2013 Accord 2.4L I4, starter began to not crank on first try at 56k. mi. Googled Accord Starter failure, found website Car Complaints.com, many complaints about same problem. Obvious that my starter would soon fail completely, would cost about $900 at dealer to replace. Went to eBay, Chinese replacement for $91. Ordered it, changed it out, works perfectly OK. Chinese starter identical to original.
Disassembled original. High current contacts fried, copper thickness down to 1/3 original. Contacts are part of Brush Holder Assembly, can be replaced as a separate part for $26. But, why did contacts fail (early) at 56k.mi.? Because they are INSIDE starter, right next to brushes. Carbon dust from brush wear contaminates contacts. Carbon dust is electrically resistive, when contacts close on carbon particles, hundreds of amps try to flow through resistive particles heating the particles white hot and eroding the contacts. Consider that the traditional starter design had the solenoid and contacts OUTSIDE the starter motor and thus isolated from brush dust. Usually starters are a life-of-car item.
Looks like some young engineer with no experience decided to move contacts inside starter and save a buck. WRONG. Huge loss of reliability reputation since every single starter on 2013 and 2014 will fail early. And be replaced (expensively) by another misdesigned starter which will also fail early.
Possible solution for adept do-it-yourselfers: jump internal contacts and add external solenoid switch. They are about $30 at NAPA.

 

Carbon is a good conductor of electricity which is why it is used in the brushes.

Honda has had problems w/ wear and erosion of solenoid contacts for a long time, however at least the starter is relatively easy to replace. I have had starter problems on every Honda/Acura I've owned.

good luck

 

Reply to Texas Honda.
Carbon is an adequate but not great electrical conductor, nowhere near copper. That is why copper-particle -filled carbon is used for some brushes. Carbon is used for brushes because of its' wear properties (self-lubricating) are compatible with the copper commutator bars. The small particles trapped between the contacts concentrate the current into a small area, and carbon is a poor heat conductor, so the particles can become very hot almost instantaneously.
Why did conventional-configuration starters (external solenoid) usually last the life of the car?
DaveWilson

 

I have as of yet ever had a starter "last the life of the car". And I've owned different makes and models of vehicles since 1979.