes bad, is that the engine will not turn over when you try to crank and start it.

This usually happens when the starter motor has fried completely. In some cases, the starter motor will function some of the time but not all of the time. Here's a basic list of the symptoms you'll see when the starter motor is defective:

1. Jump starting the engine doesn't make it crank over.
2. The battery has been charged and/or replaced and still your Dodge Stratus does not crank.
3. When you turn the key to crank the engine, all you hear is a small knock and nothing else.

Tools Needed To Test The Starter Motor

Testing the starter motor, on your 2001-2002 2.7L V6 Dodge Stratus (Chrysler Sebring), does require some basic tools. The cool thing is that they aren't expensive. Here's a basic list of what you'll need:

1. Remote starter switch.
   • If you'd like to see what a remote starter switch looks like, you can follow this link: Innova 3630 Remote Starter Switch (Amazon affiliate link).
   • You can either buy this tool online or you can buy it at your local auto parts store (AutoZone or O'Reilly Auto Parts, etc.).
2. Multimeter or a 12 Volt automotive test light.
   • If you don't have a multimeter or need to upgrade yours, check out my recommendation here: Tekpower TP8268 AC/DC Auto/Manual Range Digital Multimeter (Amazon affiliate link).
3. A wire piercing probe.
   • This tool is not an 'absolute must-have tool' but I can tell you from experience that it makes it a whole lot easier to probe the S terminal wire for the start signal.
   • If you'd like to see what this tool looks like, you find out more about it here: Wire Piercing Probe Tool Review (Power Probe PWPPPPP01).
4. A helper.

As you can see you don't need anything expensive. OK, let's turn the page and get starter with the first starter motor test.

TEST 1: Applying 12 Volts To The Starter Motor S Terminal

The first thing we're gonna', to find out if the starter is behind the 'no-crank' condition of your Dodge 2001-2002 2.7L Stratus (Chrysler Sebring), is to apply 12 Volts directly to its solenoid's S terminal.

The S terminal is the terminal that gets the activation signal when you turn the key to crank and start the engine.

The fastest, safest, and easiest way to apply 12 Volts to the S terminal is by using a remote start switch. You can see an example of this tool (and where to buy it), here: Innova 3630 Remote Starter Switch (Amazon affiliate link).

IMPORTANT: Before you perform this test remove the key from the ignition switch to prevent the engine from accidentally starting. If your Dodge Stratus is equipped with a standard transmission, place it in neutral.

IMPORTANT: Place your 2.7L Dodge Stratus on jack stands if you raise it to access the starter motor!

OK, these are the test steps:

1. 1

   Disconnect the battery negative (-) terminal.
   
   You'll reconnect it back in one of the following steps, for now, it's a safety precaution as you set up the test.

2. 2

   Disconnect the wire that connects to the S terminal of the starter motor solenoid.

3. 3

   Attach one of the alligator-type terminals of the remote starter switch to the S terminal of the starter motor solenoid.
   
   You're making this connection at the starter motor solenoid itself and not on the wire you just disconnected.

4. 4

   Reconnect the battery negative (-) cable to the battery negative (-) post.
   
   NOTE: Make sure that the battery cables and posts are clean.

5. 5

   Connect the remaining alligator-type terminal of the remote starter switch to the battery positive (+) post.
   
   IMPORTANT: If your Dodge Stratus has a standard transmission, make sure it's out of gear before you make this last connection.

6. 6

   Activate the starter motor with your remote starter switch. As you apply these 12 Volts (to the S terminal of the starter motor), you'll get one of two results:
   
   1) The starter will activate and will turn over the engine -OR- 2) The starter motor won't do a thing.

Let's examine your test result:

CASE 1: The starter motor cranked the engine. This test result confirms that the starter motor itself is OK (not defective).

Now, since the starter motor is not cranking the engine (when you turn the key to crank and start it), there's a good chance that the starter motor is not receiving its activation signal.

To further test this, go to the next test: TEST 2: Verifying The Start Signal.

CASE 2: The starter motor DID NOT crank the engine. This usually means that your Dodge Stratus's starter motor is bad and needs to be rebuilt or replaced.

I suggest 2 more tests and these are make sure that the starter motor is getting its 12 Volt signal signal and to test the battery cable (that attaches to the starter motor solenoid) for corrosion. This can be accomplished very easily with a voltage drop test.

• Go to: TEST 2: Verifying The Start Signal.
• Go to: TEST 3: Voltage Drop Testing The Battery (+) Cable.

If the above two tests confirm that the start signal IS present and there's no voltage drop on the battery cable (feeding battery power to the starter motor), then you can confidently conclude your Dodge Stratus's starter motor is bad and needs to be replaced.

TEST 2: Verifying The Start Signal

In this test section, we're gonna' make sure that the start signal is present on the wire that connects to the S terminal of your Dodge Stratus or Chrysler Sebring's starter motor solenoid.

This activation signal should be present when you turn the key to crank and start the engine.

This is a very simple test and we'll use a multimeter to check the start signal voltage.

OK, These are the test steps:

1. 1

   Disconnect the S wire from the S terminal.

2. 2

   Connect the red multimeter test lead to the female terminal of the S wire you just disconnected in step 1.

3. 3

   Attach the black multimeter test lead to a clean and rust-free spot on the engine or on the vehicle frame.
   
   I recommend that you use a battery jump start cable to Ground the multimeter test lead directly to the battery negative (-) terminal.

4. 4

   Have your helper crank the engine from inside your Dodge Stratus.
   
   The engine won't turn over, but the idea is to verify that the starter motor's internal solenoid is getting the 12 Volt start signal from the ignition switch (or not).

5. 5

   Your multimeter is going to register one of two results: Either 9 - 12 Volts DC or no voltage at all.

Let's analyze your test result:

CASE 1: The multimeter registered 10 to 12 Volts. This is the correct test result and tells you that the starter motor is receiving its activation signal.

This test result eliminates the safety neutral switch and the ignition switch as being faulty. The next step is to do a voltage drop test on the starter's battery cable. For this test go to: TEST 3: Voltage Drop Testing The Battery (+) Cable.

CASE 2: Your multimeter DID NOT register 10 to 12 Volts. This result tells you that the starter motor is not getting its activation signal. Without it, the starter motor will not crank the engine when you turn the key to crank and start the engine.

Usually, when the starter's activation signal is not present on the wire that connects to the starter solenoid's S terminal, it's usually because:

• The ignition switch is faulty.
• The starter relay is defective.
• The neutral safety switch is faulty or misaligned.

Although it's beyond the scope of this article to test the neutral safety switch, the starter relay, or the ignition switch, you have eliminated the starter motor as defective.

TEST 3: Voltage Drop Testing The Battery (+) Cable

In this last test, we're gonna' do a voltage drop test on the battery wire that connects to the starter motor.

Why do a voltage drop test on this wire? Because in some cases, the starter motor is OK but it isn't cranking the engine because this wire is not supplying the full amount of current that's available from the battery.

Usually, this is due to some sort of hidden corrosion blocking the delivery of all the current it can carry.

This is a pretty easy test to do an interpret using only a multimeter.

IMPORTANT: Don't disconnect the battery cable from the starter motor's solenoid. In the illustration the battery cable is disconnected from the starter motor just to make it easier to show the multimeter test connections.

Let's get testing:

1. 1

   Place your multimeter in Volts DC mode.

2. 2

   Attach the black multimeter test lead to the center of the positive (+) battery terminal.
   
   If the positive battery post isn't clean, clean a spot right on the top of it. It's important that the multimeter lead make contact right in the center of the positive battery post.

3. 3

   Connect the black multimeter test lead to the center of the stud to which the big battery cable attaches to on the starter solenoid.

4. 4

   Have your helper crank the engine even though the starter motor isn't cranking the engine.
   
   This is important, since a voltage drop test has to be done while the component in question is working (or trying to work).

5. 5

   If all is good (no voltage drop), your multimeter will register 0 Volts (.5 Volts is still 0 Volts).
   
   If there's a voltage drop (which is bad), your multimeter will register voltage (usually above 7 Volts DC).

Let's take a look at what your results mean:

CASE 1: Your multimeter registered 0 Volts (no voltage drop). This is the correct test result and confirms that the battery cable is OK.

You can conclude your Dodge Stratus or Chrysler Sebring's starter motor is defective if you have:

1. Confirmed that the starter motor doesn't work when you apply power to the S terminal wire of the starter motor (TEST 1).
2. Confirmed that the starter motor is receiving the crank signal (TEST 2).
3. In this test step, you have confirmed that no voltage drop exists on the battery positive cable.

Replacing the starter motor should solve your no-crank condition.

I'm going to make two more recommendations to you:

• Before removing the starter motor, manually turn the engine using a 1/2 ratchet and the appropriate socket. This is to make sure that the engine or the A/C compressor have not locked up and causing the no-crank condition.
• Bench test the starter motor after removing it. This is a super easy test to do and this tutorial will help: Bench Testing The Starter Motor.

CASE 2: Your multimeter registered 5 Volts or more. This result tells you that a voltage drop does exist. In other words, the battery's full power is not reaching the starter motor.

The good news is that this is usually caused by some sort of corrosion issue on the battery positive cable or terminals or the battery positive (+) post.

The solution is to thoroughly clean the battery positive (+) post and the battery positive (+) terminal (both the end that attaches to the battery positive (+) post and the end the connects to the starter motor's battery (+) cable stud.

After cleaning, try cranking the engine. If it cranks and starts, no further testing is required.

More 2.7L Dodge Tutorials

If this tutorial was helpful, you can find a complete list of 2.7L Dodge tutorials in this index:

• Chrysler 2.7L Index Of Articles.

Here's a small sample of the tutorials you'll find in the index:

• How To Test The Blower Motor (2001-2006 Dodge Stratus).
• How To Test The Throttle Position Sensor (2.7L V6 Chrysler).
• How To Test The MAP Sensor (2000-2004 2.7L Chrysler).
• How To Test Engine Compression (2.7L V6 Chrysler).