[Tom234]

I get a pitched grinding noise and engine doesn't turn over. but it's only happened twice in last two months. I don't want to get stuck in a mall parking lot when I'm supposed to be picking up the wife! I don't want to spend $XXX by going into my shop and saying "maybe there's a problem". Should I wait to see what it does, or act now to prevent a frustrating situation or damage to fly wheel, etc? Is it something else? Can starter be tested? Oh, it's a 2002 Taurus Wagon Duratec with 65,000 miles. Thanks for reading.

 

[sheila]

May stop by an auto parts store and have the starter tested for free, but if it's only acted up twice in the last 2 months (intermittent), the test may not pick up anything.

 

[chartmaker]

I get a pitched grinding noise and engine doesn't turn over. but it's only happened twice in last two months. I don't want to get stuck in a mall parking lot when I'm supposed to be picking up the wife! I don't want to spend $XXX by going into my shop and saying "maybe there's a problem". Should I wait to see what it does, or act now to prevent a frustrating situation or damage to fly wheel, etc? Is it something else? Can starter be tested? Oh, it's a 2002 Taurus Wagon Duratec with 65,000 miles. Thanks for reading.

There are other posts on this.
-chart-

 

[helifino]

There are other posts on this.
-chart-

Yep, read this one: Whirrr no crank- once a month