Abstract: The invention relates to a starter device (10) for internal combustion engines (15) in motor vehicles with a controller (19), a starter relay (12), a starter pinion (13) and a starter motor (11), whereby on each start/stop process in the stop phase (first step) the starter relay engages the starter pinion in the toothed ring (14) of the engine and in the start phase (second step) the engine is turned over by the starter motor. According to the invention, the starter pinion (13) may be engaged as quietly as possible for a subsequent starting process on switching off the engine (10) and held in position until starting, whereby, in the first step of the starting process, the armature (28) of the starter relay (12) is withdrawn with reduced force to a position with open switch contact (18) and held there until the start of the second step, whereupon the armature (28) closes the switch contact (18) of the starter motor with full force.