Jumping Starter Solenoid with Screwdriver – How? Is It Dangerous?

We've all been in a situation when our vehicle didn't want to start the traditional way. You turn the key or push the button in your car and don't hear any cranking. This is devastating because you will most likely be late to where you are going and will have to invest some money to repair the vehicle and get it back on the road.

Engine electrical problems highlights

• Level of urgency:high
• DIY inspection:possible but complicated
• DIY repairs:impossible
• Can you drive?yes, if it starts
• Price of repairs:$150 - $650
• If ignored:no-start, harsh work, warning lights
• Ways to fix:good scanning for codes, professional repairs

Why and when will you need a screwdriver to start your car?

Some decades ago, humanity used push starting as the main way to start their cars when something went wrong. This is not possible with modern cars, at least with those that have automatic transmissions. But these modern cars don't stop failing and now you don't have this magic push start option to overcome all the difficulties and keep driving even if something happens with your vehicle.

But you have another option - screwdriver start! Here's when you will want to use it:

• if your car is dead in the middle of nowhere and it's just dangerous to stay there for a long time;
• if the vehicle died in winter on the highway and you are risking to get frozen;
• if you are off-roading and suddenly your vehicle stops and stalls and never starts again;
• if you don't care about the technical health of your car and just need to get to a certain place fast;
• if you are in a hurry for a very important event and just can't afford to be late there.

Unfortunately, the screwdriver start will not work properly at all times. It can work under some conditions and it needs some units in your vehicle to work properly. So, this is not the magic way to get rid of all problems. But sometimes, it may save you a couple of hours of your time or even save you from risking your health and even life.

So, let's see how exactly this method works and how you should do this to avoid issues.

How do you start a car with a screwdriver?

Well, it doesn't work in a simple way - you don't need to insert that screwdriver directly into the ignition cylinder! Your task is to locate your starter motor and use the tool to connect certain terminals in this unit to make it rotate. This may seem complicated, but actually, anyone can do that.

We'll provide you with a detailed step-by-step guide on how to start a car with a screwdriver to avoid any misunderstandings and mistakes in the process. Here's what exactly you should do:

• Apply the handbrake to prevent your car from moving before you want it. Put the transmission into Park.
• Turn on the ignition and leave the key in the key cylinder or near the button to let it work properly.
• Open your hood and come to the engine bay from the front end of the vehicle.
• Locate the starter motor - usually, it's located on the front part of the engine at the bottom of the engine bay. It looks like a metal cylinder with another smaller cylinder on it and some wires connected to it.
• Locate the starter solenoid - this is exactly that smaller metal or plastic cylinder that we told you about earlier.
• Locate the two terminals with connected wires - they are usually located on the side of this solenoid.
• Take a screwdriver with a rubber or plastic handle - this is important to avoid risks to your health.
• Connect those two contacts with the metal part of the screwdriver to let the electricity flow between them - just touch them both with the metal part of the tool.
• Wait till the engine starts and quickly take the screwdriver away to avoid starter motor damage.
• Get into your vehicle and start driving. Don't turn the engine off unless you are at your destination.

This doesn't look really complicated but the process is not as straightforward as you may think. In some vehicles, the position of the starter motor is not as convenient as in others. Also, the terminals on the starter solenoid are often covered with plastic or rubber protection. This means you will have to spend some time getting to those terminals and using them.

Also, this method shouldn't be used a lot because it's not quite good for your car and may cause some damage.

How can you damage your vehicle with a screwdriver start?

There are numerous ways to damage your vehicle and also to get some injuries when starting your vehicle with a screwdriver. You shouldn't do this unless the situation is helpless. Also, you shouldn't do it if you don't have the optimal type of screwdriver for this. The damage to your health may be pretty bad if you eventually get an electric shock from that screwdriver. Be careful and carefully think of what you are doing at every step!

Also, remember about such possible risks to your vehicle:

• Short circuit. Once you touch something else with the metal part of the screwdriver, the short may come and ruin your vehicle's electrical system.
• Starter solenoid issues. The solenoid may get burned if you do something wrong or if something is wrong with the solenoid itself.
• The starter motor may get damaged. If you don't take the screwdriver off the terminals when needed, the bendix will keep on rotating and it will kill the starter motor pretty fast.
• Blown fuse. If the short circuit will happen, one of the fuses may go bad and you will not be able to start your car without locating and replacing this fuse.
• The car may move. If the car is not in Park, it can move once you touch the terminals with the screwdriver. You can get hit by a car and the transmission may get damaged.

So, this is not the safest thing you can do with your vehicle. And the other bad news is that you won't always be able to use this trick. It will only work under some conditions. And given you will experience a lot of risks, we don't recommend approaching your starter motor with the screwdriver in your hand unless this is your only chance to start the car and get out of the place where you are now.

Why doesn't a screwdriver start always work?

For this method to work properly, a couple of important conditions should be true. For example, you shouldn't forget to turn the ignition on, otherwise, the starter will not get any current and will not rotate however hard you beat it with your screwdriver.

But here are some other conditions that don't depend much on you:

• The battery should be OK. If your battery is dead, it just won't have enough juice to start the engine. Try jump-starting the battery or using a kind of booster to solve the problem.
• The starter should be working. If the starter is stuck or some electrical component of the starter is malfunctioning, the engine will not start.
• The engine should be fine. The broken engine will not start if you use a screwdriver to jump your starter solenoid. The engine should work well and not have any issues.
• All fuses should be OK. If you have a blown fuse in your vehicle, it can be one of the important fuses that just don't allow important components to work.

So, the screwdriver will help you in one case: when the signal from the ignition cylinder or engine start button doesn't go through all the wires to the starter motor. In this case, you may use the screwdriver and jump the starter solenoid to start the engine and drive to the repair shop. In all other cases, the problem with starting your engine will not depend on the connection between the cylinder and the starter motor, so the screwdriver will not help.

The screwdriver doesn't help - what should I do?

If nothing helps, your best choice is to call for help. You should find a person or a company that can help you out. For example, the best choice is to call a company that provides drivers with tow-truck services. Also, you may call your mechanic, describe the problem and get professional advice.

If your car is still fresh and under warranty, it may have a certain type of assistance from the dealer. Call your dealer and ask if they can help you somehow in this situation. Take your screwdriver and dig in the starter motor in that case only if nothing else works.