starter toasted

[mskip]

2003 EX-L with 89000 mi
Yesterday parked at parking lot of the shopping center and after we came back Pilot would not start. Just a click/click every time I turn ignition key on. Nothing on hands for the tools. Lights would come on at dashboard, door lock/unlock ok, radio ok , interior lights ok. Finally grabbed lug wrench and started whacking on starter (I think that WAS a starter-pretty hard to see in an underground parkade). Again tried but no luck...
Got mad and started going hard with a key on-off-on-off-on and click-click-click-wrooom started.
No high rpms or check engine light on. Drove to service and they diagnosed it as bad starter ($$$). Waiting for a call when will it be ready (450$+).
Are these prone to problems? Never gave me any indication of going bad or not turning over. Battery ok (12.6V engine off, 13.5V when engine running).
Any ideas/comments?

[mclairmo]

I don't think they are unusually prone to problems on the Pilot. Starter is a very high wear item and they eventually will fail. I have seen premature failure in starters after getting wet.

[theirishscion]

Originally Posted by mskip

Got mad and started going hard with a key on-off-on-off-on and click-click-click-wrooom started.

Sounds like the starter solenoid is what failed more than the starter motor, though that's a distinction without much of a difference. I think they're one unit in the Pilot.

As mclairmo says, road salt and water ingress would be my first guess for a cause. Anything that impedes the starter solenoid from meshing the pinion gear with the flywheel will cause that problem, and that's usually corrosion or grit in the mechanism in my experience. I had a Renault Le Car many years ago that, for about nine months, required a strategic tap from a claw hammer to persuade to start for much the same reason.

I'm not aware of Pilots having starter motor problems more than any other brand or model.

[rocky]

Wondering also about the health of the battery. But the symptoms do point to a starter problem. Not sure I can recall any similar complaints