Starter clicks once - one in every 15 engine starts

[shyguylondon]

Hi, got a 1.6 petrol fusion plus auto. One in every 12-15 engine starts I get a single click and nothing. I then have to anti clockwise rotate the key and crank again and engine starts. Been looking online - some say solenoid, some say relay - ideas? It’s only done 40 odd thousand miles. Full Ford dealer history last serviced Aug 21 but only recently started doing it. Thanks! 

[isetta]

Might be starter motor. Mileage is irrelevant . Eg if average journey is 4 miles and car has 40k miles that is 10,000 starts.  If car has 100k miles with average journey 25 miles that has only done 4,000 starts. Of course I don’t know average miles per journey but I’m just showing that total mileage means nothing when it comes to starter motor. 

[isetta]

Establishing where the click comes from might help narrow it down. Does the click come from the solenoid on the side of the starter motor? I know that’s not easy to establish if it does not do it often .

[shyguylondon]

Hi, establishing where the click comes from will be most difficult because when it occurs the next keyturn starts the car. If it did the clicks twice in a row then what you suggest may have been feasible. Thanks anyway.