The starter in the 2005 Dodge Neon is the core of the vehicle’s starting system. Operating your car with a failing starter can leave you stranded and in need of the auto club. When your car struggles to start, determine if the starter is at fault and if so, replace it right away. Buy a new starter at an auto-parts specialty store and change it at home.
Things You’ll Need
- Wrench set
- Jack
- Jack stands
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Raise the hood of the car. Remove the negative cable from the battery with a wrench.
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Raise the car with a jack, holding it stable with jack stands. Locate the starter at the base of the engine compartment, near the driver-side wheel well. Remove the retaining nuts holding the cables on the starter and pull the cables from the posts.
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Remove the mounting bolts from the top of the starter body with a wrench. Support the starter while you remove the lower mounting bolts with a wrench. Pull the starter out of the engine compartment. Insert the new starter, positioning it the same orientation as the one you removed.
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Install the lower mounting bolts and tighten them with the wrench. Support the starter body while you repeat the process with the upper mounting bolts. Attach the cables to the posts and tighten the retaining nuts with a wrench.
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Raise the car using the jack, then remove the stands. Connect the negative cable to the battery post. Lower the hood and test the new starter.