Dear Versa Technical Discussions,

My 2009 Versa with 103,000 miles is currently running fine as expected as of today. I hope not to jinx myself.

I have 103,000 mi on 2009 Versa 1.6 Manual Transmission. The Starter / Coil has never been replaced. Do any versa owners have any historical data on how long the starter/coil will last?

Does anyone know how many starts (key turns) you get ? Relays are rated say 350,000 switches on contacts and I am wondering if starter and coil units are test MTBF mean time before failure or MTTF mean time to failure. Or replace by this date. Today is Sept 2021 so my car is roughly 12 years old depending if built the year before.

With Covid-19 regular, delta, lambda, and now mu variants, I have not been running the 2009 versa as much but it seems to start fine. Yes I know we do not all have the same electrical system or battery. I do not start it under heavy load. I turn off the A/C , radio, etc before starting the car. Winter is coming fast. If it is not broken why replace it? I am starting fine and the car runs fine at this point in time.

Yes, I do understand all drivers and all environmental weather conditions are not equal. I keep up with maintenance regularly eventhough the Nissan Manual only goes to about 100,000 miles in the book I got in the glove compartment.

What is your experence with the starter motor and coil unit ?

What year versa do you have? And when did your versa starter motor and solenoid coil die for you ?

Do you recommend a brand replacement for starter motor and solenoid coil ?

Do you recommend a website or vendor to buy a replacement starter motor and solenoid coil ?

If you did the work yourself did you get a rebuilt unit ? Or buy a new starter/coil ?

If you had the starter/replaced by Nissan - what about did it cost you? I know my Nissan is performing just in time inventory so they do not stock the unit.

If you had the starter/replaced by third party - what about did it cost you?

Would you do preventative maintenance on versa starter / coil before winter if you were me and had 103K on the 2009 Versa manual transmission ?

I do not have a garage so I must work in the parking lot and all work must be scheduled with the apartment community management. It seems like an easy job to replace the starter coil unit ? Even easier if you have a heated or cooled garage. I normally stage all work, prep tools, and then do work in parking lot. I have many tools.

Here is a brief template for reply.
Versa Year=.........................................?
Manual or Auto transmission=....................?
Mileage when Starter/coil died=................?
Did you replace with OEM part-.................?
Lessons learned if you replaced starter........?

Any other input is helpful.

Any help appreciated. - your PolskaOne

Maintenance is one thing, major parts are another. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Sounds like somebody is writing a college thesis based on what we say.........

I don't look for reasons to yank a starter but if it has to come off I tend to rebuild them and haven't had to ever buy a complete starter on a whopping long line of cars, I think I've bought one in 40 years and that one was a defect rebuild I had to fix before I even put it on the car, It worked for the next several years too.

amc49 wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 09, 2021 5:03 pm

Sounds like somebody is writing a college thesis based on what we say.........

I don't look for reasons to yank a starter but if it has to come off I tend to rebuild them and haven't had to ever buy a complete starter on a whopping long line of cars, I think I've bought one in 40 years and that one was a defect rebuild I had to fix before I even put it on the car, It worked for the next several years too.

Yep, +1. New brushes are cheap, I usually get mine from Eurton Electric.

VStar650CL - I agree with you. If it is not broken dont fix it. Like someone said elsewhere the brushes wear out. I got 103,000 and winter is coming. My versa model is HR16DE and the starter motor solenoid assembly is part S114_901A reduction gear type. I went to Eurton Electric. I looked up Hitachi. I did not see a starter repair kit on Eurton Electric. I downloaded a Hitachi PDF from the site. Does that imply Eurton Electric does not carry the starter repair kit? Or brush kit? How long would it take to replace the brushes assuming all goes well ? I can call Eurton too for help. I am trying to get ahead of the game. I read somewhere on Nicoclub that someone got 172K out of there starter solenoid assembly. I wish I could find an S114_901A assembly diagram but that is OEM land. It looks like two bolts on the end of the S114_901A , the cap comes off, some kind of retainer clip. I would expect some wear on the starter motor bearings inside and the gear that engages the flywheel. The solenoid and plunger may wear as well. I am still investigating. I am sure the brushes are worn. I hope to get through winter. Unfortunately I do not have a garage. I am keeping Darwin and govt in business for sure-bailoutStimulus,Cares1&2,rescue act. I am becoming a professional $dollar pincher. Thank you for the feedback. It is more info than I had yesterday.

amc49 - I am trying to get ahead of the game winter is rolling in. I think you are correct rebuilding or replacing the whole starter assembly. Vstar650CL is suggesting a brush pack or starter repair kit. I am not sure a repair kit is available for my starter solenoid assembly. Maybe I will wait to spring then update some major components including the starter assembly just so I have assurance when traveling far from home. I am still investigating. It is a cake walk if I had a garage. I have to work outside and schedule the the downtime where I live so I must stage all parts, the time needed etc. I should take the starter motor cap off and see the brush wear or figure out how to measure the wear using an ohm meter if that is even possible. Thanks for the feedback.

VStar650CL, amc49, others -- do you have any favorite replacement vendor(s) for starter solenoid assembly ? Top replacement vendors? The OEM starter assembly part is Hitachi ( S114_901A ) for my Versa HR16DE (from the vin). No this is not a student project. I am just a guy trying to get by in interesting times. Yes the technocrats_plurocrats seem to collect data and data on everything else out there today- AI, ML. etc. This Just in time inventory thing requires planning.

I've seen plenty of Nissan starters go 200K+ before the brushes crapped out. I still see no point in replacing (or even rebuilding) what isn't broke.

Look at a pic of a new brush and you can generally look at the difference in length and tell if new needed.

FWIW I haven't had a garage ever and 3 and usually 4 cars kept running at all times for almost 50 years now, 43 where I am now. I have never ever paid for any car repair and rebuild engines and ATX as needed but it's gotten harder as I get older. I've assembled auto trans in bathroom before during winter, one does what they have to. Dad had a family shop which was nice as I could use the mill and lathe there but that went when he passed and I had to come up with new ways of doing things, outside the biggest issue is keeping dirt out of things. The weather doesn't often cooperate either. Things got harder after the bypass in '07 but still doing it only slower and I watch the heat here in Texas in summer.

Just bookmarked Eurton E, one can never have too many component suppliers. Thank y'all for that.

Now, if I could only find an Asian alternator parts supplier..............have domestic but they don't do Japanese.

Ditto on starter not commonly needing brushes at 200K, alts yes, starters no. I rebuild all my alts too.

VStar650CL, amc49 - considering not all car driving conditions are created equal I will figure I am good through winter on the starter brushes and alt brushes. I do not know if my starter is a self contained unit for I don't have the assembly drawing. If I consider my weather conditions and driving style I could probably be safe in taking +/- 20% off the 200K on your estimate which I am well within that range at 103K. I will not hold anyone to it. I got towing on my insurance just in case. amc49 I am not sure about doing my work in the bathroom. Outside maint. work is one thing but the bathroom another. If I have backup transportation and a driveway I do not mind working outside. amc49 good point on the alt brushes. If I hear anything on an asian alternator supplier I will post here. Thank both of you for your feedback.

I never scratch if it doesn't itch .

For what it's worth My RL411 starter broke at 100,000 miles. It was a fracture of the "shift fork", nothing electrical. I rebuilt the starter and it still works. No starter new or rebuilt was available but Nissan Foreign Parts sent me a listing of all starter parts in stock and I was able to make up a rebuild kit. BTW the brushes were just fine but I replaced them anyway.

MikeRL411 wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 17, 2021 4:29 pm

For what it's worth My RL411 starter broke at 100,000 miles. It was a fracture of the "shift fork", nothing electrical. I rebuilt the starter and it still works. No starter new or rebuilt was available but Nissan Foreign Parts sent me a listing of all starter parts in stock and I was able to make up a rebuild kit. BTW the brushes were just fine but I replaced them anyway.

+1. There isn't much on a typical starter that can't be DIY-reworked in a pinch. I've seen people TIG weld unobtainable throw-out forks and stamp replacement contactor rings out of plumbing copper. Armatures can even be re-wound by hand as long as the shaft and commutators are good. When it's the only way to save a beloved old ride, you do what you have to do.