Car won’t start if I let it sit
If I start my car every day, then it starts fine. If I let it sit for more than a day, it won't start and I have to use starter fluid to get it started.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hello. It sounds as if you have a restricted fuel supply or contaminated gas. A trained technician will easily be able to pressure test your fuel system and inspect the quality of the gasoline. Also, I notice your car is an older vehicle. Older vehicles often need a fuel tank treatment to stabilize any bad gas or deposits that may be present. I recommend adding fuel stabilizer to the gas tank to see if that helps with the no start condition. If you need further assistance, I recommend you have a mechanic, like one from YourMechanic, inspect the starting problem with your vehicle and replace any bad parts.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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A difficult start could be due to a number of things, from a dying battery to a faulty starter. But if your vehicle has a hard time starting after sitting for just a few hours, it can cause an extra layer of confusion. When this happens, one of the most common causes is low fuel pressure.
A car that takes longer to start is usually due to poor starter connections, a defective starter, charging problems, or a bad battery. In more specific cases, the problem may also be the spark plugs, fuel pressure, or car computer.
If your vehicle won`t start, it`s usually caused by a dying or dead battery, loose or corroded connection cables, a bad alternator or an issue with the starter.
When an engine cranks for a long time before it starts, either spark or fuel is missing or weak and each has its own reasons. Most of the time, the air / fuel mixture has been disturbed and there is too much air or not enough fuel.
Hard start symptoms and starter failure may NOT be caused by the starter, but could actually be caused by the crankshaft position sensor. If your vehicle is experiencing one or more of these symptoms, the crankshaft sensor may be at fault.
Sitting cars can suffer from a variety of maladies, including stale gas, bad starter motors, seized engines, dead batteries, and corroded hoses, among a plethora of other things that can be affected by time and the environment.
The longer ignition delay can be caused by a number of factors including: lower intake air temperature, lower boost pressure due to turbocharger lag, lower combustion chamber wall temperature and more advanced dynamic injection timing.
Typically when your electrical accessories are working well, but it takes a few cranks for the engine to start, the issue is with the fuel or ignition system. In most cases, clogged or dirty fuel injectors, throttle body or mass air flow sensor will be the root source of this problem.
A dead battery is one of the most common reasons why your car won`t start. Check the battery terminals for corrosion and clean them using a wire brush or battery cleaning solution. If the battery is old or damaged, it may need to be replaced entirely.
Why Your Car Won`t Start When It`s Cold. When your engine cranks normally but doesn`t turn over, the problem could be traced back to the fuel system. That`s because gasoline has to vaporize before it can burn, and freezing (or below) temperatures make that difficult.
There are many causes of hard starting but illustrative ones are a faulty engine coolant temperature switch (sensor), malfunctioning idle air control (IAC) valve, vacuum and EGR leaks, inadequate fuel delivery or pressure (clogged fuel filter, injectors), and contaminated or old gasoline.
If you continue having difficulties starting your car in the morning, you may have a drain on your battery somewhere, or you may need a new alternator.
Your car may not start in cold weather because of problems in a number of areas. battery: cold temperatures affect the chemical process inside the battery and reduce its ability to hold a charge. alternator: alternator belts can become cracked in cold temperatures, making it more difficult to power your battery.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
My car will not start Intermittently. I purchased a new battery 2 weeks ago and yesterday the car wouldn’t start. Got a jump and
ANSWER : The issue you are having is probably due to an intermittent fault in the starter motor itself or a deficiency in the starter electrical circuit, for example a large voltage drop due to a poor ground or a high resistance connection. These issues can be readily diagnosed and resolved on a mobile basis if you request a hard starting diagnostic. If you request that diagnostic, the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you promptly. Based on Toyota’s Factory Service Manual, the battery should not be disconnected if the vehicle engine is running. The battery acts as a large resistive voltage sink and consequently taking the battery out of the circuit, while the alternator is still running, can create a voltage spike on the car’s electrical system which is not good for voltage sensitive components such as the engine computer. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
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Car won’t start. The check engine light, battery light, and oil change light are coming on. I tried jumping the car and nothing happened. Why won’t my car start?
ANSWER : Hi and thanks for contacting Your Mechanic. If sometimes your vehicle will start with the new alternator and sometimes it won’t, then there is a loose connection in your charging system. Check all of the wires to the alternator and to the battery. Make sure that the battery cables are clean and tight. Make sure that the wires to the starter are clean and tight. A loose ground to the ignition system will cause the vehicle to not crank over. Check all of the ground wires from the battery to the starter. Make sure that they are clean and tight. If you need further assistance troubleshooting your no start situation, then seek out a technician, such as one from Your Mechanic, that can assist you.
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Map sensor car won’t start up good ?
ANSWER : Your MAP sensor is an important input for your computer. It helps determine the load on the engine to calculate the correct amount of fuel to inject. It sometimes takes a few seconds for the vehicle to realize that the sensor is not producing a good signal.
At that point, it will use other methods to determine the fuel rate, such as pre-programmed fuel maps, throttle position, etc. I would suggest replacing the MAP sensor and retesting. If you would like to have it checked first, a certified technician from YourMechanic will be able to scan your vehicle and test components to determine the root cause of your starting issue before making a repair.
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The car crank but won’t start
ANSWER : Hi there. This does sound like an issue with the wiring. If the check engine light is coming on every now and then this means that when it does not come on there is no power to the computer. This can be the wiring harness issue or an ignition switch problem. I would have to test for voltage to the computer when the problem is occurring to be able to find where the issue lies. If you need assistance, a certified YourMechanic technician can be dispatched to your location to inspect your vehicle’s non-start issue and suggest any necessary repairs.
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Car intermittently won’t start
ANSWER : Hi there. An intermittent no start condition, can be difficult to diagnose. Replacing the fuel filter would not hurt anything, especially if it hasn’t been replaced in the last 30,000 miles. Diagnostic procedures should be performed, at the time of no start, to confirm whether there is a loss of fuel, of spark or both.
Assuming the Check Engine Light is not coming on, leads me to believe the ECM (engine control module)/computer is not recognizing the fault. There are many possibilities for a no start condition: a faulty ignition switch, fuel pump relay, fuel pump, ignition coil, ignition module, crankshaft position sensor, camshaft position sensor.
Replacing components without diagnoses can be expensive and time consuming without resolution. I recommend having your vehicle’s intermittent no start diagnosed and repaired by a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, so that this can be repaired correctly.
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My car starts fine but always like once a month it doesn’t start it cranks ok but it will not start if I let it sit for 6 hours
ANSWER : Hi There,
What you are describing sounds like an ignition coil that may be failing. Ignition coils are prone to this type of erratic functioning or heat cycling when they are beginning to fail due to the temperature fluctuations under the hood which ultimately cause them to shut down causing the car to only run after cooling down for 30-40 minutes. Ignition coils are coated with a varnish-like insulation that becomes brittle over time after being stretched then contracted repeatedly The insulation develops small fractures that open when heated and close when cooled. When open, they allow shorting of coil windings and decrease or eliminate the coil’s ability to function. This process will repeat itself continuously until the coil ultimately fails completely and must be replaced. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your ignition system.
What you are describing sounds like an ignition coil that may be failing. Ignition coils are prone to this type of erratic functioning or heat cycling when they are beginning to fail due to the temperature fluctuations under the hood which ultimately cause them to shut down causing the car to only run after cooling down for 30-40 minutes. Ignition coils are coated with a varnish-like insulation that becomes brittle over time after being stretched then contracted repeatedly The insulation develops small fractures that open when heated and close when cooled. When open, they allow shorting of coil windings and decrease or eliminate the coil’s ability to function. This process will repeat itself continuously until the coil ultimately fails completely and must be replaced. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your ignition system.
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After you sit with the car running, the car starts smoking and eventually starts shaking
ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in. It all depends where the smoke is coming from. If it is from the exhaust then your engine be running rich and starting to foul out the spark plugs. Have the computer tested to see if any codes are present that could indicate what is causing the smoke. If you see smoke from the engine compartment then you may be running the engine hot due to low airflow over the radiator. Have the cooling fan checked to make sure it is running. If it is running and the vehicle has the AC running and the blower is on or near high then you may be using more energy than the alternator can keep up with. This can cause the radiator fan to not turn as fast as it should and let the temperature to rise if idled for long periods. If you would like help, consider having an expert automotive technician from YourMechanic come to your home or office to inspect and diagnose this issue for you, and make or suggest any repairs as needed.
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My car won’t start, neither does my auto. Start. Sometime it might start if I jump it sometimes it won’t.
ANSWER : Hi there. There are a number of issues that will make a car hard to start. Everything from the electrical system to the fuel system to the actual starter itself can be the problem. Finding the root cause of a hard starting engine can take some investigation. Ignoring a hard starting issue can further damage the vehicle, which will often result in a more expensive repair. You might want to have a mobile mechanic complete a car is hard to start inspection so they can pinpoint the source of the issues you’re having and recommend the right repairs be completed.
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