Hello, my 2006 S40 T5 is not starting up very well. We are assuming it’s a bad starter but hoping someone can confirm. When I turn the key to the third position all I hear is a whirring sound. I keep turning it and sometimes it will turn over but not start. And sometimes it just makes the whirring sound. Then it finally starts after 10+ tries. Then again every once in a while it starts up like normal with no issues. Again, kind of assuming it needs a new starter but I’m wondering if anyone has had a similar issue before i spend $200 on a part. Thank you very much!

 

Make sure your battery is good, but if you go to the 3rd position on the key, and it "whirrs", that's generally the bendix unit not kicking in, which requires a new starter. If you hear a "clank" and then it engages, you know that's the problem.

 

It certainly sounds like your starter is going bad. If you sometimes hear a whirring sound with a no start, then it's probably the solenoid within the starter not engaging. That happened to me on another vehicle (a Toyota). Most auto parts stores can test it for you before you purchase a new one.