Need help - rough cold start issue

M

macksenior

Member
Location
kentucky
Just bought this car at 35K miles. It was in a front end wreck before I bought it that may be related. When the engine is cold (first start of the day) it will start but immediately the engine sputters and almost stall. After a couple of seconds the idle will go to normal. Sometimes it just cranks over and doesnt start at all. When this happens, if I disengage the starter and reengage, it will start right up as normal.
 
I had the exact same issue, especially the part about a second try always starting right up. My battery was OEM, and I see your FX is a year older. I never actually tested my battery to see, but my radar detector powered down the first time saying low voltage. So after a few weeks of this, I finally replaced the battery before it actually wouldn't start. Everything is fine now.
 
I'm getting pretty of crank out of the battery and no other appliances are having problems. I brought it to the dealer a couple of times for the problem and they tried a bunch of things. Wouldn't you think they would have checked the battery?

---------- Post added at 05:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:01 PM ----------

plenty of crank...sorry.
 
How old is your battery? Do as you please but I had the exact same issues. Never noticed any problems until I got to school and it was colder.

No idea what the dealer would have checked. Can you ask them, or is there a print out of the tests they did? I've recently learned that dealerships don't really know much more than a computer can tell them. Also, check the thread about the guy who has been to his dealer a bunch for the same overheating problem, with no solution.
 
that is true I would check the battery especially if is oem and then maybe the trottle body, it might need some ceaning if it is stalling, if it starts up then the battery done its job but if it is stalling then it might be your trottle body, I had the same problem yesterday and I have new optima red top so I am leaning towards the trottle body
 
This problem has occurred a lot for people, and most either clean the TB or replace the battery. I did the TB cleaning a year ago, back when it was colder also, and it helped but now I wonder if it was actually just the battery starting to go out. In fact I think my battery died not too long after.

OP, what all did the dealer check and/or do to it?
 
The battery looks like it is original which makes it 48 months old so it could be on its way out. I'll get it checked. Dirty throttle body...didn't think of that.
 
another member's video of cold start issue

///11403


its battery starting to show its age with colder weather. mine did the same thing with second try starting right up. so i replaced it with optima red top yesterday and it started right up this morning without any hesitation.
 
I'm having the same problem and my neighbor hooked up his scanner...the iat is reading about 30 or 40 degrees warmer before starting.

any chance the sensor is going, and the car thinks is warmer than it is (so it's using a different air/fuel ratio)?

does that even make sense?

i know very little about cars, if you can't tell :(
 
Just to let everyone know that I've been having the starting problem for the past two years and recently every single time i start my car it took 2 times every time to start. So I did alot of research and finally decided to buy the AC Amplifier and it seemed to have fix the problem. Now my car starts up like a champ like a brand new car. It cost me 344.00 but it was well friggin worth it. I was hesitant on buying it but I'm glad I did. Just wanted to let everyone know. I installed it on saturday and havent had the starting problem at all. Ill follow up in a month and let everyone know how it goes.
 
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