2018–2024 Jeep Wrangler

2018-2024 Jeep Wrangler - Starter

By Tom Becker ✓ Certified Mechanic · Published Sep 21, 2026 · Updated Oct 14, 2026

🔧🔧🔧 Advanced 3-4 hours (first time) $110 DIY

Save $515 by doing it yourself! Shop cost: $625

Quick answer: Starter on a 2018–2024 Jeep Wrangler is rated Advanced and takes about 3-4 hours (first time). You'll need 7 tools for this job, and parts cost about $110. This guide walks you through the full job step by step, including the mistakes to avoid.

Quick Video Tutorial

Parts You Need

Total Cost

$110.00

Part Name	Part Number	Price	Buy
Starter motor	—	$110.00	Amazon

About prices: shown prices are typical retail averages and change frequently; cheaper alternatives may be available. Confirm the current price before buying.

💡 Pro tip: Order all parts at once to save on shipping

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps carefully

Rule out the batteries first

Press the start button with your foot on the brake and listen. A single solid click with no cranking often means a worn starter solenoid or brushes. Load-test the main battery and check its connections before buying a starter.

Disconnect the negative battery terminal

Keep every tool away from the positive cable until the negative is isolated. Disconnect the negative terminal of the main battery first and secure the cable so it cannot touch the post again.

Find the starter beside the left catalytic converter

Remove the engine skid plate if equipped, then take a good look with a work light — the converter and the front driveshaft block the direct path, which is why the factory procedure treats this as an exhaust job as much as a starter job.

Free the exhaust path for removal

Soak the exhaust flange hardware in penetrating oil well ahead of time, support the exhaust before unbolting it, and mark the alignment of every flange so it goes back together without leaks.

🔧 Mechanic's note — Ray Delgado

I tell everyone in my shop to soak those exhaust bolts the night before — not ten minutes before. Rusted exhaust hardware snaps, and a snapped flange stud turns your starter job into an exhaust-manifold job. Penetrating oil and patience.

Disconnect the wiring and unbolt the starter

Remove the large B+ cable nut and lift the cable off, then disconnect the smaller solenoid signal wire. With the converter aside, photograph the wiring before touching it.

Install the new starter

Slide the new unit in the same way, start both bolts by hand, then tighten them evenly and reconnect the signal wire and the B+ cable with clean, snug terminals.

🔧 Mechanic's note — Tom Becker

I've been burned enough times that I always bench-compare before you install — misboxed starters are genuinely common on Wranglers. Finding out the nose cone is wrong after you've wrestled it past the converter is a special kind of misery.

Reassemble, reconnect and road-test

Refit the catalytic converter, driveshaft, crossmember, resonator and Y-pipe, tightening the exhaust hardware in sequence and double-checking every flange alignment mark. Reconnect the negative battery terminal, start the Jeep and listen for clean engagement with no grinding or exhaust leaks at the converter flanges. Take a short drive, then re-inspect the exhaust connections once the pipes are cool.

All Done!

Test your repair before closing everything up. If something doesn't work right, double-check your steps.

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Condemning the starter when the real culprit is the JL's dual-battery system — a dead auxiliary battery causes click-no-crank that a main-battery jump alone may not fix.
• Trying to wiggle the starter out past the left catalytic converter instead of removing it as the service procedure calls for, and damaging the converter or the starter nose.
• Forgetting to disconnect the negative terminal before reaching into the tight driver-side pocket, risking a wrench short across the B+ cable.

Tools You'll Need

Socket set (13mm, 14mm, 15mm and exhaust-size sockets) Ratchet with long extensions and universal joint Penetrating oil Jack and two jack stands plus a floor jack for the exhaust Torque wrench Work light Magnetic tray for exhaust hardware Gloves and safety glasses

Torque Specifications

Critical specs — don't skip these!

Bolt	Nm	ft-lbs
Starter mounting bolts	45	33

Important: Use a calibrated torque wrench. Over-tightening can strip threads. Under-tightening can loosen parts.

⚠️ Safety First!

• Disconnect the negative battery terminal first — the JL's dual-battery system keeps both circuits live, so be certain the cables cannot spring back.
• Let the engine and exhaust cool completely; the starter sits beside the left catalytic converter, which stays dangerously hot for a long time.
• Support the Jeep on jack stands and chock the wheels; you will be working under the driver-side frame rail for most of this job.