Hi , I'm back once again with a question re my daughter's 51 plate Polo 9N 1.4 automatic .

 

For a while , every time the car was started there was this momentary metallic sounding screech . I presume it comes from the starter motor . As long as it was only once in a while I didn't worry too much about it , but now it seems to be happening every time the car is started .

 

Is this a known issue with this model ?

 

If not , I guess I'm going to take out the starter motor anyway as it happens only while the starter is engaged , and inspect it . If the solenoid/pinion gear is at all dirty and not sliding freely then I will start by dismantling , cleaning , lightly greasing to see if that helps . If not I will get a new starter motor . 

 

I've looked at a youtube tutorial on a 1.2 where the starter is located under the battery tray ; is is in much the same location on the 1.4 engine ( before I pull apart stuff I don't need to ) ? 

 

I would , as always , appreciate any advice .

I think you'll find that the starter motor is down the back of the engine on automatics, below the inlet manifold.  I'll try to find a picture or two later.

On our Fabia 1.2 I had the same symptom at one time, and bought a spare 2nd hand starter to swap in.  Part way through the disassembly, I realised that I needed an 18mm socket, and my set at the time had that size missing, so all I did was remove, clean up and replace the big positive and ground connections to the starter. To my surprise, that seemed to fix it, and the same (original) motor continues to start the car several years later with no screeching.  Can't explain it, to be honest.

 

Here's a picture taken from above, with inlet manifold removed, courtesy of user Rhowell203 on Briskoda:

Edited 11 September, 20206 yr by Pete1