TheTriads

Has anyone ever experience this? When my car is parked for more than a couple of days. I go to start it, it kind of chokes but starts. The car never have problem starting at the 1st time, but just seems to try very hard starting it up. When the car is warmed up (driving to supermarket, etc) it starts just fine. Only when it's parked for AWHILE.

I've never had this problem with I drove it daily, now that it's a weekend car, it seems to have this problem. Before I would always thought it's the GAS brand (as I read some threads), but I noticed that my gf's car has been getting the same kind of gas does not have this problem) I also tried to switch different gas stations, different brand, same scenario.

What do you guys think?

05whitetl

What year is the car and how many miles are on it?

TheTriads

5AT 2004 with 11886miles

leeherman

Search the forums. It's a common complaint.

The engine management system is designed to optimize emissions on cold starts, and sometimes the car will require prolonged cranking or idle a bit rough until it reaches operating temperature.

It's not a problem, it's design. I believe it's even mentioned in the owner's manual under "starting procedures" (or whatever it's called).

Regards,

DonKron

I've had this problem and its really odd because there was no pattern to the problem. I live in Canada and thought it was just the cold winter nights, but then it happened on a nicer morning.

I talked to the service manager at my dealership and so far his fix has worked. he advised me to turn the key to the "on" position, but then to wait 4-5 seconds before turning into the start position. you can also tell when to try starting by a slight humming. when you turn the key to the on position you'll hear a humming. when the humming stops start er up.

I don't remember the exact explanation as to why this happens but now there is never any hesitation when starting the car.

B

Ron A

The humming is the fuel pump priming the lines, so when you start the car there is already fuel in the lines, which helps it start better.

leeherman

That is correct, sir.

However, even with the fuel system primed, we can experience prolonged cranking and rough idle when cold simply because the engine management system is adjusting the fuel mixture to minimize cold start emissions, which are typically when emissions are highest.

It's the price we pay for having ULEV emissions!

Regards,

TheTriads

I appreciate all of your explanation, leeherman's above 2 posts makes real sense to me. It happens in all weather conditions, even with the weather is so nice, after the car have sat in the lot for a few days, it prolongs the start. Sometimes it prolongs so long that I begin to think weather if it's a huge problem.

I've waited so long to ask this question because I don't want to feel like I'm nagging about a minor problem

thanks all
This forum always helps.

leeherman

You're welcome, and this site is VERY helpful. I knew EXACTLY what I was getting into before I bought my TL almost a year ago.

Regards,

TL CHROMETIDE

i figured this out on my own. my tl would make a sound like its grinding something or a loud hum and i got worried so i tried many things and i finally came up to this conclusion, set key to on and let it wait for 5 seconds, and then it starts up perfectly