How pauses between cranking attempts, a charged battery, a dry engine bay and regular brush checks extend the service life of a starter.
If the starter fails the car will not start, and the unit is not cheap. Most failures come from misuse, so a few simple rules can noticeably extend its life.
- Keep cranking short; in cold weather do not crank for more than about 10 seconds and wait before trying again.
- Keep the battery charged, as a weak battery overloads the starter.
- Keep the engine bay dry and drive slowly through puddles.
- Have the starter inspected for wear every 40,000–50,000 km and watch the brushes.
When in doubt, a workshop with dedicated starter test equipment can catch problems early and reduce repair costs.