Does Your Car Whine Before it Starts?
A car's starter is an electric motor that cranks the engine using electricity from the battery when you turn the ignition. There are several common ways starters can fail, but they usually give you warning signs before it happens.
A warning sign that you will notice sometimes before a starter fails completely is called freewheeling. This is when the starter's gear slips and doesn't engage the flywheel that cranks the engine. If you start to hear a high-pitched whine before the engine starts, you should have the starter inspected soon.