WARNING
To avoid personal injury and/or vehicle damage, refer to the service precautions at the beginning of this section.
The starting system includes the battery, starter motor and solenoid, ignition switch, circuit protection and wiring connecting all of the components. An inhibitor switch located in the Transmission Range (TR) sensor is included in the starting system to prevent the vehicle from being started unless the transmission is in PARK. A similar function is performed by the clutch switch in manual transmission vehicles.
When the ignition key is turned to the START position, current flows and energizes the starter's solenoid coil. The solenoid plunger and clutch shift lever are activated and the clutch pinion engages the ring gear on the flywheel. The switch contacts close, and the starter cranks the engine until the engine starts.
To prevent damage caused by excessive starter armature rotation when the engine starts, the starter incorporates an over-running clutch in the pinion gear. This disengages the starter motor from the engine when the engine begins to run on its own.