# Starting Problems

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-problems/56891>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** mercury, cougar\
**Created:** [October 27, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-problems/56891 "2010-10-27T18:11:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mseiler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e19b73/32.png) [@mseiler](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mseiler)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-problems/56891/1 "2010-10-27T18:11:29Z")

</div>

My Daugher has a 2000 Mercury Cougar that acts like the starter bendix gear is sticking. She replaced the starter, still has the same problem. Basically, when you try to start it, it grinds, wait a few seconds try again sometimes it starts other times it grinds and wait and try it again until it starts. This happens intermittently. What could it be… HELP!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2010, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/starting-problems/56891/2 "2010-10-27T18:41:28Z")

</div>

If the starter is new and the symptom is the same then its time to inspect the flywheel teeth for damage.