A Mustang's starter will not last forever. Over time, the gears and electrical components within the starter wear out. Given enough time, you will not be able to start the engine. Thankfully, starters rarely just stop working. Signs of a starter that needs replacement include a grinding sound when the ignition switch is operated and difficulty turning the engine.
Disconnect the negative battery cable from the battery using a wrench. The negative battery terminal will be marked with a "---" symbol next to its post.
Chock the rear wheels.
Apply the parking brake.
Jack up the font of the car and support the car with jack stands rated to support the weight of the vehicle safely.
Locate the starter from underneath the passenger side of the Mustang. The starter is about the size of a coffee can and is located between the engine and the transmission.
Disconnect the starter cable from the electrical terminal on the side of the starter. Use a wrench to remove the single nut that fastens the battery cable to the starter.
Remove the two bolts that hold the starter in place.There is one bolt located on either side of the starter.
Pull the starter towards the front of the Mustang to remove it.
Insert the new starter into place while ensuring that the mounting holes on either side of the starter align with the mounting holes on the transmission's bell housing.
Insert the two retaining bolts through the starter and into the bell housing. Tighten these two bolts with a wrench by turning the bolts in a clockwise direction.
Slide the battery cable over the post located on the side of the starter and secure the cable with the nut that was removed in step 6.
Connect the negative battery cable to the negative post on the battery.
