Motor vehicle combustion engine starter with air vent opening

A starter (11) for a motor vehicle combustion engine, the starter comprising:

• an electric motor (15);
• a drive pinion (60);
• a pinion body (61) on which the drive pinion (60) is mounted, the pinion body (61) having a rotational axis (X);
• an elastic return member (78);
• a drive shaft (12) configured to transmit a torque derived from the electric motor (15) to the drive pinion (60) via the pinion body, the pinion body (61) being mounted with the ability to slide axially with respect to the drive shaft (12);
• and
• a chamber (86) delimited by one end of the drive shaft (12) and one end of the pinion body (61) opposite the end of the drive shaft (12), the chamber (86) is vented via a through-opening (85) extending radially through an annular wall of the drive shaft (12) or of the pinion body (61) and having a radial orientation with respect to the rotational axis (X);
• the drive pinion (60) mounted to the pinion body (61) so as to slide axially between a rest position and a tooth-against-tooth position;
• the through-opening (85) opens under the drive pinion (60) when the drive pinion (60) is in the rest position;
• the elastic return member (78) configured for returning the drive pinion (60) to the rest position;
• the drive pinion (60) comprising a cavity (75) accommodating one end of the elastic return member (78);
• the through-opening (85) opens into the cavity (75) when the drive pinion (60) is in the rest position.