Typical, waiting for the lease company to collect my X Type and now the starter motor is playing up. Made a horrible graunching noise yesterday when I tried to start it & would not engage. I rolled it down hill a bit in gear and then it started with the starter motor.
So 2 questions:
Is the horrible noise actually doing as much damage as it sounds like it is?
The car has not been moved for a couple of weeks, so would taking it for a run 'free up' the starter?
cheers
Darren

 

Rolling it down a hill started the car because you are bypassing the starter in that situation. The starter isn't needed when you push start it.

The horrible noise isn't doing damage to anything except for the starter itself, which sounds like it is dead anyways.

Taking it for a drive will most likely not revive the starter.

If you want to temporarily fix things until the lease company comes and picks it up, bang the starter really hard a few times with a hammer. I'm serious - it really works! This will not permanently fix it, obviously... but it may be enough to extend the life long enough to make it the leasing company's problem rather than yours. Of course, you should be up front about it with the company when you turn the car in, hahahahaha!

 

cheers, yes must remember to mention it to them when they collect it......