I have a 1996 Camry, V6 XLE with about 175k miles on the clock. Recently when I started the car in the morning to go to work, the starter worked but it kept 'clicking' as the engine started. I was concerned so I turned the engine off, but the starter was still 'clicking'. I had to take the key out of the ignition and disconnect the battery for the 'clicking' to stop. I recently bought a replacement starter, but I am wondering the cause of this problem as well as if there are any additional parts I may need to purchase to fix this problem. My boyfriend (an amateur mechanic) keeps telling me that I need to buy a new ignition switch or an igntition lock column. Every mechanic I have talked to over the phone says that I need a new starter, but I am not sure who to believe. Any ideas??

Sometimes replacement starters aren't perfect... if they are not rebuilt by a professional, they can give you trouble. Since everything was fine before you replaced the starter, I would have to say the starter is faulty... take it out and back for warranty coverage. The ignition switch could cause this but I doubt it, because it's too coincedental that you've just replaced the starter and the new one is making noise.

I had a '96 Corolla that had a starter go bad about 2 years ago. It clicked when it started for a few days and then just went altogether. All we replaced was the starter...but it was a rebuilt one, so a few months later it went again, and we had to replace it again (this was free on account of the condition of buying a rebuilt one). I had my car up until May of this year and the starter was still working fine after the replacing of the starter the second time (i.e. two years of use). I would say that your problem will probably be fixed after you replace just the starter.