Starters are essential components in any vehicle. But when it comes to your truck, reliability is even more critical. Whether you work hard, play hard or both, your starter must be ready to deliver dependable performance every time you turn the ignition key. Thankfully, you’ve got a lot of options to choose from. This short guide introduces some top-rated starters for Ford, Chevy and other truck makes.

Ford Ranger Starter

Ford Ranger starters are available from a wide range of aftermarket auto parts brands. Among the most popular is Duralast, a Tennessee-based manufacturer of OE-quality parts ranging from brakes to batteries and more. Ford Ranger starter products include the Duralast Gold series: Each starter contains 100% newly manufactured components and is triple-tested at the component, sub-assembly and finished product levels.

Other top-rated brands include Bosch and Valucraft. Bosch Premium starters are factory-tested to ensure they withstand extremes such as heat, cold and high loads. The brand offers both new and remanufactured models, with each unit designed to meet or exceed original equipment specs. Similarly, Valucraft starters result from a meticulous remanufacture process and are rigorously tested to ensure they deliver superb quality and performance out of the box.

Chevy C1500 Starter

Chevy truck starters come in a similar range of brands and product types. Duralast Gold offers many Chevy C1500 starter models, providing the same kind of quality and performance as its Ford Ranger starters. In fact, Duralast produces starters in its Gold series for many truck makes — GMC, Dodge, Jeep, Toyota, Honda, Nissan and more.

Bosch and Valucraft also produce starters for the Chevy C1500 and dozens of other trucks. To get an exact match, use your auto parts retailer’s website drop-down options to narrow by specific year, make, model and engine type. By narrowing down your selection, you save time plus you ensure that you purchase the right starter the first time.

Signs of a Failing Starter

The most obvious sign of a failing starter is an engine that doesn’t turn over when you turn the ignition key. However, other symptoms can appear before complete failure:

  • Grinding, clinking or whirring sounds
  • Fumes or smoke under the hood
  • Dimming lights upon startup
  • Engine cranking very slowly
  • Intermittent refusal to start

These symptoms indicate that your starter may quit working very soon. It’s hard to pinpoint an exact time when failure will happen, so it’s best to replace the starter as soon as you notice problems. Your preferred auto parts and accessories dealer may be able to test your starter for you. Check with store staff for more details.

Don’t Forget Your Battery

Your truck’s starter is crucial to its dependability, but you must also pay attention to the battery. Batteries last between two and five years, depending on your driving habits and power needs. Experts typically recommend checking your battery every six months or 6,000 miles. You can also keep a professional battery charger on hand to stay powered up just in case you leave your headlights on or must park your truck for an extended time.

Starters are essential components in any vehicle. But when it comes to your truck, reliability is even more critical. Whether you work hard, play hard or both, your starter must be ready to deliver dependable performance every time you turn the ignition key. Thankfully, you’ve got a lot of options to choose from. This short guide introduces some top-rated starters for Ford, Chevy and other truck makes.

Ford Ranger Starter

Ford Ranger starters are available from a wide range of aftermarket auto parts brands. Among the most popular is Duralast, a Tennessee-based manufacturer of OE-quality parts ranging from brakes to batteries and more. Ford Ranger starter products include the Duralast Gold series: Each starter contains 100% newly manufactured components and is triple-tested at the component, sub-assembly and finished product levels.

Other top-rated brands include Bosch and Valucraft. Bosch Premium starters are factory-tested to ensure they withstand extremes such as heat, cold and high loads. The brand offers both new and remanufactured models, with each unit designed to meet or exceed original equipment specs. Similarly, Valucraft starters result from a meticulous remanufacture process and are rigorously tested to ensure they deliver superb quality and performance out of the box.

Chevy C1500 Starter

Chevy truck starters come in a similar range of brands and product types. Duralast Gold offers many Chevy C1500 starter models, providing the same kind of quality and performance as its Ford Ranger starters. In fact, Duralast produces starters in its Gold series for many truck makes — GMC, Dodge, Jeep, Toyota, Honda, Nissan and more.

Bosch and Valucraft also produce starters for the Chevy C1500 and dozens of other trucks. To get an exact match, use your auto parts retailer’s website drop-down options to narrow by specific year, make, model and engine type. By narrowing down your selection, you save time plus you ensure that you purchase the right starter the first time.

Signs of a Failing Starter

The most obvious sign of a failing starter is an engine that doesn’t turn over when you turn the ignition key. However, other symptoms can appear before complete failure:

  • Grinding, clinking or whirring sounds
  • Fumes or smoke under the hood
  • Dimming lights upon startup
  • Engine cranking very slowly
  • Intermittent refusal to start

These symptoms indicate that your starter may quit working very soon. It’s hard to pinpoint an exact time when failure will happen, so it’s best to replace the starter as soon as you notice problems. Your preferred auto parts and accessories dealer may be able to test your starter for you. Check with store staff for more details.

Don’t Forget Your Battery

Your truck’s starter is crucial to its dependability, but you must also pay attention to the battery. Batteries last between two and five years, depending on your driving habits and power needs. Experts typically recommend checking your battery every six months or 6,000 miles. You can also keep a professional battery charger on hand to stay powered up just in case you leave your headlights on or must park your truck for an extended time.